First Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons' Day celebrated

The first Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons' Day was celebrated here today to spread awareness about this lesser known surgical speciality. The Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India (AOMSI) observe February 13 as the day of oral and Maxillofacial surgeons to commemorate its first meeting held on this date in 1969. Maxillofacial surgeons treat hard and soft tissue injuries of face, tumours of the mouth, jaws and neck, oral cancer and birth defects like cleft lip and palate and other congenital facial deformities. Pure aesthetic and cosmetic surgery of face is also under their purview. "Head and neck has always been regarded as a complex area of anatomy with too many medical and surgical issues cropping up in the area due to the co-existence of a very mixed platter of tissue types," said AOMSI member Dr Srijon Mukherji, one of the few maxillofacial surgeons here. Explaining the reason behind the celebration of the day, he said patients were unaware of the possibilities of such surgeries. There were only about 3,000 members of the surgeons' association all over India. "Maxillofacial surgery is an essential requirement for addressing injuries, deformities, tumours and aesthetic requirements of mouth, face jaw and neck, but it is yet to be well known to the masses," Mukherji said. Awareness camps will also be held in the city.