Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Overview
Seoul National University School of Dentistry (SNUSD) faculty in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery has performed the research continuously with their clinical practices since 1946 which was the same time of the foundation of SNUSD. The department has played a fundamental role for the development of clinical and translational research for Oral and Maxillofacial diseases and treatments for about 70 years. Today, the Department is becoming nationally and internationally recognized for breakthrough laboratory and patients-oriented research as well as high-quality clinics and residency programs.
The current faculty members of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery includes 7 full-time professors (as above) and 4 adjunct professors (Mi Hyun Seo, Won Jai Choi, Jeong Joon Han, Ik Jae Kwon). All faculty members are dedicated to the education in SNUSD, including education programs for students, graduate students, clinical residents, fellowship trainees and externship trainees.
The research fields at the Department include not only the diseases and treatments in the oral cavity, but also the entire upper and lower jaws, face, and neck. The specific research projects currently undergoing at the department are basic and clinical researches related to malignant tumors, cysts, and benign lesions, maxillary sinus disease, maxillofacial trauma, salivary gland disease, temporomandibular joint disease, maxillofacial pain and neurological diseases, infectious diseases, medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, hard and soft tissue reconstruction for oral and maxillofacial area, tooth extractions, dental implant installation and related diseases, and cleft lip and palate, cranio-maxillofacial deformity, maxillofacial esthetic surgery. Here is the detailed description of each research fields and projects.
Research fields
Oral cancer
Research related to diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and prognosis analysis of oral cancer are being conducted using molecular biological and translational research methods. In addition, research related to precancerous lesions, human papillomavirus, cancer biomarkers, treatment strategies according to the cancer stages and cancer locations are being performed. New research projects for development of anti-cancer drugs, pathophysiology of peri-implant oral cancer and the effect of lymph node metastasis on the overall prognosis are also in progress.
Oral and maxillofacial reconstruction
As a method for reconstructing defects in the jaw, tongue, oral cavity, and facial areas, reconstruction using flaps, reconstruction using 3D printed patient-specific metal plates, material studies of metal plates, and reconstruction with maxillofacial prostheses, and implants are ongoing.
Acquired skeletal malocclusion
In the diagnosis and treatment of acquired anomalies such as mandibular prognathism, retrognathism, and facial asymmetry, research is underway to combine three-dimensional methods such as 3D diagnosis, virtual surgery, 3D printing, augmented reality, and navigation. In addition, research is ongoing to find factors that determine the prognosis of surgery, such as the effects of temporomandibular joint and muscles. Research in underway to apply artificial intelligence to soft tissue changes after surgery.
Congenital cranio-maxillofacial deformity (including cleft lip and palate, hemifacial microsomia, etc.) research
Research is being conducted on the development, histopathological evaluation, diagnosis and treatment according to the growth process, modified surgical techniques and prognosis of congenital deformities in the cranio-maxillofacial region, such as cleft lip and palate, hemifacial microsomia, and craniosynostosis.
Cyst and benign lesion
Research on treatment methods including bone grafts, recurrence, and neurological prognosis for cysts of oral and maxillofacial region are ongoing. Research on treatment methods, prognostic factors such as clinical and histological characteristics of benign lesions in the oral cavity and jawbone are in progress.
Oral and maxillofacial Trauma
Research is underway to evaluate the prognosis of surgical and non-surgical treatment methods for trauma to the hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity and jawbone. In addition, research is in progress to evaluate the mechanical properties of the fixation method for the fracture site using finite element analysis.
Implant and bone graft
Research on implant materials, mechanical properties and surface treatment, bone graft material and bone morphogenetic protein, and 3D printed scaffold for bone regeneration are ongoing.
Maxillary sinus
Research to evaluate the accuracy of radiological examinations used for the diagnosis of maxillary sinus lesions, analysis of the contents of maxillary sinus lesions with dental origin, and prognosis of surgical procedures are ongoing. In addition, research on the surgical removal of foreign bodies displaced into the maxillary sinus and its prognosis is being conducted.
Salivary gland
Research on a method of salivary gland transplantation using microanastomosis and a method for regenerating salivary glands using tissue engineering are ongoing.
Infectious disease
Research on the classification and treatment methods of various infectious lesions of dental causes is ongoing.
Osteomyelitis (including medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw and osteoradionecrosis)
Research on early diagnosis using x-ray, treatment and prognosis for osteomyelitis are ongoing. To treat osteonecrosis by various causes, animal experiment models are established, and research is underway to develop medication protocol and surgical treatment methods.
Study of immune system of the oral mucosa and jaw
To understand the cause of diseases occurring in the oral cavity, face, and jawbone as an immune response, research to extract and analyze characteristics of immune cells present in the oral and maxillofacial region are being conducted. The immune response of immune cells to external invasive factors and hosts are being studied. Research that can contribute to treatment of the disease in the end by exploring the relationship between oral and maxillofacial diseases such as oral mucosal disease and temporomandibular joint inflammatory disease and immune response is in progress.
Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea research
The cause of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea is systematically analyzed, and treatment using surgery, high frequency, and laser are being studied.
Cultivation of teeth, jaw bones, and artificial mucosa using tissue engineering
Research is ongoing to regenerate teeth and bones using various types of stem cells collected from oral and maxillofacial areas using tissue engineering. In addition, experiments to cultivate oral keratinocytes to develop mucosa required for reconstruction in the oral cavity are in progress.
Temporomandibular joint disease research
Research is ongoing to evaluate the prognosis of surgical and non-surgical treatment methods for various temporomandibular joint diseases ranging from temporomandibular joint arthritis to ankylosis.
Peripheral nerve damage related research
Research on the prognosis after surgical and non-surgical treatment for peripheral nerve injury in the oral and maxillofacial region is ongoing. In addition, experiments aimed at developing effective materials for peripheral nerve regeneration are in progress.
Tooth extraction related research
Research to evaluate bone regeneration radiologically after extraction of the third molar, and a study on the factors that determine the difficulty of tooth extraction are ongoing.
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