Tokyo Women's Medical University

Graduate School of Medical Science

Maxillofacial Surgery and Stomatology

About us

In addition to its close relation to eating, the field of maxillofacial surgery and stomatology provides opportunities to visually detect pathological conditions. Therefore, the development of effective therapies and cosmetic products is an important aim in this field. Furthermore, the oral cavity is a gateway for infection, and it has become clear that oral hygiene is closely related to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as postoperative complications following head and neck surgery and gastrointestinal surgery.
This field specializes in providing routine oral surgical procedures (e.g., wisdom tooth extraction, the removal of cysts and benign tumors, and tooth replantation and autotransplantation), including the treatment of jaw deformities with the main purpose of "occlusal reconstruction," oral and maxillofacial trauma, and cleft lip and palate as well as dental implantation. In particular, treating jaw deformities requires a variety of techniques, including mandibular and maxillary osteotomy, which are common procedures, as well as partial maxillary and mandibular osteotomy, mandibular body osteotomy, genioplasty, and maxillary distraction osteogenesis. These diverse procedures enable us to provide customized treatment according to the specific condition.

Research

(1) Development of three-dimensional bone and cartilage regeneration therapy using human dental pulp stem cells
Tissue regeneration therapy for irreversible bone defects caused by congenital diseases, such as cleft lip and palate, or acquired diseases, such as trauma or tumors, is an urgent issue, both in terms of functionality and aesthetics. Dental pulp stem cells are characterized by high proliferation and differentiation potential and have long attracted attention as a source of cells for regenerative medicine. We will undertake international collaborative research with several advanced facilities in Japan and the University of Frankfurt in Germany, focusing on the development of three-dimensional bone and cartilage regeneration therapy utilizing autologous cells, with the goal of facilitating clinical applications.

(2) Examining soft and hard tissue healing in oral and maxillofacial diseases
A major theme in oral and maxillofacial research is "occlusion and functional reconstruction.” In the oral and maxillofacial region, including jaw deformities and trauma, aesthetic factors are important, and soft tissues should be considered. In this field, our efforts are focused on advancing techniques that will ensure optimal patient satisfaction through the three-dimensional evaluation of the bone healing process before and after surgery using CT scans and other methods as well as soft tissue evaluation using simulation software. We are also actively developing surgical techniques and providing feedback and recommendations on our newly developed technology.

Faculty

Professor and Division head Youko KOGA
Lecturer Yuuki KAN'NO

Related links

Research Achievements Database

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