Category: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Cancer of the oral cavity is the most common malignancy of the head and neck (1). The disease occurs more frequently in men (2–4), although the current male-to-female ratio of 2:1 appears to be decreasing (2,3). While the disease is much more prevalent in patients who are middle-aged or older (2–4), there has been a […]

Orthognathic surgery, or corrective jaw surgery, is used to treat skeletal deformities of the face that cause misalignment of the jaws and/or teeth as well as treating sleep apnoea patients . These conditions, which cannot be treated with conventional orthodontic procedures, include protrusion or recession of the jaws or chin, severe malocclusion and overbite. They can result in many issues, such as breathing difficulties; persistent pain in […]

Unfortunately, oral complications are a common side-effect of cancer treatment. Virtually all patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancers will encounter such issues, while the prevalence in patients undergoing chemotherapy for lesions at any site is around 40%. Conversely, pre-existing or untreated oral disease can affect cancer treatment. While some complications resolve when […]

In the majority of medicolegal cases, the outcome is dependent on the opinions expressed in experts’ reports. Therefore, these must be based on high quality evidence, particularly in cases where the questions surrounding breach of duty, causation and the damage sustained by the claimant are complex. Furthermore, once a case has gone to court, it […]

Consultants in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the mouth, jaw, face and neck. Uniquely among the surgical specialties in the UK, OMFS surgeons are qualified in both dentistry and medicine. This is because many of the conditions they treat require expertise in both fields, so OMFS […]

Head and neck cancers (HNC) are relatively uncommon, accounting for less than 5% of all cancers, and are generally associated with longstanding tobacco and alcohol use. However, the epidemiology of HNC is changing, which is leading to alterations in the presentation of the disease and the risk profile of a typical patient, and these differences […]

In medicolegal cases, it is rare for the legal teams involved to have sufficient specialist knowledge to make a judgement on the medical issues raised by a case. Therefore, they rely on medical experts to provide them with advice. It is the duty of the medical expert to provide the court with an objective and […]

We are delighted to announce that Mr Zaid Sadiq, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Head/Neck Surgeon has joined our team of expert witnesses. Mr Sadiq currently works at the Queen Victoria Hospital, and prior to this he worked for many years at other leading hospitals including University College London Hospital and Great Ormond Street. He is […]

In line with most fields of medicine, litigation involving oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) is increasing, as is the amount paid out in compensation (1), although OMFS claims result, on average, in the lowest amount paid per claim of all the surgical specialities (2). According to the NHS Litigation Authority, between 1995 and 2010 a […]