Anaplastology
The art of science
What anaplastology is, where it comes from, and what an anaplastologist provides.
The discipline
An anaplastologist (known as a maxillofacial prosthetist and technologist in the United Kingdom) has the knowledge and skill to provide custom facial (craniofacial), ocular and somatic prostheses, and sometimes collaborates with prosthodontists and ocularists.
The training spans the arts and the sciences. On the arts side: photography, illustration, sculpture and painting. On the sciences side: biology, behavioral science, materials science and physics, with emphasis on surface anatomy and physiology, polymer science, optics, dermatology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, otolaryngology and oncology.
History
Prosthetic replacement of missing body parts dates back thousands of years; early Egyptians made simple prosthetic toes and fingers from wood and leather. The modern era took shape during and after the First and Second World Wars, when many soldiers returned with severe facial injuries and limb loss.
Today the field incorporates 3D scanning and printing to create highly customized, lifelike prostheses, while anaplastologists continue to address the emotional side of living with a missing or altered part of the body.
What we provide
Prostheses and custom medical devices
Working with surgery
Surgery and anaplastology are closely intertwined. When surgical reconstruction alone cannot give the desired result, a custom prosthesis can complement it, and we support patients afterward by adjusting and maintaining their prostheses as needs change.