Southern States - Karnataka   

Surgery comes as a godsend to youths

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR NOV. 10. Chidanand, a teenager, was not inferior to any student in studies. But his inhibition was so deep that he wanted to discontinue his studies though he passed SSLC with distinction.

The reason was his oversized jaw and poking teeth. He used to curse God for giving him an "ugly" face. He used to avoid social gatherings, and preferred to stay indoors.

His parents were worried as his inferiority complex borne out of disproportionate facial profile threatened to mar his career. However, all this changed when they learnt about orthognathic surgery. But the cost of the surgery was beyond their reach. Moreover, they had a misconception that such specialised surgeries were done only in big cities. They were simply overjoyed when they came to now such medical facilities were available in their city itself.

Atul Kulkarni, a dental surgeon, conducted orthognathic surgery on Chidanand. His lips are now able to hide not only his teeth but also his inhibition forever. In fact, he has now joined PUC with "new face", literally.

Rajeshwari, a college student from Bijapur, and her parents were worried till recently. Orthognathic surgery performed on her deformed oral has given her a new look. Now, she smiles with brimming confidence.

Similar was the case with Kedar Marathe, a college student from Muddebihal. There are many such youths with pleasing face now.

Not only deformed jaws and teeth were realigned here but also cleft lip and palate surgeries were done to help restore oral function to near normality. What seems to have pleased the locals is that a super speciality orthognathic surgery, which otherwise remained a distant dream for the people of this backward region, has come to their doorstep that too in affordable charges.

According to Dr. Kulkarni, who has established a dental care and research centre here, the facial profile is no more a "God's gift". An ugly face was no longer a permanent feature. Specialisation and sophistication of medical equipment had made converting an ugly face into a pleasant face easier even in remote places such as Bijapur.

In the modern world, new generation is increasingly becoming conscious of looks.

The youths want to improve their facial profile, which, they believe is the key to their success.

As far as women are concerned, they believe that their looks decide their destiny. Good looks are determined by alignments of jaws and teeth, which can be improved favourably.

On the cost of the surgery, Dr. Kulkarni, who has been engaged in many health related charity works, especially dental health awareness campaign among the rural children, claimed that minimum charges were collected from patients.

The motive for charging less is to make sophisticated surgery a common man affordable. For example, the doctors' fee for cleft palate surgery alone costs Rs. 15,000 in big cities such as Bangalore and Mumbai but in Bijapur it is only Rs. 3,000. If a patient was poor, the cost would be further reduced, he added.

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