Reconstructive plastic surgery is done in order to correct abnormalities of the face or body as caused by disease, accidents, birth defects, trauma, or aging. According to the University of Virginia’s Health System, there are over 5.5 million reconstructive surgeries a year in the United States alone. The objective of these surgeries is usually to recover or repair physical function.
There are normally two candidates for reconstructive surgery: those with congenital anomalies, such as craniofacial anomalies or deformities, and those with developmental deformities, with issues as the result of an accident, disease or onset of aging.
Some of the issues often solved or repaired through reconstructive surgery are:
Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth abnormalities of the mouth. Cleft lip and palate are the fourth most common types of birth defects in the United States. They occur with greater incidence among Caucasians and with less regularity among African Americans. The reasons for this are indefinite.
Cleft lip and cleft palate occur early in pregnancy when the sides of the lip and the roof of the mouth do not fuse together as intended. The condition is most frequent in boys and the exact cause is not absolutely understood. Many researchers consider genetic likelihood, although there is no tangible research to lead to a final conclusion.
Nasal Issues
Many people choose to have reconstructive plastic surgery to help mend various nasal difficulties. One of the most common issues is a deviated septum. This predicament is a circumstance in which the partition, known as the septum, between the nostrils is not straight. This can lead to blocked airflow and is usually caused by a birth defect or injury.
Cleft defects can also have an impact on the nasal cavity and various nasal surgeries may be mandatory. Others seek reconstructive surgical procedures, like rhinoplasty, in order to solve breathing issues and change the shape or size of the nose.
Craniofacial Anomalies
Reconstructive plastic surgery is also used to repair craniofacial difficulties. There are a number of issues that may require surgery, including:

• Apert's Syndrome – the head appears diminutive in the front and may be pointed at the top
• Carpenter Syndrome – involves unusually short fingers, superfluous toes, webbed fingers, widely-spaced eyes, or misshapen ears
• Crouzon's Syndrome – abnormalities to the skull and facial bones that involve the skull being short in the front and back with flat cheek bones and a flat nose
• Saethe-Chotzen – hanging eyelids, odd eye spacing, peculiarly short fingers, webbed fingers, and an unusually short or broad head