Plastic and Oral Surgery
Who we are
The Department of Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Children's Hospital Boston provides comprehensive care and treatment for a wide variety of congenital and acquired conditions. As one of the largest pediatric plastic surgery centers in the United States, we perform 2,300 surgical procedures every year. And we care for more than 16,000 children annually.
Some children come to us with relatively simple problems. We diagnose the trouble, find the solution and help you and your child move on with your lives. Other children have more complex issues that often require multidisciplinary care. Here, we work with our colleagues in other departments to provide care for a variety of diagnoses. Our team includes:
- five on-staff plastic surgeons
- two oral surgeons
- clinicians in nine plastic and oral surgery specialty areas
So whatever condition your child has, our expert surgeons can help.
Suggestion Box

Discover: Plastic Surgery

Transforming lives in the developing world
John Meara, MD, DMD, MBA, chief of the Children's Hospital Boston Department of Plastic and Oral Surgery, is also director of Harvard Medical School’s Program in Global Surgery and Social Change. He and his colleagues work closely with organizations like Partners in Health and Operation Smile to improve the delivery of essential medical and surgical care throughout the developing world.
Learn more about some of these efforts. Visit:
- News release about Dr. Meara's study on life-saving Caesarean sections
- Children's Thriving blog post: A medical mission to Grozny
- Thriving blog series: Children's in Haiti
- The Boston Globe feature: The chance of two lifetimes

Living with craniofacial anomalies
Young persons living with craniofacial anomalies are a diverse, dynamic and accomplished group.
Learn more about how these children are partnering with physicians and advocates to advance acceptance along with treatments. Visit:
- Children's Thriving blog post: Casey leaves limitations on the sidelines
- Foundation for Faces of Children
- CCAkids.org (Children's Craniofacial Association)
Did you know?
The Adolescent Breast Center is the first of its kind in the United States. We're currently doing research to help better define the causes of breast disorders in adolescents.
More information: Adolescent breast study.
Research and innovation
Researchers in our lab are continuously developing improved treatments for children suffering from the conditions that require plastic surgery. Our aim is to translate the knowledge gained in the laboratory back to the clinic to improve care for your child.
- Hemangiomas: Researchers from Children's Vascular Biology Program have isolated a stem cell that seems to be the primary cause of infantile hemangioma.
- Cleft Lip and Palate Program: Opportunities are available for children and their families to learn, receive support and meet others who have shared similar experiences.
- Distraction osteogenesis: During this procedure, a bone is separated into two segments and lengthened gradually under tension. The movement of the two pieces of bone results in a gap, where new bone forms.
- Breast Clinic: Currently conducting research and enrolling patients to better understand breast disorders.
- Vascular Anomalies Center: Often regarded as the premier center for the treatment of people with vascular anomalies.
Did you know?
The Department of Plastic Surgery has developed a comprehensive research program that is focused on developing new techniques and increasing the knowledge of common conditions. Our aim is to translate the knowledge gained in our scientific laboratories back to the clinic to improve care for your child. Some of the areas we're studying now include:
- orthognathic surgery
- temporomandibular joint disorder
- improving clinical trials
- vacuum assisted wound closure
The bottom line: Our research results in innovative treatments that help your child recover faster.
Plastic Surgery is Getting a New Look
Conditions & Treatments
- Angiofibroma
- Arachnoid cysts
- Arthrogryposis
- Branchial cleft remnant
- Breast disorders
- Capillary malformation
- Chiari malformation
- Chondrosarcoma
- Cleft lip and cleft palate
- Congenital limb defects
- Craniofacial anomalies
- Craniosynostosis
- Cysts and sinuses of the head and neck
- Desmoid tumor
- Dysphagia
- Embolization
- Enchondroma
- Endovenous laser ablation
- Ewing sarcoma
- Facial nerve paralysis (facial nerve palsy)
- Fibrous dysplasia
- Giant cell tumor
- Hamartoma
- Hemangiopericytoma
- Hoarseness
- Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon
- Lymphatic malformation
- Lymphoscintigraphy
- Madelung's deformity
- Malocclusion
- Moebius syndrome
- Odontogenic tumors
- Periodontal diseases
- Pierre Robin sequence
- Polydactyly
- Radial club hand
- Radioulnar synostosis
- Saethre-Chotzen syndrome
- Sinusitis
- Symbrachydactyly
- Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
- Thumb duplication (pre-axial polydactyly)
- Thyroglossal duct cyst
- Trigger Thumb
- Ulnar club hand
- Venography (Venogram)
- Wisdom teeth extraction
- Apert syndrome
- Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)
- Birthmarks
- Breast abnormalities
- Camptodactyly
- Cervical teratoma
- Chondromas
- Cleft hand
- Clinodactyly
- Constriction ring syndrome
- Craniopharyngioma
- Crouzon syndrome
- Dental health
- Dislocations
- Ear anatomy and physiology
- Encephaloceles
- Endoscopic sinus surgery
- Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma
- Facial fractures
- Fibrosarcoma
- Galactorrhea
- Gynecomastia
- Hemangioma
- Hemifacial microsomia
- Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma
- Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome
- Lymphedema
- Macrodactyly
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) without sedation
- Microtia
- Neuroblastoma
- Orthodontics and braces
- Pfeiffer syndrome
- Plagiocephaly
- Pulsed dye laser
- Radiosurgery
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Shwachman-Diamond syndrome
- Speech delay
- Syndactyly
- Teratoma
- Thumb hypoplasia/aplasia
- Treacher Collins Syndrome
- Tufted angioma
- Vascular malformations, tumors and hemangiomas
- Venous malformation
A new face, a new future



