There was a time when for even very many basic medical facilities and healthcare treatments, people had to travel, relocate, or migrate to more developed places with the availability of those services and procedures. In almost all those cases, the costs of travelling, relocating, or shifting would be more than even the upper middle class’s healthcare contingency budgets. It simply meant those procedures, treatments, and amenities were out of bounds for other classes.
Take Open Joint Surgeries, including Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Surgery and Arthroscopy, for example. During his Work at BSES Hospital, Dr Tofiq Hakimuddin Bohra realized a lack of information and knowledge among Doctors and Surgeons regarding TMJ Surgery and Arthroscopy in the country. TMJ Arthroscopy was not present in India until a handful of Surgeons, including Dr Tofiq Bohra, made an effort and leapt to learn the skill from the USA to practice it in his home country for the benefit of patients that needed to undergo an Open Joint Surgery.
Soothing Your Pain
He then realized a need to understand pain as a disease as most patients in India came with Oro facial Pain and Complex Myofascial Pain Syndrome. Dr Bohra underwent training in understanding Pain and Pain psychosocial models and techniques and modalities to manage pain.
Dr Bohra is one of the few experts in the field of TMJ that have complete working knowledge from Orofacial Pain, Conservative TMJ Management techniques to Surgical and Minimally Invasive Management of TMJ. He has revolutionized the Field of TMJ Surgery using a combination of Man and Machine to help patients’ wellbeing.
According to Dr Bohra, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a branch that deals with the Face, Jaw and Oral Cavity. An Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon is trained to perform Complex Jaw Surgeries for Oral Cancers, Facial Cosmetic Surgery, Surgery in Cleft Lip and Palate cases, TMJ Arthroscopy and Open Joint Surgery, Facial Fracture Surgery, Jaw Cyst and Tumours, Facial Reanimation Surgery after Facial Paralysis, etc. The field beautifully bridges the gap between working in Dentistry and Surgery. An Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon also place Dental Implants and performs Complex Wisdom Tooth Extraction in a clinical setup under local anaesthesia.
Dr Bohra is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon with an experience of more than ten years in the field. He has a special interest in TMJ Arthroscopy Surgeries and Total TM Joint Replacement. His horizon of practice includes all Major and Minor Maxillofacial Surgeries. He is among the few Surgeons who are trained in performing TMJ Arthroscopic Surgeries.
Dr Bohra is also trained in pain medicine to manage and treat Temporomandibular Joint disorders and Complex Orofacial Pain syndromes using a Multimodal Analgesia Technique from the British Pain Society.
Treating Your Disease
Dr Bohra is a Chief Consultant in the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at S.L. Raheja Hospital – A Fortis Associate, which is one of the most prominent hospitals in Mumbai.
He has expertise in Maxillofacial Surgery, including Oral Cancer Surgery, Facial Fracture Surgery, Jaw Cysts and Tumours, etc. He is among the most renowned Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in Mumbai, with multiple fellowships and Training Titles to his name.
Dr Bohra is the First Maxillofacial Surgeons to get Minimally Invasive TMJ Arthroscopy Surgery for patients suffering from TMJ Disorders who can now be treated without performing Open Joint Surgery for them.
Dr Bohra has taken a special interest and training in the TMJ Disorders and Treatment field. He has done his residency in TMJ Arthroscopy and TMJ Total Joint Replacement from one of the prestigious Fellowship programmes worldwide, ‘TMJ Mini Residency.’ It is a one-year programme that must be done in the USA and accredited by the University of Maryland, USA.
TMJ disorders in India have been managed for years by dentists, Physicians and Surgeons using a certain set of rules, including performing a conservative form of treatment, sometimes even with no concrete result. However, if it were to be treated via Surgery, it would lead to Open Joint Surgery. Dr Tofiq Bohra has undergone extensive training to equip himself with the Minimally Invasive Arthroscopic Surgery skill to deal with most TMJ problems using no incisions and Cuts via a 1.9mm camera (Arthroscope) and instruments. This cutting-edge management of TMJ Disorders using minimally invasive techniques has come in India in recent years, and Dr Bohra is amongst the First Few Renowned Maxillofacial Surgeons to master it.
Healing You Holistically
Dr Bohra believes in managing a patient holistically from all aspects. For the same reason has undergone training in the field of Oro-facial Pain and management from the British Pain Society.
Dr Bohra is keenly interested in Facial Reanimation Surgery for patients who unfortunately had facial paralysis or injury to the Facial Nerve. He performs the surgery to reanimate the face of such patients so that they can again smile and have more acceptable expressions in society.
Dr Bohra has a fellowship in Cleft and Craniofacial Surgery, where he is trained to perform Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery, Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery), Orthognathic Surgery (JAW repositioning Surgery), Cosmetic Chin Surgery and others.
Dr Bohra’s journey in the Healthcare sector is full of achieving milestones and excelling in every field he was interested in. He graduated from MGV Dental college and Research institute in Nashik and Post-Graduation from M.A. Rangoonwala from Pune. He worked in Grant Ruby Hall Hospital in the department of Oral Oncology and Reconstruction for one year and then continued his work in Nanavati Hospital in the same department for one more year. He then worked in BSES Global Hospital in Mumbai in the department of Cleft and Craniofacial Plastic Surgery for two years.
Inspiring Your Spirits
As per Dr Bohra, his inspiring and motivating factor at the initial stages was his father, Dr Hakimuddin Bohra, a Senior General Physician Practitioner who always motivated Dr Tofiq to enter the healthcare industry. However, Dr Tofiq’s interest in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery was because of the challenges and the adrenaline rush it gave. All days and all cases in the field of surgery are never the same. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery has so much to offer that there is insufficient training in India. The field of TMJ Disorders for Dr Bohra was untouched when he started. Hence he ventured into the field of TMJ Disorders, TMJ Arthroscopy.
As an experienced leader, according to him, AI will govern the treatment planning and execution in future. AI is already changing the face of the healthcare industry in fields like cancer detection, radiology, etc. There are many such applications that, with the help of AI and Computers, have made it possible to predict the future and prognosis of a given surgery or treatment.
AI in Cosmetic Surgery of the Face has removed patients’ suspense and anxiety about how they would look after the surgery. Today, a patient can see in advance how they would look after cosmetic Chin surgery with the help of AI. AI and ML have also made it possible to explain the anatomy and surgical complications to patients for educational purposes.
Enhancing Your Knowledge
Dr Bohra furthers that in the current scenario, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is not a household name. As a result, the patients are unaware of where and which specialist to consult for the problem. Thus, the patient keeps on roaming between different consultants. The field of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery requires more awareness among people.
Dr Bohra has always promoted the field in all his videos and articles. He has been striving to promote the field among people for TMJ Disorders and other procedures that an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon can perform. He also conducts camps for Facial Reanimation and Other Cleft Surgeries to establish networks and connections with different specialities and ground teams.
In his advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the Healthcare space, Dr Bohra quotes, “The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid more than he does.” It is the Mantra he has followed all his career. He also believes that in the field of Healthcare and Surgery, providing accurate care to the patient in the best opinion of the Doctor is the main necessity. Money is always the by-product of the act.
Compassionately Caring for You, Forever
A Surgeon should always practice a code of conduct, maintain temperament with the patient, and perform treatment considering the risk along with the pros and cons of the procedure suggested. One should not think about what other surgeons will think of the treatment you propose if it is to the best of your knowledge and for the best of the patient.
Lastly, never step behind if you get an opportunity to learn and specifically for budding surgeons.
Never ask for remuneration from the person who teaches or allows you to learn. Learning is a continuous process for a Doctor or a Surgeon. One should always be ready to learn and update the knowledge at whatever given age.
On envisioning scaling his Organization’s operations and offerings in the future, Dr Bohra reveals, “With the help of the patients we operate on, we always tell them to be the bearer of the good word. And also help patients, mainly in the field of TMJ Disorders, as there is very little awareness about this problem. We use social media and other channels to spread awareness,” says Dr Bohra.
Praise for the Doctor
A testament to Dr Bohra’s popularity among his patients are accolades, reviews, and testimonials he received from his clients.
*Google Reviews:
~Pranoti Tambe, four months ago: “I have been suffering from TMJ for the last few months. My jaw was locking, clicking and restricting movement. It took me a while to find a doctor to explain my condition and treatment options.
I especially loved how Dr Toufiq Bohra took his time to explain it well so I could understand. He is extremely knowledgeable and personable. He suggested doing arthroscopic surgery. He is an excellent surgeon. My surgery went well last week.
Now, I am recovering with minimal pain and fewer surgery marks. This doctor is truly exceptional! He cares about his patients and even allows consultation post-surgery whenever needed. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a TMJ specialist.”
~D S, “I was advised molar teeth extraction. No one could accurately diagnose, nor could any other Dr win my confidence. All doctors had different advice leaving me lost and confused. I also happen to be paranoid about surgeries and hospitals.
But after I consulted Dr Bohra, I was not only diagnosed with a hidden infection in my facial bone, sinusitis and impacted teeth infection with accuracy, but also, as a human being, he was extremely patient with my questions. Explained in detail the issues. And went into detail about the investigation before recommending surgery. His team member Vivek also deserves mention for his professional and empathetic attitude.
I had FESS. Extraction of my impacted teeth and procedures required to address the infected bone under him at SL Raheja hospital. Finally, I am writing this review post my surgery with gratitude to Dr Bohra. I realized that if I did not do this surgery now, it could have grown into something malignant in future. I will review my post-surgery experience later.
Recommend anyone with issues related to the jaw, teeth, facial pain sinus to CONSULT him. I have been suffering from jaw/ear/tooth radiating pain for over a year, met and consulted some of the best surgeons in the country.”
~Larina Moras, a year ago, “I had been suffering from TMJ problem since December 2018. I had visited numerous doctors/dentists, but none could help. Eventually, my pain aggravated, and it was unbearable. I couldn’t open my mouth. I couldn’t yawn. There was a clicking sound every time I opened my mouth. Being a foodie, I couldn’t eat burgers, pizzas, pani puri etc.
I was referred to Dr Tofiq Bohra, who explained the severity of the problem I was suffering from. He suggested a TMJ open joint surgery, and given his knowledge and expertise in the field, I was comfortable going ahead with it. It’s been a month post-surgery, and my mouth opening has increased with time, and it is getting better with every passing day.
Dr Tofiq is an expert in his field, extremely professional in his work and very approachable. One can go to him for their TMJ problems without a second thought. Thank you, Dr Tofiq. P.S. He is also keen about the aftercare.”
