Now he can chop his locks as his missing ear has been replaced with an artificial one. Padmaja Gaikwad, a student of Standard IX, born with one eye feels unattractive and is hoping that the artificial eye fitted with an implant will transform her life!

And it will as Dr Trevor Coward, departmental head from Kings College and hospital, London and Dr Colin Haylock, a prosthetist of worldwide repute are in Pune imparting training to oral and maxillofacial surgeons and students apart from treating patients with facial and congenital defects at the Maharashtra Cosmpolitan Education Society's M A Rangoonwala College of Dental Sciences.

The college has set up the maxillofacial rehabilitation centre that caters to the treatment of patients with missing body parts such as eyes, ears, nose and fingers with the latest prosthetic and artificial substitutes.

Dr Colin Haylock was also appointed as the honorary overseas professor at the college during the five-day programme that concludes on Saturday.

Maxillofacial prosthetics is a science that deals with providing an artificial substitute for such facila parts that may be missing from birth or following an accident or some surgery.

The college has identified the need for treating such patients keeping in mind the high incidence of cancer, accidents and birth defects in the country, says Dr M Kothawale, head of the department of prosthodontics and Dr Mohit Kheur, Professor at the department.

According to Dr Trevor Coward, these artificial prostheses are made of special silicone materials that can be artistically pigmented to resemble natural body parts in colour, texture and feel.

A unique feature of this treatment is the fixed replacement of missing ears and eyes of patients using implants that are anchored in the skull bone. The implants are imported from South Africa.