Corrective Jaw Surgery
What is Corrective Jaw Surgery?
Corrective jaw, or orthognathic, surgery is used to correct dentofacial skeletal deformities (misaligned jaws). People who need corrective jaw surgery often have difficulties with chewing, speaking, and breathing. While orthognathic surgery is only aimed at correcting anatomical and functional problems, the patient’s appearance may be dramatically enhanced as a result.
Who Needs Corrective Jaw Surgery?
People with misaligned jaws can benefit from orthognathic surgery. Misaligned jaws can develop due to the upper and lower jaws growing at different rates. Jaw misalignment can also develop due to traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, jaw reconstruction surgery, and birth defects.
Orthodontics can usually improve bites, or occlusal problems, when only the teeth are misaligned. However, when the jaws are misaligned, orthognathic surgery may be required to help correct the underlying skeletal problem.
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| Open Bite | Prognathic | Retrognathic |
The following is a list of conditions that may indicate the need for corrective jaw surgery:
- Trouble chewing or biting food
- Difficulty swallowing
- Open bite--space between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed
- Unbalanced facial appearance from the front or side
- Facial injuries
- Birth defects
- Receding chin
- Protruding chin
- Lip incompetence--inability to make the lips touch without straining
- Mouth breathing
- Breathing problems (Obstructive Sleep Apnea)
The Corrective Jaw Surgery Team
In order to obtain the best possible results, a strict treatment plan must be devised for every individual patient. The corrective jaw team consists of the patient, your restorative dentist, your orthodontist, and your oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The treatment plan for corrective jaw surgery is a long-term commitment. Your team of doctors understands this and will help guide you through the entire process.
What is Involved in Corrective Jaw Surgery?
Your restorative dentist’s role is to make your teeth and gums healthy and disease free before treatment starts. The orthodontist will place braces on your teeth and move them into a new position prior to surgery. This new position is in preparation for your corrective jaw surgery so that after your surgery your teeth fit properly. Because of this, you may feel that your bite is getting worse rather than better. After you heal from the surgery, which is normally about six weeks, your orthodontist will likely have to do some minor modifications of your teeth to finalize the results.
The corrective jaw surgery is usually performed in an operating room under general anesthesia. Patients will normally spend 1-2 days in the hospital before going home. As a result, our office staff will be glad to try and work with your insurance company to maximize your benefits and reimbursements. After the surgery, you will be on a modified diet for six weeks, which may consist of liquids and solids. Pain following corrective jaw surgery is easily controlled with medications. Patients are usually able to return to school or work in 1-2 weeks.
***Information referenced from www.aaoms.org
Hospital Medical Park
968 Ribaut Road
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Beaufort, SC 29902
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Fax: (843) 525-0380
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