Orthognathic surgery, also known as corrective jaw surgery, is a procedure that is used to correct several different skeletal and dental issues and irregularities of the jawbone.Some of the issues corrective jaw surgery can address range from wisdom teeth removal up to reconstructive surgery.
Though an unfamiliar process, orthognathic surgery is commonly used to correct alignment issues with both the teeth and the jaw, and some of our patients can benefit from this procedure.
However, we will be unable to determine if this surgery can benefit a patient's situation until we have performed a thorough oral exam.
In some cases, alternative, non-invasive solutions will be recommended.
Contact Rekos & Border Oral Surgery office today to schedule to come in and have an exam performed. We can help you correct your dental and jaw issues, as well as bring the function of your mouth back up to par.
Who Needs Orthognathic Surgery?
If it has been determined that you have issues with the alignment of your teeth or jaw issues that make everyday functions such as speaking, sleeping, and eating unbearable, it is likely that orthognathic surgery might be the best option for you.
Corrective jaw surgery is commonly performed after the use of orthodontic treatments such as braces that were not able to help treat a patient's issues with their jaw.
Orthognathic surgery is often used to correct problems like open bites, overbites, underbites, chronic jaw pain, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic mouth breathing, cleft palate, or facial trauma.
Benefits of Orthognathic Surgery
There are several benefits of orthognathic surgery. This includes pain relief and speaking and eating becoming easier.
You can also see benefits in your overall health like better digestion from your food being chewed better. You may notice that you are sleeping better and experiencing fewer headaches.
What is the Procedure for Corrective Jaw Surgery Like?
In order to determine that you are a good fit, you will need to schedule a jaw surgery consultation with our team.
This consultation visit will include a thorough exam of your mouth, x-rays, MRIs, or a CAT scan if necessary. If orthognathic surgery is determined to be the solution for you, we will put together a treatment plan based on what you will personally need.
In some cases, orthodontic treatment may be required before surgery.
On the day that your surgery will happen, you will get a local anesthetic at the surgery site. Depending on the surgery and what is going to be done, you might also be given a general anesthetic as well.
The procedure can be as quick as one hour but can also span several hours.
The surgeon will begin by making an incision into your gums on either side of the jaw, behind the molars (the large teeth at the rear of the mouth) to expose the jawbone.
Incisions will be made to provide access to your jawbone where we will work to correct the issue you are experiencing. The bone is carefully cut, allowing the surgeon to move it forwards or backward into a new position.
It is possible that bone may be added, removed, or even reshaped.
Once in its final position, it is likely that the jaw will be splinted using metal plates, wires, screws, and rubber bands to secure it and to keep everything in place.
Once the jawbone is properly set, the area will be cleaned, and the incisions will be closed.
Aftercare
When your surgery is complete, you will need sufficient time to heal and recover.
You will be sent home with specific instructions letting you know what to expect and how to deal with pain, swelling, and bleeding.
It is recommended to stick to a diet of soft foods for the first few days following your surgery. You should also avoid any kind of strenuous activity for a minimum of one week.
After you have completely healed from your jaw surgery, you will be able to return to your normal activities and eat regular meals again.
Will Orthognathic Surgery Help?
One of the most common issues our office sees requiring orthognathic surgery is patients with an overbite. This is where the upper teeth protrude too far over the lower teeth causing the teeth to overlap.
The other most common reason requiring jaw surgery is the underbite where the lower teeth protrude beyond the upper teeth.
While most cases can be corrected with braces, those severe enough warrant orthognathic surgery to correct the issue.
When patients complain about problems with jaw pain, muscle aches, speech, and headaches, we find that orthognathic surgery is typically the best available option.
If those symptoms are overlooked or remain unaddressed, they can become even more pronounced causing even more complicated problems later on.
Cosmetic Improvements
While corrective jaw surgery can correct painful symptoms and deformities of the face and mouth, many times orthognathic surgery is simply done for purely cosmetic reasons.
With extensive tooth loss, the patient's face can change in appearance in a dramatic fashion. The cheeks can appear sunken and the lips folding inward.
In many cases, the lack of supportive structure can also affect speech and chewing.
Whether this is the appropriate procedure to correct the patient's issues or not will need to be determined by our dental team.
When is Orthognathic Surgery Right?
With proper training, our team can make the determination of whether the orthognathic surgery procedure is the right one for your situation by thoroughly examining your bite, overall oral health, and jaw function.
If the situation is pronounced enough, our team can take stock of the anomaly simply by looking at the outward appearance of the patient's jaw. In other cases, we will need to perform a dental exam.
If there are no symptoms present to draw attention to these situations, our staff may have to go deeper into the examination phase.
Corrective Jaw Surgery Dublin OH
If you think you might be a good candidate for orthognathic surgery, contact Rekos & Border Oral Surgery at (614) 764-9455 to set up your consultation appointment!
