Corrective Jaw surgery or Orthognathic Surgery.
Corrective jaw surgery is used to treat a wide range of small and large skeletal growth problems of the upper and lower jaws. Quite often these disturbances in growth cause functional difficulties that are not correctable by orthodontic therapy alone. The cause of a skeletal growth problem can be related to the maxilla (upper jaw), the lower jaw (mandible), or both, as well as a discrepancy in tooth position.
Common conditions indicating corrective jaw surgery include:
- Difficulty with speech or pronunciation of certain words.
- Inability to chew certain foods.
- Open tooth contacts in the front or back of the mouth.
- An unbalanced facial appearance.
- An excessively large appearing chin.
- Inability to close lips without straining.
- Inability to see upper teeth when speaking.
- Excessively “gummy” smile.
- Previous facial injury.
- Congenital birth defects such as cleft lip and/or palate.
- Sleep apnea.
A consultation with Dr. Stosich and his surgical team will help you determine whether or not Orthagnathic surgery is right for you. During the consultation a thorough medical history as well as a physical examination will be performed. Measurements, photographs, x-rays of the upper and lower jaws as well as molds of your teeth may be required to make final determinations. A discussion of the possible surgical options, the risks and benefits of surgery as well as the nature of the procedure are discussed during the consultation.
Corrective jaw surgery of the upper jaw
The upper jaw can be moved forward, up, or down depending on the nature of the current skeletal problem. Once the jaw has been moved, it is secured with miniature titanium plates and screws.
Corrective jaw surgery of the lower jaw
The lower jaw can be repositioned forward or back depending on the nature of the current skeletal problem. This can be done by separating the tooth bearing portion of the jaw from the rear portion (or joint portion) of the jaw and then moving it into its correct position. The lower jaw is then secured by miniature titanium screws or plates.
Chin Surgery
The chin can be modified in several ways to increase or decrease its size.
To decrease the size of the chin, the chin button can be repositioned to reduce the size of the chin. A wedge of bone may also be removed from the chin to improve its appearance. To increase the size of the chin, the chin button may be moved forward to a more natural position. A chin implant may also be used to augment the chin without performing any bony surgery.
Corrective jaw surgery can be performed in the operating room at the hospital, or at our state of the art surgical facility. In most cases, patients may return home the same day or after an overnight stay at the hospital.