Orthognathic surgery also known as corrective jaw surgery or simply jaw surgery, is surgery designed to correct conditions of the jaw and lower face related to structure, growth etc. The origins of orthognathic surgery belong in oral surgery, and the basic operations related to the surgical removal of impacted or displaced teeth – especially where indicated by orthodontics to enhance dental treatments of malocclusion and dental crowding.
Orthognathic surgery to reposition the maxilla, mandible, or chin is the mainstay treatment for patients who are too old for growth modification and for dentofacial conditions that are too severe for either surgical or orthodontic camouflage.
Today's orthognathic surgical treatment for dentofacial deformity consists of standard orthognathic procedures to correct jaw deformity, as well as adjunctive procedures to improve hard and soft tissue contours. These adjunctive procedures include an osseous versus alloplastic genioplasty, septorhinoplasty, and suction lipectomy of the neck.
If you have developed an improper or misaligned bite, you will likely benefit from corrective jaw surgery. Jaw growth is a gradual process and in some instances, the upper and lower jaws can grow at different rates. Injuries and birth defects can also affect jaw alignment. Chewing and speech functions, long-term oral health, and your facial appearance can all suffer from these problems.
Upper jaw (maxillary osteotomy)
A maxillary osteotomy may be performed to correct these issues:
From inside the mouth, your surgeon cuts the bone above your teeth so that the entire upper jaw and your upper teeth can move as one unit. The jaw and upper teeth are moved forward until they fit properly with the lower teeth.
Lower jaw (mandibular osteotomy)
A significantly receded/protruded lower jaw can be corrected by a procedure called mandibular osteotomy.
In this procedure, the surgeon makes cuts behind the molars and lengthwise down the jawbone so the front of the jaw can move as one unit. As a result, the jaw slides smoothly to its new position. Screws hold the jaw bone together until it heals.
Chin surgery (Genioplasty)
A deficient chin often accompanies a severely receded/protruded lower jaw. Deficient chin can be fixed by a procedure called genioplasty, where your surgeon cuts your chin bone and secures it in a new position.
The surgery might involve one jaw or the two jaws during the same procedure. The modification is done by making cuts in the bones of the lower jaw and / or upper jaw and repositioning the cut pieces in the desired alignment. Usually surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and the surgery often does not involve cutting the skin, and instead, the surgeon is often able to go through the inside of the mouth.
Jaw surgery takes place in the hospital and requires a one- to two-day stay. Complete recovery at home typically takes three to six weeks. In most cases, an orthodontist places braces on your teeth before surgery. Braces are usually on for nine to eighteen months before surgery to level and align your teeth. After your jaw heals from surgery, typically about six weeks after surgery your orthodontist finishes aligning your teeth and eventually removes the braces.
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