What is Surgical Orthodontics?
Surgical orthodontics, also known as orthognathic surgery, is used to correct jaw irregularities, improving a patient’s ability to chew, speak, and breathe while enhancing facial appearance. Essentially, surgical orthodontics helps to straighten your jaw. Since moving the jaw also moves the teeth, braces are used in conjunction with surgery to ensure that the teeth are in their proper positions after the procedure.
Who Needs Surgical Orthodontics?
Surgical orthodontics is typically recommended for non-growing adult patients with improper bites or facial aesthetic concerns. Jaw growth is usually completed by age 16 for girls and 18 for boys. All jaw growth must be finished before surgery can be performed, but pre-surgical orthodontic treatment with braces can begin 1-2 years before these ages.
How Does It Work?
During your orthodontic treatment, which generally lasts 6 to 18 months, you will wear braces and visit Drs. Richard and Gretter Hannah for regular adjustments. As your teeth move, you might feel like your bite is worsening, but this is temporary. Once your jaws are properly aligned during orthognathic surgery, your teeth will fit into their correct positions.
The surgery is performed in a hospital by an oral surgeon and may take several hours, depending on the complexity. The surgery involves:
- Lower Jaw Surgery: The jawbone behind the teeth is separated, and the tooth-bearing portion is moved forward or backward as necessary.
- Upper Jaw Surgery: The upper jaw can be repositioned forward, backward, raised, or lowered. In some cases, bone may be added or removed to ensure proper alignment and stability. Other facial bones contributing to alignment may also need to be repositioned or augmented.
After surgery, most patients can return to school or work within two weeks. The healing process usually takes 4 to 8 weeks, during which your orthodontist will make adjustments to fine-tune your bite. Braces are generally removed within 6 to 12 months after surgery, and you will wear a retainer to maintain your new smile.
