What is surgical orthodontics?
Just as orthodontics repositions teeth, surgical orthodontics (also known as orthognathic surgery) corrects jaw irregularities to improve the patient’s ability to chew, speak, and breathe and for improved facial appearances. In other words, surgical orthodontics straightens your jaw. Moving the jaws also moves the teeth, so braces are always performed in conjunction with jaw correction. This helps make sure teeth are in their proper positions after surgery.
Who needs surgical orthodontics?
Dr. Scotese will evaluate your bite to see if a combined orthodontic/surgical approach will give you the best orthodontic result. Surgical orthodontics is typically reserved for non-growing adult patients with improper bites and those with facial esthetic concerns. Jaw growth is usually completed by age 16 - 18 years of age. All growth must be completed before jaw surgery can be performed. However, the pre-surgical tooth movements can begin one to two years prior to the surgery itself.
How does it work?
The Jaw surgery can only be performed after the teeth have been aligned. Jaw surgery is performed by an oral and maxillo-facial surgeon and will require a 2-3 day hospital stay. Typically, it takes 12-18 months of pre-surgical orthodontics to align the upper and lower teeth so that when the jaws are aligned properly, the teeth fit together ideally. When you have completed surgery, you should be able to return to school or work within in about 1 week. After the necessary healing time (about 4-8 weeks), your orthodontic treatment will be resumed to refine your bite. In most cases, braces are removed within 6 months following surgery.
The most thorough information on Corrective Jaw Surgery, including illustrations, can be found on the American Association of Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgeons website at: http://www.aaoms.org/jaw_surgery.php
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