Orthognathic Surgery

Corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) treats and corrects abnormalities of the facial bones, specifically the jaws and the teeth. Often, these abnormalities cause difficulty associated with chewing,talking, sleeping and other routine activities. Orthognathic surgery corrects these problems and, in conjunction with orthodontic treatment, will improve the overall appearance of the facial profile.

Conditions may also prompt a need for orthognathic surgery

Severe Malocclusion (improper bite) that may be causing functional problems in daily behavior, such as speech, chewing food or even sleep apnea. You might also experience.

• Birth defects
• Chronic jaw or jaw joint (TMJ) pain
• Involuntary mouth breathing
• Inability of your lips to come together without straining
• Trauma or injury to the jaw or face
• Open bite (space between the upper and lower teeth when your mouth is closed)
• Protruding jaw
• Receding lower jaw and chin
• Excessive show of gums (i.e. Gummy Smiles)
• Tumor or pathology affecting the jaw.

Maxillary Advancement with Mandible Setback

Maxillary advancement is a type of orthognathic surgery that may be necessary to improve the facial contour and normalize dental occlusion when there is a relative deficiency of the mid-face region. This is done by surgically moving the maxilla with sophisticated bone mobilization techniques and fixing it securely into place.

For most patients, the use of screws and miniplates have replaced wiring of the bone and teeth required to hold the jaw stable. Inlay bone grafts can be utilized for space maintenance and secured with screw and plate fixation, while onlay bone grafting is used to augment the bony skeleton and improve facial soft tissue contour.