Corrective Jaw Surgery

Corrective jaw surgery or orthognathic surgery moves your teeth and jaws into positions that are more balanced, functional, and healthy. Whether your needs include improving your bite and function, appearance, or speech, corrective jaw surgery can have a dramatic and positive effect on your outlook on life. Your oral surgeon will work with you to help you achieve a beautiful, functional, and pain-free smile that will last for the rest of your life.

When Is Corrective Jaw Surgery Needed?

Orthognathic surgery is needed when jaws don’t meet correctly and/or teeth don’t seem to fit with jaws. Teeth are straightened with orthodontics and corrective jaw surgery repositions misaligned jaws. This not only improves facial appearance, but also ensures that teeth meet correctly and function properly.

Who needs corrective jaw surgery?

In some cases, your upper and lower jaws may have grown at different rates. Injuries and birth defects may also affect jaw alignment. Though orthodontics can usually correct problems when only the teeth are misaligned, corrective jaw surgery with an oral surgeon may be necessary to correct misalignment of the jaws.

If you suffer from any of the following conditions, you may be an excellent candidate for corrective jaw surgery:

• Difficulty chewing, biting food, or swallowing
• Chronic jaw or jaw joint (TMJ) pain and headache
• Excessive wear of the teeth
• Open bite (space between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed)
• Unbalanced facial appearance from the front or side
• Facial injury or birth defects
• Receding chin
• Protruding jaw
• Inability to make the lips meet without straining
• Chronic mouth breathing and dry mouth
• Sleep apnea (breathing problems during sleep, including snoring)

Any of these symptoms can exist at birth, be acquired after birth as a result of hereditary or environmental influences or as a result of trauma to the face. Before any treatment begins, a consultation will be held to perform a complete examination with x-rays. During the pre-treatment consultation process, feel free to ask any questions that you have regarding your treatment.

Receiving treatment to correct any of the above conditions is a commitment not only to your health, but to your happiness as well. Treatment may include surgery and orthodontic treatment, and may take several years to complete, but the results will last a lifetime.

Pre-operative photo of patient with

severe mid-face, upper jaw

and lower jaw deformity.

Post-operative photo 6 weeks after upper

and lower jaw surgery, cheekbone implants,

neck liposuction, nasal surgery and chin reduction.

Technology and Orthognathic Surgery

The doctors at Pennsylvania Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Centers use modern computer techniques and three-dimensional models to show you exactly how your surgery will be approached. Using comprehensive facial X-rays and computer video imaging, we can show you how your bite will be improved and even give you an idea of how you’ll look after surgery. This helps you understand the surgical process and the extent of the treatment prescribed. Our goal is to help you understand the benefits of orthognathic surgery.

If you are a candidate for Corrective Jaw Surgery, our doctors will work closely with your dentist and orthodontist during your treatment. The actual surgery can move your teeth and jaws into a new position that results in a more attractive, functional and healthy dental-facial relationship.