Orthognathic
Orthognathic surgery is the surgical correction of skeletal abnormalities of the mandible, maxilla, or both. This surgery, also known as corrective jaw surgery or only jaw surgery is designed to correct conditions of the jaw and face related to structure, growth, sleep apnea, TMJ disorders, malocclusion problems owing to skeletal disharmonies, or other orthodontic problems that cannot be easily treated with braces.
These abnormalities may be recognized at birth or may not become evident until the individual grows and develops. Often, the severity of these deformities necessitates surgical correction in combination with other rehabilitative services, including non surgical therapies. While every patient’s needs are different, it’s possible to outline some typical steps in the process. The first step is consultation and planning among members of the dental team, including the restorative or general dentist, the orthodontist, and the oral surgeon.
When Is Orthognathic Surgery Needed?
A person attends our Ortho by Elizondo clinic can be for numerous reasons, the main ones being for aesthetic reasons, to improve dental alterations that cannot be solved by orthodontic treatment or to enhance the asymmetry of the face. Since Orthognathic procedures are aimed at providing the patient with a better appearance and healthier well-being, during the surgery, our specialist will rearrange the jawbone so that it functions properly.
When a person presents a lack of coordination between the lower and upper jaw, that is, there is a deviation in the jaw; the individual will require orthognathic surgery. In this way, there will be accommodation, and the bite will be the right one. There are cases in which it will be necessary to combine the orthognathic procedure with orthodontic treatment. In these cases, first, orthognathic surgery will be performed, and then, after some time, orthodontic procedures will be performed.
How Is the Orthognathic Surgery Procedure?
Once the person has requested an appointment at our Ortho by Elizondo clinic, our specialist will perform an observation to find out the exact problem of the person. Once you have determined the need for orthognathic surgery, proper planning will be necessary so that the desired results can be obtained, always keeping in mind the goal of improving occlusion.
During the analysis and planning, our specialist will perform x-ray studies, take pictures of the patient’s face and teeth. This with the objective that our specialist will make the correct measurements for orthognathic surgery.
In the process of orthognathic treatment, the specialist will work directly on the jawbone, where he will make cuts in the tissues and movements in the bones. One point to note is that all these cuts are made intraorally, thus avoiding scars on the outside.
Once the basic movements have been made on the bones and where there is already a concordance between the maxillary bones and their size is adequate, it will be necessary to use the required materials to reinforce the orthognathic procedure, such as plates and screws.
Orthognathic surgery lasts approximately four hours, and recovery time is usually about a month. During the recovery process, it is essential to follow the necessary care specified by our specialist; in this way, the healing will be more significant.
Types of Orthognathic Surgery
There are different types of orthognathic surgery, which are
Maxillary Protrusion: This procedure is characterized because it seeks to correct the repression that takes place in the upper jaw.
Jaw Disorders: This type of orthognathic surgery aims to solve the problems of people who have difficulty closing their mouths correctly, where the upper and lower teeth do not come together successfully.
Asymmetry in the jaw: In this case, the posterior areas of the jaws will be corrected, just after the last molars.
Benefits of Orthognathic Surgery
- Improves facial asymmetry.
- Changes the appearance of the gummy smile.
- Improves jaw function.
- Corrects problems associated with chewing and breathing.
- No visible scars.
For more information about orthognathic surgery, call us at Ortho by Elizondo, and we will gladly assist you.