Orthognathic Surgery

Orthognathic surgery is a type of jaw surgery done to correct bite problems that are caused by misalignment of the jaw. Misaligned teeth can be corrected by orthodontics, but if the misalignment originates in the jaw, surgery may be necessary. This is a major surgery that requires extensive planning and preparation and takes a long time to recover from, but it can also make a huge improvement in the lives of those who are suffering from deformities and misalignments of the jaw. If you are suffering from a misaligned jaw, visit Dentalville Panorama City in Los Angeles to setup an appointment with our dentist!

Who Is a Candidate for Orthognathic Surgery?

Badly misaligned jaws can cause problems including the following:

• Inability to chew, breathe, and/or swallow properly
• "Open bite," i.e. the top and bottom teeth not touching each other even when the mouth is closed
• Protruding jaw or excessive overbite
• Pain in the jaw or temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the hinge where the jaw opens and closes

These problems are usually present from birth, as a result of a hereditary tendency to jaw problems or a birth defect. They can also be caused by injuries to the face. Anyone who suffers from some or all of these symptoms is a potential candidate for orthognathic surgery.

How Do You Prepare for Orthognathic Surgery?

Once you have agreed on orthognathic surgery, we will use X-rays and other forms of computer imaging to create a three-dimensional image of your skull and jaw. With this, we will be able to work with the dentist, orthodontist, and surgeon to decide how the surgery will be performed and what results can be expected.

Orthognathic surgery is a major procedure that requires general anesthesia and anywhere up to eight hours of work, depending on how severe the jaw deformity is. You will have to stay in the hospital for at least one day and possibly more after the surgery is completed.

Recovery from Orthognathic Surgery

Recovering from orthognathic surgery is a prolonged process that can take up to a year to fully complete. You can expect pain, numbness, swelling, and bleeding for several days after the surgery, but we will prescribe medication that should help. These side effects should fade within a couple weeks of the surgery -- if you continue to suffer them after this period, contact us right away.

Eating properly is important to healing after the surgery. We will discuss the specifics with you, but you should expect something like the following schedule. You should plan ahead to make sure you have the foods you need and that someone will be available to help feed you, especially in the early weeks.

• First three weeks: Liquid only diet
• Second three weeks: Food that does not need to be chewed
• Third three weeks: Soft chewable foods

After two months, you can return to a more normal diet, but should continue to avoid hard foods.

Braces will be installed during the surgery to help keep your teeth and jaw in the new alignment, and will probably need to be worn for at least six months to a year.