Orthognathic Surgery

How Does Surgical Orthodontics Work?

Many people have a slight degree of jaw imbalance, which can be corrected with orthodontic treatment alone. However, there are rare instances when the jaws are too misaligned, making it impossible to get a good result without orthognathic surgery. If this is the case, orthodontic decompensation is required prior to the surgery.

Decompensation refers to the process of straightening the teeth and putting them all in the correct orientation within the jawbones. After the orthodontic decompensation, the patient is referred to an oral surgeon to reposition the jaws. Then, after a healing period, Dr. Scheer makes the final adjustments to create a perfect-fitting bite.

Who Can Benefit From Orthognathic Surgery?

Orthognathic surgery is reserved for adult patients who are done growing. People often seek orthognathic surgery to improve the aesthetics of their face, as well as to correct their bite. Patients may benefit from corrective jaw surgery in the following instances:

• Deficient growth of the lower jaw, causing a deficient chin and excessive convexity to the person’s face
• Deficient growth of the upper jaw, causing an underbite and a concave look to the person’s face
• Excessive vertical growth of the jaws, causing a long-face appearance
• Crossbites in adults. In children, we can expand the upper jaw to correct crossbites, but we lose the ability to do this as a person gets older
• Airway and sleep-disordered breathing problems. Surgically repositioning the jaws can open the airway and correct airway and breathing problems without the need for a CPAP or dental splint

To find out if you’re a candidate for orthognathic surgery, schedule a complimentary consultation at Shine Orthodontics by calling us at 303-452-7777.