Our Services / Orthognathic Surgery

What is orthognathic surgery?

Orthognathic surgery, also called corrective jaw surgery, is a type of surgery that aligns or adjusts your jaw. A few of the most common orthognathic surgeries performed at Brandon Orthodontics are:

• Upper Jaw
• Lower Jaw
• Both Jaws
• Genioplasty: Chin surgery, often with mandibular osteotomy
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery: Treats TMJ pain, stiffness, and other symptoms
• Cleft palate repair

Jaw surgery can improve the way you speak and ease pressure on various points of your arch when you bite down. While improving function is the primary reason Brandon Orthodontics performs orthognathic surgery, your jaw surgery might also improve your facial balance or symmetry. 

Who can benefit from orthognathic surgery?

The five main types of orthognathic surgery can serve many purposes in addressing defects with the face and jaw. Your providers at Brandon Orthodontics use orthognathic surgery when less invasive orthodontic treatments can’t correct the positions of your jaw and teeth. 

Your orthodontist might recommend jaw surgery to:

• Align your bite
• Ease pain and discomfort from a TMJ disorder
• Improve your facial symmetry
• Prevent tooth wear and breakage
• Repair an injury
• Improve function from a congenital disability
• Improve chewing or swallowing
• Improve breathing
  
  

The best time to have orthognathic surgery is when your jaw is fully developed, so Brandon Orthodontics only provides jaw surgery to individuals who have completed their skeletal growth.

They might add other treatments to your plan before that time, such as early orthodontics, Invisalign®, or braces to move your teeth into a better position well in advance of surgery.

How should I prepare for orthognathic surgery?

Orthognathic surgery requires some preparation on your part. You come to Brandon Orthodontics for multiple planning appointments, and the team works with you through any preceding treatments like braces to make sure you’ll get ideal results from your surgery. 

Planning for successful orthognathic surgeries involves advanced imaging techniques, so your orthodontist gets a full idea of your mouth and jaw structure. They take X-rays and digital images of your smile and may use 3D imaging to create a digital model. This makes it easier to plan your surgery and predict how the results will look.

You’ll eat a diet of liquids and soft foods only for a while after your jaw surgery, so you should keep that in mind before surgery and prepare accordingly. Due to the anesthesia during surgery, you should plan on having someone drive you to the office and stick around to drive you home when you’re done.

Orthognathic surgery can balance your bite and facial features. Learn more by calling Brandon Orthodontics or by booking an appointment online today.