Orthognathic (Jaw) Surgery
Mason City, IA
Orthognathic (Jaw) Surgery provided by Our Expert Specialists
in Mason City, IA at Dental Specialists and Implant Clinic of Iowa
 While many people view orthognathic or jaw surgery as an invasive procedure for people with serious bite or jaw issues, jaw surgery opens the door to a world where you can chew and speak comfortably without pain. There are several reasons why you may need jaw surgery, and the surgery has many advantages for your dental and overall health.
Your Jaw Structure
Your jaw was designed to work well with all of the bones, soft tissue, teeth, and gums to help you chew and digest your food effectively and speak, breathe, and smile without pain. When everything goes according to plan, all of your facial structures work perfectly together without issues. However, if your jaws do not line up properly, it can affect your teeth, gums, and other bones in your face. You may have difficulty with speaking or eating properly. You may suffer from jaw pain and inflammation of your jaw joints, which can make it even harder for you to open and close your mouth effectively. Your jaw may look misaligned, and your face may not be symmetric.
People with jaw issues can suffer from deteriorating teeth due to excessive or unusual wear patterns. You may be at a greater risk for gum disease as well because the shape of your jaw may make it difficult to floss. Because your jaw is designed to work together, misaligned jaws can make life more difficult than it needs to be.
What Kinds of Issues Can Jaw Surgery Fix?
Jaw surgery is used to fix several issues with your jawbone. You may have severe malocclusions or bite issues that cannot be fixed with braces alone. For example, you may have an open bite or a crossbite, which means your teeth do not meet together at all, or they are misaligned and your jaw cannot properly close. Jaw surgery can also fix issues with facial bone growth. You may have a condition that caused the bones in your face or your jawbone to stop growing, and you will need to have your jaw repositioned. Also, your lower jawbone may stick out too far from your upper teeth, or it may recede too far back from your upper jaw and need to be repositioned.
Jaw surgery is usually not performed on young children because their facial and jaw bones have not stopped growing. In general, the earliest you can have jaw surgery is late adolescence, usually between 17 and 19 years of age.
What Happens During Jaw Surgery?
Orthognathic surgery has many steps. First, a jaw surgeon evaluates your face shape using photos, X-rays, and 3D images to create a surgical plan. On the day of surgery, while you are under anesthesia, the surgeon will make cuts to your jawbone and move the jaw to the correct position. Of course, your jawbone will not stay in this position without help, so the surgeon will use bone plates, rubber bands, and screws to ensure your bones stay in the correct position. You may need to have bone added to areas of your jawbone during the surgery. Usually, dentists or surgeons take bone tissue from other areas of your body, such as your rib, leg, or hip bone, to add to your jaw.
Is Everyone a Good Candidate for Jaw Surgery?
In general, jaw surgery is reserved for patients with severe jaw alignment issues that are lowering their quality of life. There are people who are not good candidates for jaw surgery. If you use tobacco, most surgeons will recommend you quit. There are plenty of research studies that indicate tobacco users face extended healing times after oral surgeries due to restricted blood flow into the area. People who use tobacco are also at a higher risk for complications and infections after jaw surgery is complete as well.
Also, if you have a chronic illness, such as heart disease or diabetes, it is crucial that you speak with our surgeon or dentist prior to surgery. People with heart disease may take medications that slow down healing time and elevate the risk of blood clots. Diabetics face slower than normal healing times and are at a greater risk for infection. You need to advise your surgeon or the dentist as soon as possible to ensure you have the best outcome after your surgery is complete.
What Can I Expect After Orthognathic Surgery?
Once your jaw surgery is complete, you will need time to heal. Most people must take some time to recuperate at home before returning to work or school - usually between one and three weeks, depending on the type of jaw surgery you had done. You will have specific instructions from the surgeon about what you can eat after surgery. Usually, you will need to eat a soft diet until the jawbone gets through the initial healing process, which takes about six weeks. You will have medication to manage your pain as well, so be sure to take it before the pain becomes severe. Most likely, you will have no visible stitches to care for on the outside of your jaw because all of the work will have been done inside your mouth.
Once your jaw has passed through the initial healing stage, you will most likely need braces for a while until your jaw and teeth get used to your new facial structure. You may have to wear braces for a couple of years until your teeth and jaw are fully aligned.
After you have healed completely, you may notice a real difference in your jaw. Your lower face may look proportionate or balanced with your upper facial structures. Also, you may notice that your teeth no longer ache and that you do not have wear patterns from chewing with a misaligned jaw. You may notice that you are able to chew and swallow more easily, and you may get better sleep as well. Your speech patterns will be easier to understand. In addition, because your face looks symmetrical and aligned, you may notice improved self-esteem and a rise in your confidence.
Next Steps
Are you unsure what to do next? Why not give Dental Specialists and Implant Clinic of Iowa a call at 641-243-1486? We would like to schedule a consultation with you as soon as possible. Contact our office today. |
