Orthognathic Surgery | Overview
What is orthognathic surgery?
Orthognathic surgery refers to the surgical repositioning of the maxilla, mandible, and the alveolar bones. One or more segments of the jaw can be repositioned to treat various types of malocclusions and jaw deformities. Orthognathic surgery can correct both functional and aesthetic problems that are due to underlying skeletal disharmony.
Is orthognathic surgery for you?
A well-proportioned occlusion occurs when all of your upper and lower teeth are correctly aligned and you can bite together evenly. Your upper front teeth should overlap slightly with your lower front teeth when you bite together. If your jaw is not properly aligned, you may have difficulty chewing or pronouncing specific sounds clearly. Jaw surgery corrects a malocclusion (abnormal bite) that results from underlying skeletal disharmony that can not be corrected with orthodontic treatment alone. Additional procedures might be necessary, including movement of the chin bone and nose, cheek implants, liposuction (fat removal), and bone grafting. The operation can take two to 10 hours depending on the difficulty of the procedure.
Planning orthognathic surgery
Orthognathic surgery requires many hours of preoperative planning during which your doctor prepares an individualized custom surgical plan. The development of a surgical plan is a required step prior to orthognathic surgery to ensure the most desirable results. Once the decision has been made to proceed with orthognathic surgery, an orthognathic work-up appointment will be scheduled. An orthognathic work-up is a one-hour, scheduled appointment with the doctor for the purpose of beginning preparation for surgery. The orthognathic work-up is not covered by insurance companies, but they require it for the determination of approval for the orthognathic surgery. As a result there is a fee associated with this service. For cost and payment details please contact your physician’s office.