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Corrective Jaw Surgery (Orthognathic Surgery)
Transform Your Smile and Quality of Life
Corrective jaw surgery can improve chewing, speaking, and breathing. Furthermore, it can improve facial harmony by realigning the jaws in their proper relationship to each other. People who may benefit from corrective jaw surgery include those with malocclusion (abnormal bite) that results from either misaligned teeth and/or jaws. In some individuals, the jaws grow at different rates and directions causing the alignment issues.
Before
After
Corrective Jaw Surgery (Orthognathic Surgery) Information
Corrective Orthognathic Jaw Surgery is performed usually in conjunction with your orthodontist to correct a wide range of minor and major facial skeletal and dental growth irregularities. Some of the conditions that usually require corrective jaw surgery are:
- Misalignment of the jaws and teeth
- Facial injury or birth defects
- Protruding jaw
- Receded chin
- Open bite (space between the upper and lower front teeth when the mouth is closed)
- Unbalanced or asymmetric facial appearance from the front or side
- Chronic jaw or jaw joint (TMJ) pain and headache
- Inability to make lips meet without straining
- Difficulty chewing or biting food
- Excessive wear on teeth
- Sleep apnea
Your surgeon, orthodontist and dentist work together to evaluate and treatment plan your need for corrective orthognathic surgery. At Virginia Facial Surgery, Dr Mueller works closely with the local orthodontists, determines which corrective jaw procedures are appropriate, and then performs the actual surgery. It is very important to understand that your treatment may take several years to complete. This is because your treatment begins with your orthodontist placing braces on your teeth. It may take 1 – 3 years before you are ready for the surgical phase. Because your teeth are being moved so that they fit together better after surgery, it may at first appear that your bite is getting worse before it gets better. Once the jaws are repositioned, the teeth should fit together properly. The surgical procedure may involve moving the upper jaw, the lower jaw and the chin. Occasionally, the nose needs to be addressed as well. The procedure is performed in the hospital and may in some instances involve an overnight stay. The procedure is performed with general anesthesia. You sleep through the entire procedure and have no recollection of the procedure at all. The bones are moved, reshaped, and put back together with small titanium plates and screws. No, the plates will not set off the metal detectors at the airport. The procedure is performed inside the mouth, and only occasionally, very small incisions are made outside the mouth.
The short answer is No.
Before the advancement of titanium mini-plates, the jaws had to be wired closed to hold them still for healing. Now, Dr. Mueller uses titanium mini-plates and screws to hold the bones rigid. Only in the rare instance where stability may be an issue, Dr. Mueller will place wires for two weeks. Most patients only have small orthodontic elastics in place for a couple of weeks to guide them into their new bite.
More about Corrective Jaw Surgery (Orthognathic Surgery)
Achieve Facial Harmony
Discover how corrective jaw surgery improves facial symmetry, chewing function, and speech articulation by aligning misaligned jaws. Dr. Mueller’s expertise ensures comprehensive care and optimal results.
Contact us today to explore corrective jaw surgery and cosmetic treatment options.
Before, after stage one, and after Orthognathic Surgery and custom 3D printed chin, mandibular angle, and cheek implants.
Schedule a Consultation
The consultation is perhaps the most important time spent between the doctor, staff, and patient. It is paramount that patients feel relaxed and be prepared to talk and listen. Some patients are nervous when it comes to talking to someone about their cosmetic concerns.
Please feel free to bring a spouse or friend along. It is always good to discuss the treatment at some point with a caregiver or support person.
We will address your concerns, and at the same time, Dr. Mueller will fully evaluate your facial features. He will then discuss the comprehensive changes of aging and the available options to improve and enhance your look. We will discuss your health history and how it relates to safe surgery and anesthesia. Please be prepared to discuss your medical history and have a list of all the medications that you are taking. This includes all supplements and over-the-counter medications. It is also important to know if you smoke and how much.
Dr. Mueller always reminds patients that facial cosmetic surgery is a want or desire to look better. There are always multiple options for rejuvenation and he will discuss various treatment options. We encourage you to take notes since we will be discussing many things. We will provide you with a list of procedures we discussed as well as their costs. We want all of our patients to feel satisfied with their cosmetic surgery results.