Jaw Surgery

If the jaws and teeth do not meet correctly, surgery may be required to ensure the jaws are able to function properly. Jaw surgery, also called orthognathic surgery, involves an oral surgeon surgically repositioning the jaws. This surgery is life-changing and can drastically improve the ability to eat, speak, and breathe. Our skilled oral surgeons at Full Smile Dental offer jaw surgery in Dumas, Canyon, Amarillo, Farwell, and Dalhart, TX.

Do I Need Jaw Surgery? 

Patients with bite problems or misaligned jaws can greatly benefit from this procedure. Orthodontics can correct some bite problems and align the teeth, but if the jaws themselves are out of alignment or there is not enough room for the teeth within the dental arch, orthognathic surgery may be necessary. You can benefit from jaw surgery if you experience any of the following: 

• Speech problems 
• Chronic facial pain
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain 
• Difficulty biting, chewing, or swallowing 
• Open bite, or when the teeth do not touch together 
• Underbite
• Overbite 
• Protruding or retruded jaw
• Snoring caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
• Difficulty breathing
• Misaligned chin or nose 

These issues can be present at birth or can develop over time as a result of genetics, environmental factors, or following a traumatic incident. In cases involving children, jaw surgery is often not recommended until the jaws have finished developing. 

Benefits of Orthognathic Surgery

Corrective jaw surgery can address numerous conditions. The results of orthognathic surgery are long-term, allowing you to live the rest of your life with properly functioning jaws and stunning results you will love. By undergoing this life-changing procedure, you can benefit in many ways, including: 

• Improve the ability to bite, chew, and eat overall 
• Improve speech 
• Prevent damage to teeth by minimizing wear 
• Correct facial imbalances for an aesthetically pleasing appearance 
• Relieve pain in the jaws and in the temporomandibular joint 
• Treat birth defects
• Repair facial injuries 
• Provide relief and tremendous health benefits to those suffering from obstructive sleep apnea

Orthognathic Surgery Procedure 

Prior to undergoing surgery, you will visit one of our Full Smile Dental offices for 3D scans of your jaws and teeth. These scans are used to create your custom treatment plan and configure the details of your surgery.

You can receive jaw surgery on one or both jaws, and your surgeon will walk you through the steps of your specific treatment. Jaw surgery is performed under general anesthesia, which renders you completely unconscious. It is performed in a hospital or in-patient surgical center and will require a stay of several days.

During surgery, your surgeon will make incisions inside the mouth or around the jaw to produce less visible scarring. Your surgeon will move the jaws into the correct position and use plates, screws, or wires to fix them into place. Some patients require extra bone, in which case bone grafting treatment will be performed. Any incisions will be closed and you will remain in the hospital or surgery center for a few days so your surgeon can monitor you. 

Initial healing takes about 6 weeks following jaw surgery, but it can take several months for the jaws to fully heal. We will provide instructions on what foods and activities to avoid, how to clean your mouth, and other guidelines for expediting recovery. 

After having jaw surgery, your orthodontist will use braces to guide the teeth into their proper positions. Now that the jaws have been repositioned, there is adequate space for your teeth to align and function properly. The duration of braces will vary depending on the number of orthodontic issues present and how much movement is required to achieve proper alignment.