Orthodontists, are limited to moving your teeth within the confines of the jaw bones. If you have an extremely poor bite due to improper or disproportionate growth of your jaw bones, the only way to provide you with a healthy and stable bite is to recommend treatment which involves both braces and surgical movement of your jaws, to both align your teeth and correct your bite.
If surgery is recommended, can I still choose to have orthodontic treatment alone to straighten my teeth?
The short answer is YES, and in most cases we can normally make a dramatic improvement in the cosmetic appearance of your smile with braces alone. However, if surgery is recommended, it is because we strongly feel that this is the best approach for the overall health of your teeth, jaw muscles and jaw joints. Your smile and teeth can look great after being straightened with braces alone, but if your bite and jaws are left out of alignment you may be prone to such conditions as TMJ jaw joint and muscle pain, tooth wear, headaches, etc.
If you are ‘sitting on the fence’ in regard to whether or not you would like to proceed with jaw surgery, you may start with simple alignment of your teeth and re-assess your decision to proceed with surgery or not. However, it is necessary to make your final decision whether or not you are going to proceed with jaw surgery approximately 6-12 months after we start initial alignment of your teeth, as we need to begin preparing your case differently for surgery after this point.
What can I expect if I undergo treatment involving both braces and jaw surgery?
Prior to jaw surgery we must align your teeth for a period of 1-2 years. We will actually be aligning your teeth in such a fashion that they will fit together properly once the surgeon moves your jaws into their proper position. During the early stages of tooth alignment, we will refer you to an oral surgeon for a preliminary surgical consultation, at which time; the surgeon will explain the procedure required to align your jaws properly. He will also explain the associated risks of surgery, though they are extremely rare, it is important that you are fully aware and informed of such risks.
Once we feel that your teeth are properly aligned for surgery, we will refer you to the surgeon for a final pre-surgical evaluation and reservation of an operation time. Jaw surgery is typically a 2-4 hour operation in the hospital under general anesthesia (you are put to sleep). Patients typically stay in the hospital for one day after the surgery to monitor their recovery. Most patients require approximately one week of rest at home following surgery and all signs of surgery such as swelling or minor bruising are typically non-existent after one month. Braces are not removed prior to surgery, and approximately 6-12 months of continued orthodontic treatment is required after surgery is completed. During this time we will be ‘fine tuning’ your bite and tooth alignment; in addition, to using the braces for placement of elastics in order to keep your jaws guided into the proper position following surgical re-positioning and healing.
Misconceptions associated with jaw surgery
It is important to realize two things: 1. similar to orthodontic treatment, jaw surgery has advanced by leaps and bounds over the years, 2. unfortunately, it is human nature to focus-on and recycle negative experiences related to jaw surgery, many of which likely involved use of old surgical techniques 10-20 years ago!
- “Will they have to break my jaws?” Your jaws will not be ‘broken’, surgery actually involves small incisions of the jaw bone and the bones are slid forward or back into their proper position.
- “My teeth will have to be wired shut for 8 weeks!” No, in 90% of cases they do not wire the teeth shut anymore. You are simply asked to wear small elastics which stretch from your top to bottom braces, in order to guide or hold your jaws in their new position. Some cases involving dramatic corrections, still require the teeth to be wired closed, but this is only for a period of 1-3 weeks.
- “I won’t be able to work or go to school for weeks” No, most patients return to work or school one week after surgery. However, patients who participate in sports (especially contact sports) will need to refrain for a longer period.
- “Will I have visible scars?” No, the entire surgery is performed within the mouth.
- “Surgery will cost too much” The actual cost of your operation is covered by our healthcare system if you are a resident of NB, NS, or PEI. However, there are some additional fees that are incurred with the oral surgeon to assess and plan your surgical case, in addition to that of your orthodontic treatment costs.
How may I benefit from jaw surgery?
Surgical alignment of the jaws/bite is normally recommended to help correct or improve one or more of the following:
- provide a healthy bite, preventing or significantly reducing the risks of future tooth wear, TMJ jaw joint or muscle pain.
- an ability to chew food properly.
- improve breathing, decrease snoring and even prevent a serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
- improve speech.
- prevent or reduce head and neck muscle tension.
- eliminate or reduce headaches related to an improper bite.
- dramatically improve overall facial cosmetics with production of a more youthful appearance!
- A boost in self-confidence and esteem.
Please note, it is your responsibility to discuss all risks and benefits of surgical jaw treatment with an oral surgeon, so that you may make an informed decision to proceed with surgery.
