2. About Jaw Surgery

 

Jaw surgery is needed to restore the normal appearance of the face and to improve function: the ability to eat, breathe and speak. For these reasons, surgery to correct the facial bones is considered reconstructive surgery and not always cosmetic surgery. Surgery of the jaws is also called Orthognathic surgery.  Ortho means straight. Gnathic means jaws. Orthognathic surgery then means to straighten the jaw. This is done when braces (orthodontic treatment) alone cannot change the way the upper and lower teeth fit together. The jaw bones must be moved so that it is easier for the orthodontist to coordinate the upper and lower teeth together. It is the bones that are in the wrong position and not only the teeth themselves.

 

The three basic procedures that are used to reposition the facial skeleton are:

• The Upper Jaw Surgery (LeFort I and variations)

• The Lower Jaw Surgery (BSSO)

• The Chin Surgery (Osseous Genioplasty)

 

Various combination of the above 3 procedures, allows the surgeon to correct the vast majority of the jaw deformties. Please view the procedure animations to help you to understand the surgery and view the before and after cases to understand how jaw surgery may alter your appearance.