4. The Team Approach to Jaw Surgery

 

We feel it is important that patients are evaluated not only by the surgeon, the orthodontist and dentist, but also by our speech and language pathologist, by our psychologist and, when appropriate, by sleep medicine. For some patients with missing teeth, we will have the prosthodontist involved early to help guide surgery and orthodontics. 

 

This is because the impact of surgery can positively or negatively influence the various functional aspects that include speech and swallow, breathing and appearance. With two decades of experience with jaw surgery, having other members of the ‘jaw team’ involved have resulted in a patients who were better informed and with better outcomes.

 

Additionally their input has been beneficial in supporting the functional need for surgery as requested by many insurance providers today.