Smilesweet Orthodontics is proud to offer surgical treatments for our orthodontic patients. Correction of teeth is accomplished by braces or Invisalign® and the jaw discrepancy is corrected once the patient has finished growing.
Sometimes the growth of one jaw is not in harmony with the other or there was trauma to a growing patient, Orthodontics AND surgery may be the only option to obtain balance and symmetry. Very often there is a genetic component and often there will be other family members with the same appearance.
Surgical orthodontics, also called orthognathic surgery, is used for severe cases of bad bites, jaw bone abnormalities, and malocclusions.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is considered a dental specialty and helps complex cases involving the mouth, jaw, face, and skull.
If you need to have surgical orthodontics, your orthodontist will work with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to make sure that you can get the smile you deserve.
Surgical orthodontics helps patients improve their bites, though it can also help with other aesthetic concerns. Surgery can be completed only after the jaw is finished growing. This typically happens by age sixteen for females and age eighteen for males.
Surgery is needed when the jaws do not line up correctly and no amount of braces can correct the misalignment. We straighten your teeth and then send you to the oral surgeon. After surgery, you will return to the orthodontist for final detailing work
Surgery is not always necessary, so it is important to discuss your case with an orthognathic surgeon. They will be able to discuss your treatment options, whether or not they include surgery.
Your surgery will be done by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Surgery is completed in a hospital and can take up to a few hours, depending on your needs.
After surgery, you will need to rest for about two weeks. It is a major surgery and you should take some time off of work and school while you heal. After you heal, your orthodontist will work on straightening your teeth. Most people have to wear braces for six months to a year after surgery. Then, you will need a retainer to maintain your beautiful smile.
Like all surgeries, there are risks. However, orthognathic surgeries have been around for years and are pretty safe and effective. If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to ask questions before the procedure.
Most people can’t wait to have the smile they deserve. That is the best reward of the surgery. It can also help your self-confidence. Whether you need surgery to correct your bite, a malocclusion, or a jaw abnormality, we can help you have a smile you want to show off.
If you have any questions about surgery, don’t hesitate, contact us today at 718-464-0768, or text 516-491-4436.
Below are pictures of patients which problems that can only be corrected by orthodontics and jaw surgery:
Examples of an Open Bite, Underbite, and a Small Lower Jaw (respectively)
Examples of Mid-face & Upper Jaw
being deficient in development
Examples of
Jaw Deviations
