Surgical Orthodontics in Chesterfield, MO & St. Charles, MO
As a Board Certified Orthodontic Specialist, Dr. Brown treats cases of great complexity and those include orthognathic (jaw) surgery cases. Treating faces is also a critical component of orthodontic treatment! Patients will present to our office with facial concerns (weak chin, strong chin, flat face, etc) along with occlusion (bite) concerns. One treatment option for these cases is a combination of comprehensive braces or aligners (Invisalign) with jaw surgery (from an Oral Surgeon) to obtain the best and most stable correction of a poor facial pattern and severe malocclusion (“bad bite”). Dr. Brown works closely with several oral surgeons in the area to obtain optimal results for patients going through this treatment.
Generally, these cases involve treatment with braces or aligners for a period of about a year prior to jaw surgery to “undo” tooth positions. The orthognathic surgery procedure is then completed by the oral surgeon. After surgery, Dr. Brown will finish your final tooth movements in about six months.
How Long Does Orthognathic Surgery Take?
The term orthognathic surgery can shift in light of several factors, including the intricacy of the case, the particular strategies included, and the surgeon’s experience. On average, orthognathic surgery or jaw surgery might take somewhere in the range of 2-4 hours.
It’s vital to take note that the surgery itself is only one piece of the general treatment process for revising jaw and facial inconsistencies. The whole orthognathic medical procedure process includes pre-careful orthodontic therapy to adjust the teeth, the actual surgery, and post-careful orthodontic treatment to tweak the bites and accomplish ideal outcomes.
Is Orthognathic Surgery Painful?
Jaw surgery is a technique performed to address conditions influencing the jaw and face. After the surgery, patients typically experience pain and discomfort. The degree of agony experienced can differ from one individual to another, and factors like the degree of the medical procedure, individual pain resilience, and the particular methods utilized by the specialist can impact the general insight. The surgical group will endorse the medication to help with the pain during the recovery period.