This Patient presented with a deformity of the jaws called "Apertognathia", or "open bite. Even in a closed position her teeth do not meet	Before surgery, this patient has difficulty chewing and speaking, and has a pronounced upper jaw
After surgery, her teeth meet correctly	After surgery, this patient can chew and speak normally, and has balanced facial features

Common Types Of Orthognathic Deformities and How they are Corrected

Common Dentofacial Deformities Common dentofacial deformities include an open bite (a), a prognathic, or protruding, jaw (b) and a retrognathic, or receding, lower jaw (c). Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons perform corrective jaw surgery to fix these problems.

What Causes Jaw Deformities?

An improper bite or "malocclusion" can result from different rates of growth in the upper and lower jaws, birth defects, or injury. If only the teeth are involved, orthodontics is often employed alone to correct the problem. However, if the jaws themselves need to be realigned, orthognathic surgery may be prescribed. In addition, some people have facial abnormalities involving just the upper face, cheek bones, and nose. These can also be surgically corrected. The bones are repositioned so the facial features are more symmetrical. Orthognathic Surgery | Top

Warning Signs

The following are some of the conditions that may indicate a need for orthognathic surgery: -Difficulty chewing or biting food -Difficulty swallowing -Speech problem -Chronic jaw pain -Excessive wearing of teeth -Open bite (space between upper and lower front of back teeth when mouth is closed) -Unbalanced facial appearance -Facial injury or birth defects -Receding chin -Protruding jaw -Inability to make lips meet without effort -Chronic mouth breathing with dry mouth -Sleep apnea (breathing problems when sleeping such as snoring, difficulty breathing, etc.) Orthognathic Surgery | Top

What Is Involved in Corrective Jaw Surgery?

Before your surgery, orthodontic braces move the teeth into a new position. Because your teeth are being moved into a position that will fit together after surgery, you may at first think your bite is getting worse rather than better. When your Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon repositions your jaws during surgery, however, your teeth should fit together properly.

As your pre-surgical orthodontic treatment nears completion, additional or updated records, including x-rays, pictures and models of your teeth, may be taken to help guide your surgery.

Depending on the procedure, corrective jaw surgery may be performed under general anesthesia in a hospital, an ambulatory surgical center or in the oral and maxillofacial surgery office. Surgery may take from one to several hours to complete.

Your Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon will reposition the jawbones in accordance with your specific needs. In some cases, bone may be added, taken away or reshaped. Surgical plates, screws, wires and rubber bands may be used to hold your jaws in their new positions. Incisions are usually made inside the mouth to reduce visible scarring; however, some cases do require small incisions outside of the mouth. When this is necessary, care is taken to minimize their appearance.

After surgery, your surgeon will provide instructions for a modified diet, which may include solids and liquids, as well as a schedule for transitioning to a normal diet. You may also be asked to refrain from using tobacco products and avoid strenuous physical activity.

Pain following corrective jaw surgery is easily controlled with medication and patients are generally able to return to work or school from one to three weeks after surgery, depending on how they are feeling. While the initial healing phase is about six weeks, complete healing of the jaws takes between nine and 12 months.