Unlocking Oral Health: The Role and Benefits of Jaw Surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons frequently encounter patients grappling with misaligned bites, a concern associated with complications such as chewing difficulties, tooth wear, jaw pain, and speech impediments. Jaw surgery, scientifically termed orthognathic surgery, emerges as a specialised intervention to rectify these issues and enhance oral functionality.

Dr. Gautam Laud, Principal Dentist at Dazzle Dental Clinic, elucidated, “Jaw surgery stands as a specialised surgical procedure designed to address irregularities in the jaw and facial structure. Conducted by seasoned oral and maxillofacial surgeons, often in collaboration with orthodontists, this surgery comprehensively tackles both functional and aesthetic aspects of the jaw.”

Indications and scenarios

Dr. Laud outlined scenarios where jaw surgery becomes a consideration, particularly when conventional orthodontic treatments, like braces, fall short in correcting skeletal irregularities. Common indications include:

Malocclusion: This involves misalignment between the upper and lower jaws, resulting in an improper bite, discomfort during chewing, jaw pain, and occasionally audible jaw clicking.

Facial Asymmetry: Visible asymmetry in the jaw may necessitate surgical intervention to restore facial balance and symmetry.

Sleep Apnea: Jaw surgery proves effective in certain cases of obstructive sleep apnea, where repositioning the jaw alleviates airway obstruction, enhancing sleep quality.

Effectiveness of Jaw Surgery in Bite Correction

Dr. Laud emphasised that jaw surgery proficiently rectifies bite issues by realigning the jaw to its correct position, addressing specific problems such as:

Overbite/Overjet Correction: This entails adjusting the jaw to rectify excessive overlapping of the upper front teeth over the lower teeth.

Underbite Correction: Repositioning the lower jaw corrects its protrusion beyond the upper jaw.

Crossbite Correction: Jaw surgery resolves crossbites by aligning the jaws, ensuring teeth in one arch do not sit inside the opposing arch.

In conclusion, Dr. Gautam Laud stressed, “Orthodontic treatment acts as both a precursor and a follow-up to jaw surgery, ensuring optimal tooth alignment and augmenting the surgery’s efficacy. For those grappling with complex bite misalignments that are unresolvable through orthodontics alone, jaw surgery emerges as a viable solution. It successfully addresses issues like overbites, underbites, and crossbites, thereby enhancing both oral health and overall quality of life. Prospective candidates contemplating jaw surgery should consult an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to assess suitability, comprehend the procedure’s benefits and risks, and ensure a collaborative approach for achieving functional and aesthetically pleasing bite alignmen.”