Many people have dental malocclusions, that is, teeth are misaligned, rotated or displaced. In most cases malocclusions can be corrected by orthodontic treatment with the use of fixed or removable appliances. But sometimes the problem is caused by the jaw structure (facial deformities), as a result of uneven development that can significantly alter the symmetry of the face. In these cases the correction is only possible with orthodontics that is accompanied by a surgical procedure called orthognathic surgery. Your local Dentists in Chicago IL will be able to tell you if you’re a good candidate or not.
Treatment should be jointly planned by the orthodontist and maxillofacial surgeon, clearly defining the corrections to be made in both the teeth and the jaws. In the first phase of treatment, orthodontics usually last about a year and a half and make any necessary extraction of wisdom teeth. The goal is to straighten and align teeth independently. Subsequently, orthognathic surgery is performed to align the lower jaw and upper jaws, which requires a recovery period of about five weeks. Finally, orthodontics will need to complete the alignment of the teeth so the patient will have a perfect bite, which usually requires about six months.
Orthognathic surgery is performed by a maxillofacial surgeon, and is performed under general anesthesia and requires two days of hospitalization. The necessary incisions are made from the inside of the mouth and aims to reposition the jaws. This sometimes requires cutting the bone in predetermined locations, aligning them in the best position available and then repairing them again with titanium plates and bolts, so that the two jaws have a normal structural position. This eliminates the misalignment and establishing the symmetry of the face.
As with any surgical procedure in orthognathic surgery, there are risks of complications. These include possible infection, bleeding, swelling and eventual temporomandibular pathology. Postoperatively, Dentists in Chicago IL say that patients may have swelling in the face and bruises may occur in some areas, but usually symptoms are gone before two weeks pass. However, it is possible that some areas inside the mouth and face could have the feeling of prolonged anesthesia. For more information, browse around this site.
