Corrective Jaw Surgery

Corrective jaw surgery moves your teeth and jaws into a more aesthetically balanced, functional, and healthy position. It can improve your chewing, speaking, and breathing, but most of all, it’s a transformative procedure that can dramatically change your smile, appearance, and entire life for the better.

What Is Corrective Jaw Surgery?

Corrective jaw surgery, or orthognathic surgery, is performed to correct functional and aesthetic problems of the jaws and teeth. These issues may include misalignments, asymmetrical jaw growth, and other dental irregularities that can’t be fixed with [traditional orthodontics].

Do I Need Corrective Jaw Surgery?

You may benefit from corrective jaw surgery if your dentist has diagnosed you with an improper bite resulting from misaligned jaws. While [orthodontic treatments] can correct most bite problems when only the teeth are misaligned, corrective jaw surgery may be necessary to fix profound jaw misalignments.

You may need corrective jaw surgery if you have:

• Difficulty chewing or biting food
• Chronic jaw joint (TMJ) pain or migraine
• Asymmetrical facial appearance
• Facial injury or birth defects
• Protruding jaw
• Receding chin
• Breathing problems when sleeping (sleep apnea, snoring)
• Excessive wear of the teeth
• Open bite

The Corrective Jaw Surgery Journey at Dr. Patty Miami

Your board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Dr. Patty Miami will work with you to determine whether you are a candidate for corrective jaw surgery and which type of procedure is most appropriate for you.

Dr. Patty Miami is one of the few practices where a cosmetic dentist, orthodontist, and oral maxillofacial surgeon work together to create a tailor-made treatment plan that delivers both functional and aesthetically pleasing results.

Corrective jaw treatment is a long-term commitment that may take years to complete. Your Dr. Patty Miami oral surgery team will do its best to give you a realistic and honest estimate for the time required for your treatment.

At our clinic, we complete the entire corrective jaw procedure in-house, right here at our upscale dental and medical boutique. Our state-of-the-art surgical suites are fully equipped and accredited for your safety and convenience. That means that our surgical rooms are like a hospital operating room in terms of safety, emergency preparedness, and staff qualifications. But you get to enjoy the privacy and one-on-one attention that only an upscale practice can give you.

We conduct the surgery under general anesthesia, making small incisions in the jawbones and repositioning them into correct alignment. In most cases, these incisions are made inside of the mouth to reduce visible scarring. The jawbones are secured in position with tiny plates, screws, and wires that will become part of the bone over time.

After surgery, your surgeon will provide aftercare instructions, including what to eat and how to care for your wound site.

Corrective jaw surgery is an extensive surgical procedure, so it can take several months until your jaws are completely healed. Most patients return to their activities within 1 to 3 weeks after their operation, but may need to refrain from intense exercise for up to 6 weeks. And some patients may need to wear orthodontics before and/or after their surgery.