Sometimes before orthodontia can be placed, corrective jaw (orthognathic) surgery may need to be performed to correct any dental irregularities, including the misalignment of the jaws or teeth.
Surgery can greatly enhance your appearance but it is performed strictly to correct functional problems. It can drastically improve speaking, chewing and breathing.
How Do I Know If I Need Jaw Surgery?
Below is a list of some conditions that may indicate the need for jaw surgery:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty chewing or biting food
- Excessive wear of the teeth
- Chronic jaw or jaw joint (TMJ) pain and headache
- Facial injury
- Open bite (space between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed)
- Unbalanced facial appearance from the front or side
- Birth defects
- Protruding jaw
- Receding lower jaw and chin
- Chronic mouth breathing
- Inability to make the lips meet without effort
- Sleep apnea
Dr. Rhoda Lockett will work together with your oral maxillofacial surgeon (OMS) to determine whether you are a candidate for corrective jaw, or orthognathic, surgery. The OMS will decide which specific corrective surgical procedure is appropriate and will be the one to perform the actual surgery. It is important to for you to realize that your orthodontic treatment, which will probably include orthodontics before and after surgery, has the potential to take several years to be completed. Your OMS and orthodontist each understand that this is a long-term commitment from you and will try to realistically estimate the time required for your treatment.
If you have any questions about orthognathic surgery in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and would like to schedule a consultation with our orthodontist, please call Lockett Orthodontics today at 719-309-6823!