Combined Orthodontics & Surgery Treatment
For bite problems caused by the jaws themselves, orthodontics and jaw surgery planned as one treatment.
Most crowding, spacing and bite problems can be corrected by moving teeth. Some bite problems, though, come from the jaws themselves: a lower jaw set too far forward or back, or jaws that grew unevenly. When the difference is large, the most conservative fix is often orthodontics and jaw surgery together.
Surgery is not the first answer
When a jaw imbalance is found while a child is still growing, Dr. Robison can often use orthopedic appliances to guide growth and reduce the problem early. For adults, the Damon system and temporary anchorage devices (small, temporary anchors that steady tooth movement) now allow many mild to moderate jaw differences to be corrected without surgery. If another provider has told you that you need jaw surgery, Dr. Robison is glad to give a second opinion and explain both surgical and non-surgical options.
When it is the right choice
For a severe skeletal imbalance that affects how you bite and chew, avoiding surgery can mean a compromise that never fully works. In those cases, combining orthodontics with surgery is the more conservative path, and it can make a dramatic difference to daily life.
How combined treatment works
- Before surgery. Braces or aligners move your teeth into positions that will fit together once the jaws are corrected. This stage usually takes about a year.
- Surgery. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon performs the procedure in a hospital or surgical center. Jaws are rarely wired shut today; most patients follow a no-chew diet for about six weeks.
- Recovery. Plan on roughly two weeks away from work or school. Your surgeon will give advice for your specific case.
- After surgery. Your orthodontist fine-tunes the bite over another 6 to 12 months, then retainers hold the result.
Risks and benefits
Like any major operation, jaw surgery carries risks, and your surgeon will explain the ones that apply to you. The main benefit is a bite that lets you bite and chew normally. A more balanced face and smile often follow, but function comes first.