Surgery is performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who works in conjunction with your orthodontist. The two specialists work as a team to design and execute your plan of care.
It is highly unlikely that surgery alone can correct both misaligned teeth and misaligned jaws. Orthodontic treatment is necessary to ensure teeth are in the right positions within the jaws
Yes.
For correction of misaligned jaws and teeth that are the result of a growth problem, surgical orthodontics is performed on patients who have finished growing.
Surgical orthodontics is generally recommended for adults who have a severe problem with the positions of their teeth and jaws that cannot be corrected by orthodontic treatment alone. Sometimes surgical orthodontics may be needed for those whose jaws are injured in an accident, or to correct a birth defect.
Orthodontic treatment usually comes before surgical orthodontics. The purpose is to align teeth so that they fit correctly after surgery is performed. Orthodontic treatment continues for a time after surgery to bring teeth into their final, optimal positions for good functio
Sometimes the root cause is genetic – as you were growing, your upper and lower jaws grew out of proportion to each other, and that can keep upper and lower teeth from meeting as they should, making it hard to bite, chew or speak. Other causes can be linked to birth defects or injuries to the jaw or environmental causes.
Surgical orthodontics may be necessary for someone whose upper and lower jaws, which hold the teeth, are out of position. Consequently, the upper and lower teeth don’t fit, impairing the ability to bite, chew or speak. Your orthodontist will work in conjunction with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to position your jaws and teeth for optimal function.
Gum disease is a bacterial growth in your mouth. Almost 50% of American adults have mild, moderate or severe gum disease. People may be unaware that they have gum disease because it does not hurt. The mildest form of gum disease is gingivitis. Untreated gum disease, or gingivitis, can get worse and become periodontitis as plaque spreads below the gums line. As the disease progresses, it progresses to advanced periodontitis. As unnerving as gum disease can be, it can be avoided. Teeth that are properly aligned are less prone to gum disease.
Here are three handy oral hygiene tools:
Your orthodontist may suggest dipping an interproximal brush in a capful of fluoride rinse to deliver fluoride protection between the teeth, or using a fluoride rinse instead of water in an irrigator.
