What is Surgical Orthodontics?
Surgical orthodontics, also known as orthognathic surgery, is a specialized technique that helps patients achieve optimal orthodontic alignment, especially when the shape or position of the jaw prevents the teeth from reaching their ideal position with traditional braces. This technique is often necessary for addressing severe jaw and facial abnormalities that cannot be corrected with braces alone.
Surgical orthodontics addresses issues such as:
- Severe bite problems (like overbite, underbite, or crossbite) that affect how the upper and lower jaws align.
- Jaw misalignments that cause difficulty with chewing, speaking, or breathing.
- Facial asymmetry that affects both appearance and function.
Without the surgery, the pressure from braces could potentially cause the teeth to become detached from the bones, as traditional methods may not be effective in severe cases. Surgical orthodontics offers an alternative strategy, using surgery to reshape the jawbones and make it easier for the teeth and bones to move into the correct position. This technique is often combined with orthodontic treatment (braces) both before and after the surgery to ensure the teeth and jaws are properly aligned.
The surgery typically reshapes the jawbones to improve both function and appearance, enhancing overall oral health and comfort. Surgical orthodontics is generally recommended for adults whose jawbones have completed their growth, but it may also be needed for teens with severe jaw growth issues. The ultimate goal is to achieve a functional, aligned bite and improve facial aesthetics.
How Does it Work?
Surgical orthodontics uses strategic cuts in the jawbones to help facilitate their movement in conjunction with the movement of the teeth. Most commonly, Dr. Urbanek makes a mid-palatal split to help widen the upper arch. This is also known as a surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion.
He can also make bone incisions around your teeth to help accelerate the movement. This strategy is known as accelerated osteogenic orthodontics. This strategy weakens the bone to allow tooth movement in a certain direction while at the same time stimulating the bone to heal.
Another technique involves using bone anchors. Bone anchors consist of bone plates or screws implanted in the jaws to give the jaws something to pull against. Orthodontics requires an anchor of some sort to move teeth. Your teeth, in turn, require the right amount of stability to move, which doesn’t always happen with the adjacent teeth. In the past, headgear was used to treat these particular problems, but now that we can just place implant anchors in your jaw, there’s no need for it. We can correct many forms of orthodontic problems with bone anchors, eliminating the need for major reconstructive jaw surgery.
Is it Right For Me?
If your orthodontist has told you that you need reconstructive jaw surgery to achieve your desired results, there’s a good chance that surgical orthodontics is right for you. To find out if you’re a good candidate, simply schedule a consultation with Dr. Urbanek. During your consultation, he will take images of your jaw to determine if surgical orthodontics can benefit you. He can even work hand in hand with your orthodontist to ensure the best results possible. Most patients who can benefit from surgical orthodontics have a bad bite, jaw abnormality, or malocclusion.
Benefits of Surgical Orthodontics
There are a lot of amazing benefits that come with surgical orthodontics. You can look forward to:
- Easier chewing, biting, and speaking
- No headgear
- No reconstructive jaw surgery
- Amazing results that last a lifetime
- Improved facial appearance
So, what are you waiting for? Find out if surgical orthodontics in Southlake, TX are right for you. It can save you from a painful reconstructive jaw surgery down the line. Please contact StarImage Dental Boutique & Oral Surgery at (817) 587-4414 today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Urbanek.
