Jaw Surgery

Realigning your jaw can enhance your appearance.
When your jaw is out of alignment, your face can look unbalanced. Corrective jaw surgery can adjust the proportions of your face for a more symmetrical appearance.

Corrective jaw surgery can make eating simpler.
Misalignment in your jaw can cause difficulty chewing, biting, and swallowing. When your jaw and teeth meet properly, you can eat with ease.

Adjusting your jaw can make breathing and speaking easier. 
Often, jaw misalignment can cause breathing problems, such as sleep apnea or snoring, and also disrupt the way you naturally speak.

Fully correcting the alignment of your jaw can take several years from start to finish. Generally, your dentist, orthodontist, and surgeon will work together to develop the best plan for you. 

First Steps

In general, patients need braces to align their teeth before surgery. Typically, alignment takes 12 to 18 months. 

Undergoing Surgery

Jaw surgery is performed by a surgeon under general anesthesia in a hospital. The jawbone is incised and may be augmented, reshaped, or adjusted. Alterations are held in place with permanent hardware. Corrective jaw surgery can address your upper jaw, lower jaw, chin, or a combination. 

After the Procedure

You may need to stay in the hospital for two to four nights after surgery. 

Recovery

Most patients can return to work or school within one to three weeks, but full healing can take up to three months.

Final Adjustments

After about six weeks, your orthodontist may recommend a second round of braces, which can take several more months to complete.