Sometimes the balance of your bite requires correction beyond the capabilities of braces alone. Whether from an injury or genetic development, an orthognathic surgery addresses problems with the positioning of your jaw and can help align your teeth. This procedure can improve your health and appearance at the same time!
At your Shirley, NY pediatric dentist and orthodontist, we perform jaw surgeries when you or your child require a more involved solution for your bite’s imbalance. In today’s blog, we discuss surgical solutions for improving your smile.
What Leads To Imbalances With Your Bite?
An imbalance in your bite can be naturally caused by the irregular eruption of your teeth or asymmetrical growth of your jaw. Physical trauma can also bring your teeth out of alignment and impact the appearance of your smile. Left untreated, an imbalanced jaw can increase your risk of nightly grinding and TMJ disorder. These conditions cause physical discomfort and can wear away the surface of your enamel leading to tooth decay and discoloration. As your jaw shifts out of position, you also risk blocking your breathing at night leading to sleep apnea. You may find chewing and speaking more difficult as your teeth do not meet in a proper position which can also affect the esthetics of your smile.
Planning Your Orthognathic Correction
As your corrective jaw surgery is a sophisticated procedure, it requires a team to complete. Your orthodontist and oral surgeon will work in tandem to plan and execute a surgery that brings your jaw into position and improves your smile. Modern imaging techniques allow us to render a digital model of your jaw to understand its dimensions. While the thought of surgery may seem daunting, the correct approach can provide aesthetic and oral health benefits.
Performing Your Surgery
Because orthognathic correction is an invasive procedure, we prioritize your comfort throughout by applying anesthetics to the surgical area to prevent pain. We also provide general dental sedation to relax you during treatment placing you in a calm sleeplike state. According to plan, we will then reposition your jaw by moving its upper or lower parts. We can shorten or lengthen the bone itself or simply reposition it depending on the nature of your imbalance. When planning your procedure, we take into account the esthetic effect of correction to create a pleasing, balanced smile. This allows us to address both the function and look of your bite at the same time!
Talk To Your Shirley, NY, Orthodontist and Pediatric Dentist About Repairing Your Jaw
Our team wants to help restore the balance, health, and function of your bite. To learn more about our approach to oral surgery, then contact Shirley Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Shirley, NY, by calling (631) 399-1600.
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