Orthognathic or jaw surgery corrects dentofacial issues and craniofacial deformity. However, some issues are not too advanced, making orthodontic treatment the better option. For you to be an ideal candidate for jaw surgery, your condition should be severe enough. Maybe you are too old for the use of growth modification or your condition is too advanced.
To establish whether your condition is severe enough to merit orthognathic surgery, your orthodontist and oral surgeon will first establish your medical history. They will use a questionnaire and then run a series of physical exams to determine if you are fit for surgery. Finally, they will come up with a treatment plan tailor-made for your condition.
Ideal candidates for orthognathic surgery include people with the following conditions:
Speech Impediments
You may think that your tongue is causing speech impediment since it lacks fluidity when enunciating certain words. If not, you may think it is because of your teeth or face. Most people live for years before realizing that the issue is a misaligned jaw. This is because the symptoms are deceiving. If this is your case, orthognathic surgery will align your jaw and correct your speech impediment.
Bruxism
This is the moving of the jaw back and forth or side to side when you are asleep or unaware. It is mainly found in people with stress, anger, or anxiety issues. It can end up causing temporomandibular joint disorder, myofascial muscle pain, earaches, and headaches.
It also wears down teeth, causing fractures due to the pressure exerted when clenching. Orthognathic surgery, together with stress and anxiety management, will help relieve the symptoms of this condition.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
This causes chronic facial pain as a result of problems in your jaw, the muscles, and the nerves surrounding it. The temporomandibular joint is a sliding hinge. Thus, any problem that hinders the complex system of bones, muscles, and ligaments from working in harmony may result in this disorder. In severe cases, the disorder could result in degenerative joint diseases like rheumatoid or osteoarthritis.
Difficulty Chewing
Sometimes your lower jaw may not line up with the upper jaw. This makes it hard to bite into food or chew it. Your tongue and the muscles responsible for swallowing may also be unable to coordinate. In severe cases like this, you are an ideal candidate for orthognathic surgery.
Sleep Apnea
Quality of sleep is as important to your well-being as exercise and eating right. Sleep apnea is a condition where your breathing is not regular during sleep. It results in loud snoring, morning headaches, insomnia or hypersomnia, gasping for air during sleep, and waking up with a dry mouth. Research has found that the treatment of sleep apnea also reduces the symptoms brought about by other conditions like bruxism.
For more information on orthognathic surgery or to determine if you require it, visit Weston Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at our offices in Weston, Florida. You can also call (954) 507-4540 today to book an appointment.
