Jaw Surgery (Orthognathic Surgery) Los Angeles
Look better.
Feel better.
Sleep better.
If you’re considering jaw surgery, you’re not alone.
Every week, patients from all over the United States and from all around the world, call us and schedule appointments to visit, wanting to correct their teeth, bite, jaw or airway, for aesthetic and functional reasons.
Patients that fly in from out of state or abroad generally will remain in Los Angeles for 1-3 weeks, depending upon the surgery.
Most people want to be healthy and want optimal structure, function, health and longevity. Many others also want to look better and feel better.
Fortunately, there are effective treatments for jaw and bite disorders, obstructive sleep apnea and treatments to enhance the position of the teeth, smile, jaw and face, for best aesthetics.
People with misaligned jaws can struggle unnecessarily with a variety of problems, from difficulty eating, speaking, facial pain, headaches, jaw clicking, snoring, sleep apnea and an imbalanced smile and facial aesthetics often with lower self esteem or lack of confidence.
Fortunately, jaw surgery can correct these problems and significantly improve your quality of life.
What causes facial and jaw imbalance?
Facial imbalance and jaw and bite abnormalities can be present from birth, or they can develop over time due to various factors such as injury, infection, chronic jaw clenching and grinding,(parafunctional habits) and TMJ deterioration or arthritis.
Jaw surgery,( Orthognathic surgery), can correct abnormalities of the teeth bite, jaw, face and airway if indicated.
Why visit a multi-disciplinary center?
The Stomatognathic System (teeth, bite, jaws, TMJ’s, face, muscles, airway, nose and sinuses are complex and intimately related, best analyzed by a team of experienced board certified specialists, before embarking upon treatment.
State of the Art Multi-disciplinary Center
Orthodontic Center Los Angeles, Jaw Surgery Los Angeles and Sinus Center Los Angeles share a state of the art multi-disciplinary facility in Pacific Palisades, CA (including an onsite state of the art 3-D imaging center and adjacent AAAHC Operating Room) and have a highly experienced team of board certified specialists to analyze your condition, to provide you with a diagnosis and options/ alternatives of treatment.
What types of jaw surgery are there?
There are several different types of jaw surgery, including:
- Maxillary surgery: This type of surgery involves the upper jaw (maxilla) and can be performed to correct a “gummy” smile, protrusion,(forward positioning of the upper jaw) retrusion (backward positioning of the upper jaw) or canting of the upper jaw (slanting or tilting of the smile) and to improve the alignment of the teeth, or correct a misaligned jaw, bite and temoro-mandibular joint condyles. (TMJ condyles).
- Mandibular surgery: This type of surgery involves the lower jaw (mandible) and is often performed to correct a receding jaw or chin, protruding jaw or chin, assymetric (crooked) jaw or chin and/or to improve the alignment of the teeth, bite and TMJ’s.
- Bimaxillary surgery: This type of surgery involves both the upper and lower jaw, and is often performed to correct a significant imbalance in the size or shape or position of both jaws, often with bite collapse, asymmetries, protrusion of retrusion of the jaws or long face syndrome with an open bite or cross bite.
- Genioplasty: This is a type of surgery to correct the position of the chin. This can be done alone or in conjunction with upper and/or lower jaw surgery. The chin surgery can be designed to lengthen or shorten the face, create a more pronounced looking jaw line (stronger looking jaw) and to improve facial symmetry.
TMJ surgery. This included arthrocentesis, arthroplasty, ligament plication and repair and TMJ replacement. Fortunately, TMJ surgery is seldom needed or prescribed. - Chin and facial implants: A genioplasty is usually preferred rather than a chin implant since chin implants can look unnatural, almost like an ‘add on’ especially for larger disparities. A Genioplasty uses your own bone that can remodel after surgery, eliminating the complications of implants moving and/or imbedding in the bone and needing to be removed. Facial implants are however prescribed if helpful for certain deformities usually in conjunction with orhtognathic surgery.
Jaw surgery can significantly enhance your life and is enormously rewarding for patients and specialists when performed exceptionally well to the highest standards of care.