Corrective jaw surgery, or orthognathic surgery, is a treatment process that includes both orthodontic and surgical treatment. It is used to treat adults who suffer with issues related to jaws that are poorly aligned, improperly positioned or mis-matched in size. These jaw discrepancies can cause a number of conditions that affect oral health and function, speech, breathing, overall health and appearance, as well as a patient’s emotional health and quality of life. Here we’ll discuss 7 conditions that can be treated with corrective jaw surgery in Singapore.
- Skeletal Overbite – A condition in which the upper jaw extends further than the lower one, causing front teeth of the upper jaw to overlap lower ones and rear teeth to fail to meet properly. Depending upon the severity of a skeletal overbite, it can cause poor chewing ability, speech problems, damage to soft tissues in the mouth and excessive tooth wear.
- Skeletal Underbite – This condition is characterized by a lower jaw that extends beyond the upper one, causing lower front teeth to overlap upper ones, and poor alignment of rear teeth. This condition may also interfere with a patient’s ability to chew efficiently and speak clearly, and can cause damage to teeth and soft tissues.
- Skeletal Cross Bite – This type of malocclusion is characterized by teeth – front, rear or both – that do not meet properly, with teeth in one jaw resting to the right or left of their opposing teeth when the mouth is closed. Patients who suffer cross bite can have difficulty biting and chewing, may have uneven tooth wear, may suffer tooth loosening or loss due to uneven pressure, and can have issues with speech clarity.
- Skeletal Open Bite – An open bite is a malocclusion in which either the front teeth or rear ones are not able to meet, leaving a gap between them. At the front of the mouth, open bite interferes with biting efficiency, while at the back of the mouth, it leads to poor chewing ability.
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) Disorders – Skeletal malocclusions can cause temporomandibular joint disorders, which are conditions that cause chronic pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and/or the muscles that control it.
- Sleep Apnea And Other Breathing Problems – Jaw discrepancies can cause or contribute to breathing difficulties, such as obstructive sleep apnea and airway defects, among others, that can often be relieved or improved via corrective jaw surgery.
- Aesthetic Issues Related to Jaw Discrepancies – Misaligned or mismatched jaws often result in aesthetic issues, some severe enough to cause significant facial disfigurement, such as severely recessed chins, elongated lower jaws, inability to close the mouth, and protruding teeth, among others. These issues can take a substantial toll on a person’s quality of life, affecting self-esteem, self-confidence and emotional health, which, in turn, can affect social and professional success.
[RELATED: How Can I Know What I’ll Look Like After Jaw Surgery]
If you’re suffering with problems related to mismatched or misaligned jaws, whether they are functional issues or aesthetic ones, or more commonly, some combination of both, getting appropriate treatment is important to preventing both short and long term complications. A consultation with a Singapore oral and maxillofacial surgeon can help you decide whether or not corrective jaw surgery is the most appropriate treatment for you.
