Orthognathic Surgery requires a Team Approach to a complex problem. Orthodontist and Oral Surgeons work together to correct the skeletal imbalance, get the bite to fit in the correct position and develope a gorgeous smile!
An underbite occurs when the lower teeth are in front of the upper teeth. This is often the result of a long Lower jaw and short upper jaw or a combination of the 2 issues.
An Orthodontist assesseses if there is a dental/ tooth interference causing the lower jaw to be postured forward, giving an illusion of a long lower jaw. If this is so, Jaw surgery may NOT be needed after all! Just braces to correct teeth into position and allow the jaw to reposition in its correct place.
The face is assessed in the three planes of space to determine where the skeletal imbalance lies and if the jaw discrepancy is mild, an Orthodontist can come in to camouflage the teeth position to hide/mask a long jaw problem. As long as the tooth movement can be carried out in a safe way, with enough bone to support the dental camouflage. If a patient is adverse to jaw surgery, dental camouflage is certainly an option worth exploring.
If the jaw discrepancy is moderate to large and the facial profile will greatly benefit from a jaw surgery, Orthodontist and Oral Sirgeons work hand in hand to manage the bite and face. Records such as digital photography, 3D intraoral scans, teeth models, xrays and maybe even a CBCT are common records needed for a proper and thorough evaluation.
An oral surgeon will certainly need to assess your overall health and motivation for jaw surgery as well.
Hope this information helps!
Cheers,
Dr POON Kee Hwang
Specialist Orthodontist
