Jaw surgery is a major surgery that can disrupt your life for several weeks and months. You owe it to yourself to understand how jaw surgery will affect your life. You also should understand what you can expect from your jaw surgery.
Jaw surgery is generally safe when done by an experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon, often in collaboration with an orthodontist. Risks of surgery may include: Blood loss. Infection.
It corrects functional deficit due to malalignment of the jaws, improving chewing ability and in some cases, indirectly, speech as well. Decision on elective surgery is best made after weighing the risk versus the benefits. If the benefits outweigh the risk, surgery is worth it.
If only an upper or lower jaw requires surgery, your surgery will typically last between 1.5 to 2 hours. If both upper and lower jaws need orthognathic surgery then the procedure will take between 3 and 4 hours to perform.
Normal recovery time lasts just a couple of weeks for minor surgery. For more complicated surgery, the initial healing phase can last about six to eight weeks. Complete healing of the jaws can take between 9 and 12 months.
Your jaws will be wired together approximately six to eight weeks. This is the time it takes for the bones to heal in a good, strong union. During the time your jaws are wired together, you will find eating, talking and other daily activities somewhat difficult.
You will be completely numb on the jaw that was operated on, so there is not a great amount of pain. However, the swelling starts up immediately and there is some jaw stiffness to be anticipated. There is some soreness from the breathing tube that the anesthetist places and this soreness will also subside with time.
In most cases, the jaw and face have completed growth around 15 to 18 years of age. Most children require about 6 to 12 months of orthodontic treatment before surgery to properly align the teeth as well as an additional 612 months of orthodontic treatment after surgery to finalize the bite.
Swelling: You can expect swelling to be the worst in the first week after oral surgery. It's usually most noticeable from three to five days after surgery, then it gradually lessens. Bruising: Bruising often accompanies swelling, and it dissipates as the swelling subsides.
Most people stay in hospital for 1 or 2 nights after surgery before going home. This depends on how you feel after surgery. You need someone with you at all times for the first few days at home because you might not feel well.
Medicare may provide some coverage for jaw surgery if the surgery is considered medically necessary. However, the coverage provided by Medicare may be limited to hospital admissions and surgery, and may not cover all of the costs associated with teeth alignment and straightening.
It is not unusual for you to experience aching and discomfort in the muscles and jaw joints for 4 to 6 weeks following surgery. Dr. Stefanuto or Dr. Fisher should be informed if the discomfort appears to increase, not decrease, over time.
Similarly, most of my patients who underwent corrective jaw surgery seldom complain of much pain after the surgery. There is always some degree of discomfort but it is largely bearable. Most patients do not even need painkillers by the time they are discharged.
Sleep with your head elevated on two pillows or in a comfortable recliner chair for the first week following surgery.
The day of surgery
You'll meet with an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist. This is to discuss the medicine (general anesthesia) that will be used to keep you asleep and free of pain during surgery. Once you're under anesthesia, the surgery will take place.
Following your surgery and throughout the post-operative recovery period, especially if your jaw is wired shut, you could lose as much as 10 percent of your body weight.
After the surgery, you will likely experience some pain and swelling. You may have black eyes, bruises, and swelling. Your face will also look different because of the surgery. All of these are normal and will go away after a few weeks.
Jaw Surgery Benefits
The benefits from a proper jaw alignment include a balanced facial appearance, improved sleep, breathing, eating, and speech improvement. Secondary psychological benefits to note include a cosmetic revision and a boost of self-confidence. Jaw surgery also corrects what many call a gummy smile.
With a misaligned bite, pronouncing words correctly can be a challenge. Problems speaking can be quite embarrassing, and may even affect your self-confidence. Once an oral surgeon places your jaws in proper alignment, you will be able to talk clearly – the speech impediments will be gone.
While treatment may take several years to complete, the results will last a lifetime.
Reasons for jaw surgery
A receding lower jaw and chin. A protruding jaw. An open bite (there is space between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed) An unbalanced facial appearance resulting from facial injury or birth defects.
Tissue injury, whether accidental or intentional (e.g. surgery), is followed by localized swelling. After surgery, swelling increases progressively, reaching its peak by the third day. It is generally worse when you first arise in the morning and decreases throughout the day.
Sensation is expected to return 2-6 months after surgery. A numb feeling in the upper gums and roof of your mouth may persist after surgery. Numbness of the lower lip and chin is also expected after lower jaw surgery. Recovery of sensation may take 12 months.