Orthognathic Surgery

Orthognathic surgery is an operation that will reposition the lower, upper or both jaws, for individuals with an abnormally positioned jaw in relation to the base of the skull or individuals who have large discrepancy between the sizes of the jaws in relation to each other. Orthognatic surgery can be used to change your facial shape completely.

The Jaw surgery is performed only after a detailed initial consultation. At the beginning of the treatment, the teeth are first aligned, at the same time the useless teeth such as the wisdom teeth are removed. When the orthognathic treatment starts, it usually takes about 18 to 24 months for the teeth to straighten with the help of braces. When the teeth are all set up, it's now the right time to perform orthognathic surgery that will be done on one of the jaws or both. Then it will be followed by the final orthodontic treatment which lasts for approximately 6 months.

After all this is completed, the patient can now enjoy the benefit of having pleasing facial features and a stunning smile.

It is normal that a patient who goes through the jaw reshaping or jaw correction surgery will feel pain or have some some discomfort after the orthognathic surgery, although the pain varies from one patient to another, depending on their pain tolerance level. So make sure that you take your medications as directed.

You will be able to shower on the second day after the jaw surgery, however, you need to avoid prolonged and hot shower, which may lead to bleeding of your lower jaw, if the surgery is performed there.

You must avoid exercises, any activity such as lifting or activities that may raise your blood pressure or pulse for at least a month following the orthognathic surgery. Any activity that may increase the blood pressure may result in bleeding since the blood vessels are still healing from the surgery. Gentle exercises can be done after 2 weeks, but don't do any cardio for 4 to 6 weeks after the jaw reshaping. Don't drive a vehicle for the next 48 hours.

It is common to have minor bleeding from the surgical area in the mouth or from the nose. The bleeding or oozing will usually last for 7 to 10 days after the jaw reshaping. However, when the bleeding activity is excessive, make sure to call your doctor.

Swelling is generally expected after the orthognathic surgery, but this also varies from patient to patient. A large degree of swelling may be anticipated over your cheek area as well as down, over your neck. Maximum swelling will occur at approximately 4 days post surgery, but will slowly subside after approximately 2 weeks. For the next 2 to 3 months, a little swelling about 10 – 20 % is anticipated. For the first 3 to 5 days following the jaw surgery, you can place ice on your face, when you are awake.

On the 4th day, it is recommended to have a warm water bottle aligned to your face, to help reduce the swelling.

For the first 24 hours, nausea and vomiting are common. If vomiting and nausea persist, make sure to let your doctor know.

Use the Pain medication, mouth rinse, and antibiotic prescribed by your doctor. Use them as instructed on the bottle.