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Dental knowledge: orthognathic surgery

Dysgnathia: an unevenly developed upper and lower jaw leads to a jaw misalignment.

One of the major fields of oral and maxillofacial surgery is the surgical treatment of jaw misalignment: orthognathic surgery. In dysgnathia the upper and lower jaw have developed unevenly, resulting in a misaligned bite. A distinction is drawn between misaligned teeth (dental dysgnathia) and misaligned jaws (skeletal dysgnathia). The facial profile looks out of balance.

The consequences of dysgnathia are functional limitations such as obstructed nasal breathing, problems with the jaw joint and early tooth loss. Dental and smaller skeletal dysgnathia can be treated orthodontically.

Surgery to correct larger deviations is carried out in close coordination with the orthodontist. Dysgnathia can be corrected without external skin incisions, using minimally invasive surgical methods.

Orthognathic surgery is not cosmetic surgery. Correcting misaligned jaws and teeth is necessary in order to prevent or resolve functional problems such as impaired chewing or jaw joint complaints caused by permanent overloading and incorrect loading.

Answered briefly

Frequently asked questions

With a dysgnathia the upper and the lower jaw are unevenly developed and the facial profile looks disharmonious. On top of that come functional consequences such as obstructed nasal breathing, problems with the jaw joints and early tooth loss.
No. A dental dysgnathia, that is a misalignment of the teeth, and smaller skeletal deviations of the jaws can be treated by orthodontic means. Only larger deviations are corrected surgically, and then in close coordination with the orthodontist.
No. Correcting misaligned jaws and teeth is necessary in order to prevent or eliminate functional problems such as a disturbed chewing function or jaw joint complaints caused by permanent overloading and incorrect loading. The correction can be carried out without external skin incisions and with minimally invasive surgical methods.