Braces and clear aligners can reposition crooked teeth, but they can’t correct significant jaw structure abnormalities. At Pendleton Orthodontics in Leander, Texas, orthodontist Ryan Pendleton, DDS, provides surgical orthodontics for fully developed jaws prior to orthodontic treatment. To find out if you need jaw surgery, call Pendleton Orthodontics or book a consultation online today.
When you think of orthodontic treatment, your mind probably goes directly to braces or clear aligners. Some cases of crooked teeth or malocclusion are not treatable by adjusting the teeth alone. During treatment, surgical adjustments to the jaw are sometimes necessary to get the best possible alignment.
Surgical orthodontics, which is also called orthognathic surgery, offers a way to correct or realign severe skeletal irregularities affecting your face shape or jaw alignment. Getting orthognathic surgery during treatment with braces or Invisalign® can further improve your ability to chew and speak once treatment is complete.
As an added bonus, surgical orthodontics can also improve a sense of balance or symmetry in your facial features. These adjustments complement the beautifully straight smile you get with nonsurgical orthodontic treatment and optional aesthetic procedures like teeth whitening.
A detailed consultation at Pendleton Orthodontics gives Dr. Pendleton and his team the information they need to decide if you need surgical orthodontics as part of your treatment plan.
Structural irregularities in the jaw are often present from birth but not always. Facial injuries and environmental or habit-related issues can also cause the need for orthognathic surgery. Here are some signs you might need it:
Pendleton Orthodontics provides digital X-ray screenings and 3D scans to get a complete view of your jaw and mouth. Then, they use information from your scans to plan your orthognathic surgery.
A treatment plan that includes surgical orthodontics requires a recovery period of 6-12 weeks post-surgery. Once you’ve fully healed, Dr. Pendleton and his team can start planning the post-surgical orthodontic process.
Before your surgery begins, Dr. Pendleton fills you in on the recovery process. This includes:
Dr. Pendleton will continue to see you for follow-up visits and adjustments as you go through healing after surgery. Surgical orthodontics can make a positive difference in your face shape, speech clarity, and breathing. To find out if you need orthognathic surgery, call Pendleton Orthodontics or book a consultation online today.
