Orthognathic surgery (jaw surgery) is a highly comprehensive surgical treatment performed to correct skeletal inconsistencies, asymmetries, and bite disorders in the upper and lower jawbones. In cases where not only the teeth but also the jawbones are incorrectly positioned, traditional orthodontics (braces) alone remain insufficient; at this point, orthognathic surgery steps in to move the bones to their ideal anatomical positions. At Dentmetrik, through a multidisciplinary process conducted by our orthodontists and experienced maxillofacial surgeons, we provide our patients with not only perfect chewing function but also an aesthetic, symmetric facial profile with golden ratios.

Definition and Purpose of Orthognathic Surgery

Orthognathic surgery literally means "straight jaw" (orthos = straight, gnathos = jaw) and is a major medical operation aimed at correcting positional disorders of the lower jaw (mandible) and upper jaw (maxilla) relative to the skull base and to each other. As a result of developmental delays, genetic factors, or childhood trauma, one of the jawbones may be too far forward, too far back, shifted to the right/left, or underdeveloped compared to the other. In these operations, planned incisions (osteotomies) are made in the jawbones, the bones are shifted to their most accurate, pre-determined positions in a digital environment, and they are fixed in these new positions using biocompatible titanium mini-plates and screws.

The primary goal of this advanced surgery is to permanently resolve severe malocclusions where teeth do not fully contact each other and to perfect vital functions such as chewing, biting, swallowing, and speaking. Beyond functional goals, one of the most medically critical objectives of orthognathic surgery is to open the airways; severe sleep apnea (cessation of breathing during sleep) and snoring issues seen in patients with a severely recessed lower jaw are definitively treated with this operation. Aesthetically, it aims to completely transform the patient’s profile by eliminating facial disproportions and rebuilding self-confidence by correcting problems such as a long jaw, a weak recessed chin, or an excessive display of gums when smiling (gummy smile).

Types and Applications of Orthognathic Surgery

Orthognathic surgery is divided into different types and techniques based on the extent of the patient’s skeletal problem and which jawbone is incorrectly positioned. The main types of orthognathic surgery determined through comprehensive radiological analysis and implemented under our clinic's coordination are:

  1. Single Jaw Surgery: Operations where only one bone is moved forward, backward, upward, or downward in cases where the skeletal defect is present only in the lower or upper jaw.
  2. Double Jaw Surgery (Bimaxillary Osteotomy): Surgeries where both jaws are simultaneously cut and fixed into new positions in the most complex cases where both the upper and lower jaws are incompatible with each other and the face.
  3. Chin Surgery (Genioplasty): Repositioning of the chin tip in cases where there is no problem with the bite, but the chin tip is aesthetically too far back, forward, or long. It is often combined with other jaw surgeries.
  4. Surgically Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (SARPE): The process of surgically relaxing the palate bone and expanding it with orthodontic appliances in adult patients where the upper jaw is skeletally too narrow and the growth phase has passed.

The application areas of orthognathic surgery include patients who have reached adulthood and completed their skeletal development (usually 18 years and older). Primary indications for application include:

  1. The lower jaw being significantly forward (prognathism) or backward (retrognatism) relative to the upper jaw.
  2. Front teeth not touching, leaving a gap between them (open bite).
  3. One side of the face being asymmetric compared to the other (jaw shift).
  4. Lips not closing even at rest and excessive gum visibility during smiling.
  5. Physical inability to perform chewing and tearing functions.

The Procedure and Process

Orthognathic surgery is not an instantaneous decision; it is a long-term teamwork process typically lasting 1.5 to 2 years, conducted by the orthodontist and the maxillofacial surgeon together. The process starts at our Dentmetrik clinic with detailed cephalometric analyses and 3D Dental Tomography (CBCT). The first stage is the Orthodontic Preparation period. Before surgery, the patient undergoes braces or clear aligner treatment for an average of 1 year so that the teeth reach the correct angles on the jawbones. When the teeth are ready for surgery, a virtual simulation of the operation is performed using 3D modeling technologies that have revolutionized dentistry. The exact millimeter movements of the bones are determined with digital surgical guides (splints).

Theik second stage is the Surgical Operation. this operation is performed in a fully equipped hospital environment under general anesthesia. The greatest advantage of orthognathic surgery is that all incisions and bone procedures are performed intraorally (inside the mouth); thus, no external scars or scabs form on the patient’s face. Once the planned bone movements are made, fixation is secured with titanium plates. The duration of the surgery varies between 2 to 4 hours depending on the technique used.

The final stage is the Healing and Post-Operative Orthodontics process. After surgery, patients are usually kept under observation in the hospital for 1-2 nights. It is perfectly normal to experience significant facial swelling (edema) in the first weeks; this edema subsides rapidly starting from the first month. During the fusion of the jaws into their new positions, patients follow a special non-chewing, liquid, and puree-based diet for an average of 4-6 weeks. After the bones heal, orthodontic treatment continues for a few more months to perfect the microscopic contact between the teeth, concluding the process with a perfect smile.

What Are the Advantages of Orthognathic Surgery?

The greatest advantage of orthognathic surgery that touches a patient’s life is the "permanent" and dramatic transformation it creates aesthetically and functionally. Thanks to correctly positioned jawbones, the patient becomes able to comfortably perform tearing, chewing, and grinding processes—which they struggled with throughout their life—just like a healthy individual. Correct grinding of food in the mouth, the beginning of the digestive system, also prevents stomach and intestinal problems. Because unbalanced and excessive pressure of teeth on each other is prevented, abnormal tooth wear and premature tooth loss are halted.

In addition, sleep apnea and chronic fatigue issues developing due to narrow airways improve completely as the respiratory tract expands. Since the asymmetric load on the jaw joint (TMJ) is eliminated, existing joint pain ends. Perhaps the most striking advantage is the aesthetic revolution provided by the operation. Bringing the proportions in the lower and middle thirds of the face (golden ratio) to ideal measurements, providing lip support, and obtaining a flawless facial contour when viewed from the profile incredibly positively affects the patient's self-confidence and social life.

To receive detailed information about orthognathic surgery (jaw surgery) preparation processes, surgery prices, and our comprehensive health tourism services offered with Dentmetrik expertise in Ankara, or to evaluate your case, contact us immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, there absolutely will not be. In orthognathic surgery operations, all bone cutting and plate placement procedures are performed from inside the mouth (through the gums). There will be no surgical incisions or scars visible on your face from the outside.

It is normal to see edema (swelling) in the first weeks after surgery. Although the recovery process varies from patient to patient, usually most of the swelling goes down within 2-3 weeks, and our patients can return to their social or professional lives. Full bone fusion takes a few months.

Yes. Orthognathic surgery is a stage located in the middle of the orthodontic treatment (braces or aligners) process. After the jaws are taken to their new position, the "post-operative orthodontics" stage usually continues for another 6 to 12 months for the closure of the teeth to settle fully at a microscopic level.

Since titanium plates and screws are used, the process of completely tying the jaws together with wire for weeks as in the past (rigid fixation) is generally not needed today. Guidance is provided only with elastics. The patient is fed a special diet predominantly consisting of liquids and purees determined by our doctor without chewing for the first 4-6 weeks.

Yes, one of the biggest advantages of the surgery is the aesthetic change that achieves the golden ratios. Your face attains a much more symmetrical, balanced, and aesthetic profile. Although there are slight differences in speech due to edema and elastics in the first weeks, your speech and pronunciation return to their old state (or even a clearer form) as the edema subsides.

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