Surgical Orthodontics, also often known as Orthognathic Surgery, is surgery to correct the positioning of one or both of the jaws. Incorrect positioning and misalignment of the jaws can cause a range of both minor and major difficulties, as well as affect your facial esthetic.
Surgical orthodontics aims to correct and reposition the jaws. Depending on the issues, it can be a multi-stage process. Orthodontic work is usually a crucial part of the Surgical Orthodontics process, because moving the jaws naturally displaces the teeth from where they had settled.
There are a range of reasons why a patient might require Surgical Orthodontics and your dentist will usually alert you to some of the reasons why you are a candidate. Problems caused by issues requiring surgery might include:
Treatment will usually begin with visits to Wu Orthodontics, to move your teeth into the right position, ready for jaw alignment surgery. This process can take from 6-18 months and will include regular orthodontic evaluation from Dr. Wu and his expert team.
After your surgery, you will usually need further assessment and evaluation to make those final tweaks to your new, amazing smile. You may need to continue to wear braces after surgery for another 6-12 months, but this will depend entirely on your progress and what work was needed.
The surgery can take from 1 to 2 hours and, in the majority of cases, there will be no external scars as all work takes place inside the mouth. Surgery can affect your outward appearance, which might take you and your friends and family a little time to get used to. Patients are usually very pleasantly surprised by the difference in their facial esthetics, as well as their newly aligned jaw and increased ability to enjoy food once again.
The initial healing process is usually fast and you can go back to your normal activities quickly. Most people return to work or school within two weeks. Longer-term healing can take up to 12 months, with regular evaluation from your oral and maxillofacial surgeon as well as Dr. Wu and the team here at Wu Orthodontics.
To understand more about the process of Surgical Orthodontics, please book a consultation. An In-Practice consultation is recommended to get a full understanding of your needs and understanding the extent of required work.
Dr. Eric Wu and his team provide quality orthodontic care with Pitts21 Bracket System and Invisalign® for patients of all ages in the Palo Alto area including Los Altos, Menlo Park, Stanford, Atherton, Mountain View, Woodside, and Redwood City California. Contact our office for your initial “Smile Evaluation” consultation.
Wu Orthodontics
1865 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 322-0288
Office Hours
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 8am – 5pm
Tuesday: 9am – 6pm
