Jaw surgery
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Doctors Bart Weis, DDS, and Neepa Patel, DDS, at Charlottesville Orthodontics provide comprehensive orthodontic treatment to patients of all ages living in Charlottesville, Zion Crossroads, Hollymead, and the surrounding Virginia areas.
While we treat most of our patients using orthodontic appliances like braces and Invisalign®, we may recommend corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) to our patients who have misaligned jaws or skeletal abnormalities.
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About corrective jaw surgery
Corrective jaw surgery is often necessary when the jaws don’t meet correctly and/or the teeth don’t seem to fit with the jaws. These types of problems can cause pain and difficulty biting, chewing, speaking, and sleeping. Corrective jaw surgery is designed to correct these types of problems. When this surgery is used alongside the right orthodontic treatment, the function of the jaws can be improved, which in turn will improve facial symmetry.
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Is jaw surgery right for you?
If you are dealing with any of the following issues, you may be a good candidate for corrective jaw surgery:
- Problems with biting, chewing, swallowing or speaking
- Pain in the jaw joint (TMJ)
- Persistent headaches
- Worn-down tooth enamel
- Open bite
- Unbalanced facial profile
- Receding or protruding jaw or chin
- Lips that don’t meet when your mouth is closed
- Facial injury
- Congenital defects (birth defects)
- Chronic mouth breathing
- Sleep apnea
We use the latest digital imaging technology to show our patients needing corrective jaw surgery how they will benefit, both functionally and aesthetically. Using computerized treatment planning, the overall treatment time for jaw surgery is minimized while the surgery’s efficacy is maximized.
Only the most advanced materials, such as titanium plates and tiny screws, are used to provide stability, strength, and predictability to this surgery. With today’s advanced technology, patients recover quickly from jaw surgery, so they don’t need to make dramatic changes to their daily lifestyles.
If orthodontic treatment using braces or other appliances can correct the problem, jaw surgery may not be necessary. Dr. Bart Weis, DDS, and Dr. Neepa Patel, DDS, will determine if jaw surgery is the right treatment on a patient-by-patient basis.
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Contact your orthodontists in Charlottesville, VA
If you’re experiencing any of the signs above or believe that you could benefit from jaw surgery, we encourage you to request an appointment with us today. Once we’ve provided you with a thorough examination, we will let you know if jaw surgery is right for you. With three office locations to better serve our patients, we make it very convenient to improve your orthodontic health! We look forward to seeing you soon!