A Guide to Jaw Surgery in India - Richardsons Hospital

1. A COMPLETE GUIDE FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING JAW SURGERY IN INDIA If you recently decided or have been informed that you need orthognathic jaw surgery in India to repair your bite (occlusion), realign your jaw or chin, or for facial profile enhancements, you landed on the right page! WHAT IS JAW SURGERY? While some folks think about jaw surgery to enhance their jawline or facial appearance, jaw surgery is medically necessary for a few others. Orthognathic surgery or corrective jaw surgery, as the name suggests, reshapes or realigns the jaw bone/chin to improve their function. Also, it aids in the treatment of orthodontic conditions (if braces don’t work), conditions like sleep apnea and TMJ disorders, as well as to add to the aesthetics of the facial profile. Whether you’re born with misaligned jaws or developed a facial asymmetry like chin deviation, open bite, or crooked nose after a physical injury or disease, we know what you are going through. And fortunately, all these issues can be sorted out, thanks to Dr. Sunil Richardson and his skilled panel of oral and maxillofacial surgeons offering the best orthognathic surgery in India. Jaw surgery, by itself, appears to be a complex procedure due to the nature of the joint. Both our maxilla (upper jaw) and mandible (lower jaw) join together to aid in facial movements when we eat or speak. So obviously, when something goes wrong, it

2. profoundly draws attention and becomes a concern as it affects the way we eat (bite and chew), speak, sleep, and look. However, we believe it is essential for you to know the in and out of corrective jaw surgery procedure, the type of orthognathic surgery you would need, and what to expect post-surgery. WHY IS JAW SURGERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU? There are a couple of common conditions that indicate the necessity for jaw surgery. Let’s find out if you are a candidate forcorrective jaw surgery in India, by checking through each condition in detail and find out how a corrective jaw surgery can help. Improve eating by making biting and chewing easier Fix open bite or jaw closure issues (space between the upper and lower teeth when you close your mouth) Minimize excessive wear and tear of the teeth Correct problems with swallowing or speech

3. Relieve from chronic jaw pain and headaches Treat TMJ pain or TMD and correct worn out teeth, disks, and bones Improve the ability of the lips to fully close comfortably Correct facial imbalance, like small chins, underbites, overbites, and crossbites and improve facial aesthetics Fix receding lower jaw and chin, and protruding jaw Treat facial injury and birth defects Provide relief from obstructive sleep apnea and chronic mouth breathing TYPES OF JAW SURGERY: The jaw consists of the maxilla (upper jaw) and mandible (lower jaw). If either of these is out of alignment, you would require jaw surgery. MAXILLARY OSTEOTOMY: Orthognathic surgeons recommend this type of surgery for candidates who need to fix the following conditions: Crossbite Open bite Protruding or receded upper jawline Too much or too little of the teeth showing Reduced facial growth of the middle of the face (midfacial hypoplasia) The surgeon cuts the bone in the upper jaw (above the teeth) and moves it forward, backward, up or down as necessary, until they fit properly with the lower teeth. The surgery is well-planned with a series of surgical planning and models to determine the outcome and fix any remaining fit difference. To fix an open bite, the surgeon removes the excess bone that grows above the molars, causing the misalignment. Once the jaw is realigned, the surgeon secures it with plates and screws. MANDIBULAR OSTEOTOMY: This type of jaw surgery concerns the lower jaw and can correct for an extremely receded jawbone. A mandibular osteotomy will be required if you have the following conditions: Receding lower jaw Protruding lower jaw

4. The surgeon will either focus on moving the lower jawbone forward or backward depending on the patient’s bite alignment. This jaw surgery involves an incision toward the back of the mouth, closer to the molars. The jaw is then cut and moved into its new position. From here, a small plastic piece is placed to help guide and support the new position and then fixed into place with titanium plates and screws. GENIOPLASTY (CHIN SURGERY): If you have a small, deficient chin, with a receded lower jaw, oral surgeons recommend Genioplasty. Typically, surgeons can alter the jaw and restructure the chin during the same surgery. The surgeon cuts a piece of the chin-bone on the front of the jaw, moves it forward, and secures it in a new position with plates and screws. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE FOR JAW SURGERY Jaw surgery is appropriate after growth stops, usually around ages 14 to 16 years for females and ages 17 to 21 years for males, as boys tend to grow a bit slower. In both cases, surgery would be delayed if the doctor identifies any signs of incomplete growth.

5. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT BEFORE SURGERY In most cases, an orthodontist places braces on your teeth before jaw surgery in India. Braces are usually on for 12 to18 months before surgery to align your teeth in preparation for the surgery. You’ll likely have a few appointments before your surgery, to help your orthodontist and surgeon plan out the procedure. Preparation can include taking measurements, molds, or X-rays of your mouth, 3-D CT scanning, and computer- guided treatment planning. Temporary orthodontic anchoring devices would also help in the movement of teeth and decrease your time wearing braces. Sometimes these efforts can completely eliminate the need for jaw surgery. In a few cases, virtual surgical planning (VSP) will help in guiding your surgeon to fit and correct the jaw segment position during the procedure for the most optimal result. DURING SURGERY Orthognathic surgeons perform corrective jaw surgery in India under general anesthesia. That means you’ll be asleep during the procedure. Most surgeries take 2 to 5 hours but based on the type of procedure the exact length of time may vary. The best part of the surgery is that you need not worry about external scars because in most cases, surgeons do not make an incision on the face during jaw surgery in India. RECOVERY Most people stay in the hospital for a day or up to four days, post-surgery. While leaving the hospital, your doctor will give instructions on safe eating and oral hygiene. It is important to follow these instructions carefully during recovery. After the surgery, it is normal to experience swelling, stiffness, and discomfort in your face and jaw, which will go away over time. However, your doctor will prescribe medications to help ease pain and other symptoms. In some cases, you may experience temporary numbness in your upper or lower lip, which will go away over a period of weeks or months, while it may be permanent in rarer cases. Complete recovery can take anywhere between 6-12 weeks, after which your orthodontist will continue to align your teeth with braces. After removing the braces, your orthodontist will give you a retainer to help keep your teeth aligned. INSTRUCTIONS FOR A SPEEDY RECOVERY Anyone undergoing jaw surgery must understand that wound healing and recovery require extra energy and good nutrition. However, candidates would face temporary difficulty in eating as facial swelling causes limited jaw opening.

6. Therefore you need to follow the below instructions for a speedy recovery: maintain a soft diet semi-fluid food take pain medications as per the surgeon’s instructions get plenty of rest report any problems early wait until you feel completely stronger to slowly move around again WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS? Having surgery on your jaw is generally very safe when done by an experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon, in collaboration with an orthodontist. However, as with any other surgery, orthognathic surgery also has some risks. Your surgeon will inform you of the potential complications before the procedure. a bad reaction to anesthesia bleeding from the nose or mouth infection at the surgical site injury to the nerves of the jaw temporary numbness in the chin and lips tingling, especially near the chin, nose, lips, cheeks or tongue nausea or vomiting fracture of the jaw problems with bite or alignment following surgery, which could require an additional procedure need for root canal therapy on selected teeth loss of a portion of the jaw relapse of the jaw back to its original position new TMJ pain or limited movements

7. BEST JAW SURGERY HOSPITAL IN INDIA Find out if you are an ideal candidate for jaw surgery with help from Dr. Sunil Richardson. Our dentist, orthodontist, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons will work together to plan out the right procedure for you that addresses your specific condition. Recognized by the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India as a National Training Centre for Orthognathic surgeries, Dr. Sunil Richardson and team has performed over 10,000 surgeries related to cleft lip and palate, cleft rhinoplasty, craniofacial surgeries, post-traumatic deformities, orthognathic surgeries, aesthetic facial surgeries, and more. Visit us online to book your appointment at Richardsons Hospital – the best orthognathic surgery hospital in India.