Jaw Surgery

Osteotomy may be performed to correct receding upper or lower jaws. Osteotomy is also often combined with Genioplasty (Chin Surgery).

Maxillary Osteotomy

A maxillary osteotomy may be performed to correct these issues:

• Significantly receded upper jaw

• Crossbite

• Too much or too little of the teeth showing

• Open bite

From inside the mouth, Dr McHugh cuts the bone above your teeth (below both eye sockets) so that the entire top jaw — including the roof of your mouth and your upper teeth — can move as one unit. The jaw and upper teeth are moved forward until they fit properly with the lower teeth.

Once the jaw is realigned, tiny screws and plates hold the bone in its new position. These screws — which are smaller than a bracket used for braces — become integrated into the bone structure over time.

An open bite occurs when excess bone grows above the molars, causing what’s normally a flat, even surface to become angled. When you bite down, your molars touch but your front teeth don’t touch each other, making chewing difficult. To fix this, your surgeon shaves away or removes the excess bone.

Mandibular Osteotomy

A significantly receded lower jaw can be corrected by a procedure called mandibular osteotomy.

In this procedure, Dr McHugh makes cuts behind the molars and lengthwise down the jawbone so the front of the jaw can move as one unit. As a result, the jaw slides smoothly to its new position. Screws hold the jawbone together until it heals.