Jaw surgery for overbite, underbite, or crossbite is necessary to achieve proper teeth alignment. As you can see, misaligned teeth can cause various problems aside from appearance issues. Meanwhile, Prime Dental Specialists in Sydney provide top prosthodontics, addressing multiple oral health issues.
In this article, we will determine the causes why you will find yourself in need of jaw surgery for an overbite. Another term that doctors use to refer to this surgery is corrective jaw surgery or orthognathic surgery.
Orthognathic Surgery
Corrective jaw surgery is essential to correct bite problems. In actuality, there are various types of bite problems. But in this article, we will be focusing mainly on jaw surgery for an overbite. An overbite is a condition wherein the upper frontal teeth stick out beyond the lower teeth.
In some cases, minor overbite does not cause any significant health issues. However, if a person continuously neglects this condition, it may cause the following oral problems.
- They might experience breathing difficulties.
- Additionally, they will also encounter pain or difficulty while chewing.
- A neglected overbite can also lead to gum disease development.
- Another issue to encounter is jaw pain or TMD.
- A patient with an overbite is also susceptible to tooth decay or cavities.
- Lastly, an overbite can affect the way this person speaks.
Do you want to experience these issues before you take action? I am sure enough that it will be massively problematic to you in the long run.
Overbite
Fortunately, orthognathic surgery can help prevent the occurrence of these issues relative to an overbite. But before we proceed with its details, let us first find out the causes of why an overbite can occur. We have stated them below.
- Genetics
- Excessive nail biting
- Grinding of teeth or bruxism
Thumb sucking- Tongue-thrusting
- Usage of a pacifier at past age of 3
- Long-term bottle use
- Chewing on hard objects
- Mouth breathing
- Nail-biting
Given these points, it would be best to work out these causes. Then, you only have to consult your designated specialist about your concerns. This way, you can prevent the condition from worsening.
Corrective Jaw Surgery for Overbite
Orthognathic surgery doesn’t only work for an overbite. It can also work out jaw problems associated with trauma, deformity, or disease. Additionally, it can even improve health issues like headaches and sleep apnea.
It is important to realize that sleep apnea can be severe in the long run. Furthermore, sleep apnea can make you feel tired even after a whole night’s sleep. For this reason, it would be best to receive jaw surgery for overbite and other bite problems if it’s the most appropriate treatment.
Meanwhile, here are the things you should expect when opting for jaw surgery for an overbite.
- First and foremost, you will undergo consultation and examination. It involves discussing the surgery, your desired outcome, and the results to expect. Additionally, it also requires thorough confirmation of the medical history.
- Furthermore, blood tests may also become a requirement to test liver and kidney function. Besides that, the doctors need to confirm whether an infection, blood disorder, or anemia exists. Thus, the preparation for the surgery is an essential part of the whole process. The patient’s safety should always be in the first line.
- Additionally, the surgery can involve the upper jaw, lower jaw, chin, double jaw, and triple jaw. Everything will depend on the requirement of your condition. Go to Cattanicompressors.com.au today to see what kind of equipment will be used for oral surgery.
- After surgery, your jaw needs stabilization using orthodontic rubber bands. A wired shut jaw happens in rare cases.
- During your recovery period, swelling and bruising are also a few of the surgery’s after-effects.
Overall, your surgeon will give you aftercare instructions for your quick recovery. However, if you don’t follow these instructions, your healing will take more time.
Other Treatment Options
On the other hand, here are the four additional treatment options, aside from jaw surgery for an overbite. Your surgeon may consider these options according to your actual condition.
1 Orthodontics Treatment
Corrective jaw surgery includes the application of orthodontics treatment. An excellent example of this is using braces to align the teeth. Thus, it seems like there is a good partnership between jaw surgery and braces. Braces are excellent in correcting teeth misalignment, both for children and adults.
2 Tooth Extraction
Your dentist or surgeon considers this procedure to make enough room for teeth. It also applies to children and adults. In effect, teeth straightening will be easier, resulting in a corrected overbite and other bite problems.
3 Growth Modification Devices
If the dentist detected an overbite earlier during childhood, they could use these devices to re-position the jaw. Another term for these devices is palate expanders.
4 Home Treatment Options
This treatment applies in helping your child stop certain habits that could lead to an overbite. We have already mentioned these habits earlier.
Jaw Surgery for Overbite (Not the Sole Solution)
As you can see, it is not only a surgery that can address an overbite. However, treatment options depend on how early you detected an overbite. Besides that, it also depends on how soon you acted upon it. Furthermore, there are ways to prevent an overbite in the first place.
References:
Orthognathic and Jaw Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Accessed June 21, 2021, https://www.chop.edu/treatments/orthognathic-and-jaw-surgery
Jaw Surgery (Orthognathic Surgery), Dukehealth.org, Accessed June 21, 2021, https://www.dukehealth.org/treatments/plastic-and-reconstructive-surgery/jaw-surgery
