Corrective jaw surgery, or orthognathic surgery, repositions the upper or lower jaw to fix bite, function and facial balance.
This is among the more involved procedures oral and maxillofacial surgeons perform, often in coordination with an orthodontist and sometimes in a hospital or surgery-center setting. It addresses issues that braces alone cannot fix, such as significant overbite, underbite, open bite or jaw asymmetry. Because it is frequently medically necessary, medical insurance is more often involved than with elective dental work.
Moves the lower jaw forward or back.
Repositions the upper jaw.
Both jaws repositioned together.
Oral & maxillofacial surgeons treat the mouth, jaws and face surgically — from wisdom teeth and implants to corrective jaw surgery. They complete a four- to six-year hospital-based surgical residency after dental school (some also earn an MD). The defining credentials are AAOMS membership and board certification — Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS).
Procedure facts on this page draw on authoritative medical sources. Confirm specifics in a consultation.
American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) ↗American Dental Association (ADA) ↗Verify a dentist’s credentials and Florida license yourself:
AAOMS — American Assn. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons ↗ ABOMS — American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery ↗ Florida Board of Dentistry — License verification ↗