Orthognathic surgery, commonly referred to as jaw surgery, is performed by oral surgeons to correct misaligned jaws. In our experiences with patients, realigning jaws has improved breathing, speaking, and chewing. Are you wondering if you might need jaw surgery? Here are five ways to find out:
1. You experience frequent jaw pain or headaches. Frequent headaches and migraines or jaw pain can be a sign of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ). TMJ creates pain and soreness in the jaw joint and surrounding muscles and causes headaches, but corrective jaw surgery can fix TMJ.
2. You have trouble biting, chewing, or swallowing. Jaw growth sometimes occurs at differing rates for the upper and lower jaws, resulting in misaligned jaws that make eating difficult. If you have trouble biting, chewing, or swallowing, you may need orthognathic surgery.
3. You have problems with snoring, sleeping, or breathing. Sleep apnea is another symptom of a misaligned jaws. When jaws are misaligned, they can obstruct breathing passageways, resulting in sleep apnea. Our oral surgeon can reverse the effects of sleep apnea through jaw surgery.
4. You have an “open bite.” Is there a gap between your top and bottom teeth when your mouth is closed? If so, you have a condition known as open bite, and it can affect the way you speak. If your open bite is substantial, it may need to be fixed with corrective jaw surgery.
5. You experienced a facial injury or your jawline has an unbalanced appearance. Orthognathic surgery can be used to fix jaw fractures and cosmetic irregularities in the jawline. If you sustained a major injury to your face or jaw, you might benefit from surgery.
To schedule an appointment to discuss your options for jaw surgery in Savage, Shakopee, or Eden Prairie, Minnesota, please call us at 952-226-7940. Dr. Hueler, Dr. Lyu, and Dr. Voegele and the entire team at Midwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery are ready to help you relieve your jaw pain.