Orthodontist breaking my jaw?

This summer I will need to get braces and my sister has also had braces but that was a while ago, but when she had braces she had a jaw problem, and now im starting to get jaw problems myself! And the orthodontist said that they can fix this by breaking my jaw and repositioning it or somthing, and i wanted to know if anyone here has had this surgery done. I'm just wondering how long the sergery will be, and if it was really painful, and how long it took to heal.

Orthodontist breaking my jaw?
First of all, I want you to understand that what I am about to say is not a medical advice, and you should really be asking these questions to your dentist or another dentist if you can't seem to understand your dentist's advice very well.





What your dentist was trying to recommend is called Orthognathic surgery. This is a procedure done by oral surgeons to correct your jaw so you can have a good bite (occlusion) and better facial profile (particularly your chin). Obviously, your orthodontist recommends this procedure to have a better outcome for your ortho treatment.





It's not your fault. Some people born with jaw discrepancies, it's just how our body develops, and lot of it has to do with genetics (like you said, your sister had the same problem). So again, to fix this type of condition, and orthodontist and oral surgeon have to work together to ensure teeth will fit together after the surgery.





The surgery itself does not involve cutting the skin, and instead, the surgeon is often able to go through the inside of the mouth. The next step is usually cutting/reducing the bone to the desired level (no, this will not hurt, because you will be under anesthesia). The jaws will be then be wired together using stainless steel wires during the surgery to insure the correct re-positioning of the bones.





Healing typically takes few weeks, and you will probably be under liquid diet in the first few day after the surgery to speed the healing process.





Good luck with your treatment.
Reply:i had corrective jaw surgery where they pulled my top jaw forward and pushed my lower jaw back.


but my jaws were moved in one piece.


but i've heard that if you have your jaw broken, they screw it in place with small plates and you'll have to be wired shut for a little while so the jaw can heal in the position your doctor wants it to.


when i had my surgery, it was a 2.5 hour procedure and i felt no pain afterwards at all, just intense swelling; but i don't know about your condition. ask your doctor for more info! i just wanted to share my story.
Reply:My jaw pops and locks, I think I have the same problem, this only started happening a year and a half ago when i got my braces on. I might have to go through this surgery to, and if I do, god help me!
Reply:Not that this is much help, but I'm just joining with the person before me. I never really had problems before I got braces, but now about a year later I'm having some pretty severe jaw problems, and it seems like jaw surgery might be a solution. Seems to beg the question as to why one needed the braces in the first place...