Surgical Orthodontics for Jaw Alignment
Sometimes braces or clear aligners alone aren’t enough to create the healthy bite and smile you deserve. That’s where surgical orthodontics, also called orthognathic surgery, comes in. Drs. Piyush and Kiran Heda work closely with skilled oral and maxillofacial surgeons to correct complex jaw and bite problems for adults.
This type of treatment not only improves how your teeth fit together, but it can also enhance facial balance and make speaking, chewing, and even breathing easier.
What Is Surgical Orthodontics?
Surgical orthodontics combines orthodontic treatment with jaw surgery to correct misalignments that braces alone can’t fix. It’s typically used for adults who have completed jaw growth and need more advanced treatment to achieve:
Proper bite alignment
Better chewing and speaking function
Improved facial symmetry and aesthetics
Long-term oral health stability
Who Is a Candidate for Orthognathic Surgery?
Surgical orthodontics is generally recommended for adult patients who:
Have completed jaw growth (around age 16 for females, 18 for males)
Experience bite issues such as underbites, overbites, or open bites
Have jaw pain, difficulty chewing, or breathing challenges
Want to improve overall facial appearance and symmetry
Some patients begin orthodontic treatment a year or two before surgery to prepare their teeth and bite for the best results.
How Surgical Orthodontics Works?
Orthognathic surgery is carefully planned and usually happens during orthodontic treatment with braces. Here’s the general process:
Braces are placed to start aligning the teeth.
If the bite worsens instead of improving, it signals the need for surgery.
An oral surgeon repositions the jaws for better alignment.
The orthodontist fine-tunes the bite with braces after surgery.
Types of jaw movements during surgery may include:
Lower jaw surgery — moving the tooth-bearing portion of the jaw forward or backward
Upper jaw surgery — raising, lowering, or repositioning the upper jaw
Bone adjustments — removing or adding bone for stability and proper fit
Facial bone modifications — reshaping or augmenting supporting structures for balance
Recovery After Jaw Surgery
Recovery looks different for everyone, but here’s a typical timeline:
About 2 weeks: most patients can return to work or school
4–8 weeks: healing progresses significantly
6–12 months: braces are usually removed once teeth and jaws are stable
Post-treatment retainers: worn to keep teeth in their corrected position
During recovery, your orthodontist will continue to make small adjustments to perfect your bite.
Schedule a free consultation to learn more about jaw alignment surgery and how it can transform both your smile and overall quality of life.