Alternative Options to Orthognatic Surgery

Alternative Options to Orthognathic Surgery: For majority of people with misaligned teeth, braces alone are an ideal solution to align teeth and correct your bite. However, sometimes there is more to a problem than just misaligned teeth. The upper and lower jaws may not be aligned. Jaw alignment may be so severe that it affects the appearance of the patients smile or face. Patients whose jaws are no longer growing and do not form a correct relationship, may need orthognathic surgery. If you elect not to have surgery, you may have some alternative options.

•  No Treatment Option:

Sometimes, no treatment at all may be the better option for certain individuals, depending on the goals of treatment given the limitations provided by the patient. Make sure to think and choose your options carefully, as changing your mind after treatment has begun can be very costly!

•  “Alignment Only” Option:

Alignment only, is a limited treatment option. Meaning the teeth are aligned in the arch but the malocclusion is not corrected and the upper teeth will not oppose the lower teeth in a normal fashion. This may be a safe option because it will be easy to modify the treatment plan to another option including surgery or camouflage treatment. However, you must keep in mind that as the teeth align, the underlying malocclusion may become more evident to the eye, and the appearance of the bite may seem worse than it was prior to treatment. This is because teeth occupy less space on the dental arch when they are crowded and misaligned. This form of limited treatment will include the majority of orthodontic treatment advantages such as providing you with a functional and protective bite. Moreover, the chances for relapse without a retainer are very high!

•  Orthodontic Camouflage Treatment with Tooth Extractions:

As long as the jaw alignment/size discrepancy is mild enough, the malocclusion may be corrected by Orthodontic Camouflage Treatment. As the name implies, this method of treatment only hides the underlying problem rather than treating it. This is achieved by removing one or more teeth and moving the rest in place to correct the way the upper and lower teeth meet. Although the jaw problem is not rectified, you will have a good bite with aligned teeth. You should not expect significant improvements in your profile without orthognathic surgery. It is also important to stress that changing the treatment plan from this option to the surgical option will be very difficult and may increase the treatment time significantly.

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  Other Exceptional Options:

In a small group of patients, there may be more options available such as using TADs (Temporary Anchorage Devices). This option will be discussed with you at your consultation visit if this method is suitable to the treatment of your malocclusion.

To further discuss what alternative options you may have to orthognathic surgery, contact York Orthodontics for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Mir.