Corrective Jaw Surgery Risks You Should Know About

Corrective jaw surgery, as your Singapore oral and maxillofacial surgeon and/or orthodontic specialist will explain to you, is considered a safe and effective treatment for the functional and aesthetic problems caused by misaligned or mismatched jaws. However, if you're considering jaw surgery, you should know that, as is the case with any surgery, this procedure is not risk-free. While a detailed explanation of the risks in your particular case can only be given by your own dental care team, here we'll provide a general overview of potential corrective jaw surgery risks and complications.

About Corrective Jaw Surgery In Singapore

Corrective jaw surgery, also commonly referred to as orthognathic surgery, is a treatment process that is done in adult patients to correct conditions related to misaligned or mismatched jaws, including skeletal underbite, overbite, open bite and cross bite. It is a collaborative treatment process that involves a Singapore oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who is in charge of surgically correcting the shape, position or size of the jaws, and an orthodontist, who handles the task of moving teeth into proper position for that corrected jaw alignment.  

Potential Corrective Jaw Surgery Risks And Complications

Corrective jaw surgery is a fairly routine treatment for the functional and aesthetic issues caused by skeletal malocclusions, and serious complications are not common. However, in a small percentage of patients who have these procedures, both short-term and long-term complications can occur. Among the potential short-term issues are:

• Excessive bleeding
• Infection
• Dental damage
• Facial numbness or tingling in areas that may include the lips, chin, cheeks, tongue and nose
• Anesthesia reactions, including nausea and vomiting

Longer-term complications in patients who undergo orthognathic surgery in Singapore can include:

• Nerve damage, which can result in permanent loss of sensation in areas of the face, including the lips, chin, cheeks, tongue and nose
• TMJ disorders, or chronic jaw clicking and/or pain
• Poor cosmetic outcomes
• Recurrence of a patient's original jaw issues

While anyone considering a procedure should be aware of potential corrective jaw surgery risks, it is important to keep in mind that the vast majority of patients will not suffer any serious complications. There will be some discomfort, pain and swelling after surgery, affects that are to be expected and are experienced by virtually all jaw surgery patients. Typically, patients find that these issues are largely resolved within 6 to 8 weeks of surgery. All-in-all, most patients who have corrective jaw surgery are pleased with the functional and aesthetic improvements it yields, satisfied that the benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks and discomforts of the treatment process.