Missing Teeth and Jaw Deformity in the older patient
on July 16, 2019
Most dental implants patients are usually older adults who have lost some or all dentition over the course of many years. On the other hand, corrective jaw surgery patients tend to be younger, those in their late teens and twenties. However, there is a group of patients who have dento …
Corrective jaw surgery- orthodontics or jaw surgery?
on October 12, 2017
Most medical problems have at least two possible solutions; surgical and non-surgical. Given that most people do not like to be cut, non-surgical options are by far the preferred option for most patients. For example, if you have some clogged-up arteries in your heart, do you go to a …
Camouflaging an underbite with veneers instead of orthognathic surgery
on September 6, 2017
Skeletal Class III dentofacial deformity, commonly referred to as underbite, is fairly common in Singapore. Those seeking treatment are usually teenagers or young adults, and are still dependent on their parents for consent as well as finances. While some parents are supportive, other …
A little bit of orthognathic surgery but not too much
on June 6, 2017
It is quite common in my practice to have patients coming in to ask for jaw surgery to correct what they feel are minor deformities. They often say that they are not seeking major changes and only want a bit of surgery but not too much. Every often, such requests are harder to fulfill …
Medical tourism for corrective jaw surgery in Singapore
on May 22, 2017
Singapore has a long history as a medical tourism destination. The high standard of healthcare, comparable to the best of America and Europe, has attracted many patients from Asia. Some of the most commonly sort after procedures by medical tourists are cardiology and oncology. Correct …
Corrective jaw surgery for the middle-age patient
on May 19, 2017
Most patients for corrective jaw surgery are teenagers or young adults. It is often at this age that the patient is aware of the problem and seeks treatment. The motivation for seeking surgery is usually a combination of functional problems and aesthetics. However, increasingly, I am …
Do I need to remove the fixation plates after corrective jaw surgery?
on May 9, 2017
Corrective jaw surgeryis a procedure whereby the jaw bone is cut, detached, moved to a different position and held there with some sort of fixation device. In the past, the fixation device comprised mainly stainless steel wires to tie the jaws in the new position. Today, this is achie …
Who calls the shots in orthognathic surgery- orthodontist or surgeon?
on May 8, 2017
Many conditions require multi-disciplinary management. For example, ischemic heart disease may require the expertise of the cardiologist and the cardiothoracic surgeon. In the same, way, dentofacial deformities require the expertise of the orthodontist and the maxillofacial surgeon. T …
Is orthognathic surgery considered as plastic surgery in Singapore?
on February 6, 2017
Orthognathic surgeryis the surgical correction of dentofacial deformities. Orthognathic is derived from two words, “ortho”, which means to straighten and “gnathic”, which means jaw. It refers to the “straightening” of the jaws, i.e. changing the form of the jaws. Plastic surgery, cont …
The perspectives on corrective jaw surgery by patient and parents
on January 14, 2017
Last night, while driving home, I was listening to BBC on the radio and they were talking about President Obama replying a letter sent by a young girl who wants to pierce her nose against her parents’ wishes. Basically, President Obama told her that she should leave such decision to h …