Jaw surgery: procedures, risks, benefits and results

Starting from the trend of people in South Korea who perform jaw surgery for beauty purposes, many people in Jakarta do not want to be left behind. Yes, this stage of the procedure aims to make the cheeks or jaw taper for many women, especially for the sake of beautifying themselves.

How is this jaw surgical procedure done? What are the risks that you need to pay attention to? Come on, see the full explanation below.

What is jaw surgery?

Jaw surgery or jaw surgery also known as orthognathic surgery. Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, initially jaw surgery was performed to repair the asymmetrical structure of the jaw and straighten out messy teeth. But lately, this jaw tooth surgery procedure is also carried out for cosmetic reasons and to improve appearance.

Apart from cosmetic reasons, surgery on the jaw is also performed to improve the function of other limbs. For example, to improve cleft lip problems, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems - joints for talking, chewing, or yawning - and various human jawbone conditions.

To treat these various conditions, three types of jaw surgery are performed, namely maxillary surgery, mandibular surgery, chin surgery, or a combination of them.

1. maxillary surgery (maxillary osteotomy)

This surgical procedure is performed by cutting the bone above the tooth, so that the entire upper jaw can be moved - either forward, backward, up or down - as needed. Once moved, the surgeon will secure it with plates and bolts.

2. Lower jaw surgery (mandibular osteotomy)

In this jaw cutting operation, the lower jaw will be divided into two parts. The front lower jaw will be moved forward or back, then secured with plates and bolts until it is in good condition.

3.Chin surgery (genioplasty)

Shrinkage of the lower jaw is also followed by a small chin. To restructure the chin, a surgical procedure is performed by cutting the chinbone in front of the lower jaw, moving it forward, and securing it with a plate and bolts in a new position.

When do you need jaw surgery?

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons describes some of the conditions that are the reasons why you need to undergo a jaw surgery, including:

• Difficulty chewing or biting food
• Difficulty swallowing
• Jaw pain due to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems
• Open bite- the condition of the gap between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed
• Imbalance of face shape, both from the front and sides
• Accidents and facial injuries
• Congenital defects or birth defects
• Shrinkage of the lower jaw and chin
• The condition of the protruding jaw
• Chronic bad breath
• Sleep apnea- difficulty breathing during sleep, including snoring

If you experience conditions like the above and feel disturbed, you should consult your doctor to determine the appropriate treatment steps.

What is the surgical procedure on the jaw?

This surgery method is usually performed in the mouth to avoid the risk of incisions on the face, such as around the chin, jaw and mouth.

Orthognathic surgery, in principle, is to cut and flatten or place the jawbone in a suitable position. After that, the surgeon will place additional supporting material, such as a plate, disc, or bolts to hold the jawbone in the new position so that it doesn't slide during the healing process.

Additional supporting materials that have been approved by the medical industry, such as fillersimplants, bolts, and plates can be used to secure the jawbone in its new position. In some cases, additional bone is also required in this procedure, some of which will be taken from the hip, leg, and ribs.

Furthermore, this section will be tidied up, so that later the supports and additional bones can function and look better after dental jaw surgery.

Will the additional cradle remain permanently?

Generally, additional supporting material, such as plates, plates or screws to secure the jawbone will not cause problems if it is not removed.

However, sometimes the material can cause infection so another operation is needed to remove it. Immediately visit and consult your doctor if you find post-operative discomfort or pain.

Are there any surgical risks to the jaw that you need to be aware of?

After surgery, your mouth may feel sore, stiff, and swollen which can last for about 4-6 weeks. If you do this on the lower jaw, it is likely that the lower lip will experience temporary tingling or numbness. However, if you do this on the upper jaw, you may experience numbness in your upper lip or cheeks.

Even so, the doctor will also give you some post-operative recommendations that need to be followed, such as:

• Always maintain oral hygiene, but still have to be careful. This is done to avoid infection around the jaw and make the mouth more uncomfortable.
• Eating liquid or soft foods, such as porridge, smoothies, or fruit juices little by little to maintain the body's calorie needs.
• Avoid consuming alcohol, cigarettes, or tobacco to prevent infection in the surgical scars.
• Avoiding strenuous activities, generally you are only allowed to work and activities in 1-3 weeks post-surgery.
• If pain occurs, always use pain relievers (painkiller) as directed by the doctor.

Also, be careful not to bite your lip or hit your lips with hot drinks and food. This aims to regain the sensitivity of the lips to the sensation of hot or cold.

In some minor cases, you may experience numbness and be permanent. But this won't affect the way you speak or just move your lips.

What is the final result after surgery?

It is difficult to predict the final outcome of jaw surgery because every patient has problems and wants different results. Before performing the surgery, you will be briefed on the types of changes you can expect. After surgery, sometimes you will also feel subtle changes in the shape of the nose and neck lines.

Of course, there are some results to be expected after performing jaw surgery, such as:

• Balance of facial structures, especially the lower part such as the cheeks, jaw, mouth and chin;
• Improvement of oral and dental function;
• Improve the quality of sleep, breathing, chewing, and swallowing;
• Speech disorder recovery;
• Improved appearance and self-confidence.