Many people seek orthodontic care to straighten their teeth and improve their smiles. However, sometimes braces, clear aligners, and other devices aren’t enough to correct someone’s bite. Severe misalignment may require surgical orthodontics, especially when it is causing difficulty speaking or chewing, pain in the jaw joints or head, or is contributing to gum disease.
What Is Surgical Orthodontics?
Also known as orthodontic surgery, surgical orthodontics corrects severe jaw abnormalities, as well as malocclusion that requires jaw realignment. However, surgical orthodontics can offer much more than an improved smile.
How Surgical Orthodontics Can Improve Your Oral Health
Easier to Clean
Overly crowded or crooked teeth are difficult to clean and can create ideal conditions for bacteria to collect and flourish, causing tooth decay. Therefore, creating better spacing and alignment makes it possible to clean your teeth more thoroughly, reducing your risk of cavities and gum disease.
Improved Bite
In order to have a functional bite, your teeth need to rest so as to provide the best chewing motion, without excessive wear and tear on your teeth. In contrast, a misaligned bite means that your teeth rest against each other in a way that causes excessive chewing forces on certain teeth and may cause damage and increase your risk of tooth fractures and problems with your jaw joints.
Head and Jaw Pain Relief
When your bite is severely affected by the way your teeth touch each other when you bite and chew, this can result in extra pressure on your jawbone, and cause headaches and pain in your jaw joints, as well as muscle pain in your face, neck and shoulders. If you are concerned about the alignment of your teeth and jaw, we offer several surgical orthodontic options, one of which may be right for you. For more information on how we can improve your smile and oral health, contact our office to schedule a consultation.
