You may actually already be somewhat familiar with Orthognathic Surgery, but you have heard it referred to with another name. It is commonly called “jaw surgery” since the purpose of this surgical procedure is to straighten or properly align a misaligned jaw. The word Orthognathic is derived from two different Greek words: Orthos means “to make straight or straighten” and Gnathic means “of or directly related to the jaw.” This is a surgical procedure that will usually be provided by oral and maxillofacial surgeon like Dr. David K. Hiranaka. It is important to choose a surgeon who has a great deal of experience with this type of procedure since it is so specific and can vary a good deal according to the patient’s needs.
The reason that a person will undergo this type of surgery will vary, but most people who elect to do this choose to do so due to genetic issues. Basically, genetics caused their jaw to grow in such a way that it is not only visually unappealing, but also can make it difficult to chew, talk, and function normally without pain and difficulty. Another reason that a person may need to undergo this type of surgery is if they experienced a trauma that cause misalignment of the jaw. This is perhaps most common in people who engage in activities where there would be repeated trauma and injury to this area, for example boxers might be getting constantly hit in the jaw and could thus experience some serious alignment issues.
The goal of Orthognathic Surgery is usually a dual one: First, the normal functionality needs to be restored so that the patient can eat and function normally using their jaw. Second, there are usually distinct cosmetic goals. If the jaw malformation is particularly cumbersome, it is also often very unappealing visually. Many patients say that their self esteem improves dramatically after they undergo this surgery to fix a badly formed jawline. Such surgery can completely transform a face in a way that will be even more dramatic than cosmetic surgery in some cases. If you want to know whether this surgery is right for you, consider arranging a consultation with Dr. Hiranaka today!
