Services
Jaw Surgery in Montréal
Do you suffer from jaw misalignment, facial asymmetry or sleep apnea?
Dr. Lenis offers a wide range of services to treat the majority of oral and facial conditions. Orthognathic surgery is a procedure that we offer to those with poor jaw alignment, that is, when the upper and lower jaws do not correctly meet. This condition can cause adverse effects on the ability to chew, swallow or breathe. If the situation is not redressed, the consequences can have a significant impact on the health and general well-being of the person concerned.
Jaw misalignment consequences
The effects of jaw misalignment can take several forms depending on the type of affliction suffered by the patient. For example, if the mandible (lower jaw) is too small or far back, the individual may suffer from sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea or snoring. In addition to making chewing difficult, an imbalance between the mandible and the maxilla (upper jaw) can lead to language and periodontal health problems due to poor dental (malocclusion) and skeletal alignment.
In addition to functional sequelae, maxilla misalignment often affects facial balance, which will often influence the physiognomy and aesthetics of the face. Examples include facial asymmetry and a receding or overly pronounced chin. The repositioning of the upper and lower jaws will therefore re-establish optimal chewing and swallowing functions while restoring facial balance and a harmonious profile. A consultation with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon will inform you of the different treatment proposals.
See a before / after
Who is orthognathic surgery for?
This procedure is recommended for people suffering from malocclusion, facial disharmony or sleep apnea. While an orthodontist can work on each tooth individually, a maxillofacial surgeon restores facial balance by working on the bone foundation on which the teeth rest. Orthognathic surgery is therefore recommended for treating dental alignment problems caused by disharmony between the upper and lower jaws and cannot be treated solely using orthodontic appliances.
Persons who are likely to undergo this surgery generally have several problems related to chewing and swallowing activities, speech and respiratory difficulties or some discomfort with their facial appearance. To obtain a consultation, please fill out our form.
What is orthognathic surgery?
Orthognathic surgery aims to restore ideal jaw alignment, thus correcting certain types of malocclusion and restoring facial harmony. The maxillary (upper jaw) and mandible (lower jaw) are therefore adequately repositioned in the 3 spatial axes according to the rest of the skull and the facial skeleton. This type of surgery can also treat obstructive sleep apnea. Essentially, by advancing the two jaws, the airway is widened and no longer obstructed.
Depending on the clinical presentation, the surgical procedure can be performed at the level of both or a single jaw and can also include a genioplasty (chin surgery). The maxillary surgery most often performed is a Lefort 1 maxillary osteotomy and the mandible surgery, in the majority of cases, is a bilateral mandibular sagittal osteotomy.
Although orthognathic surgery often has dramatic effects on facial appearance and aesthetics, it is not an aesthetic operation. The focus of the procedure is to correct functional problems.
Treatment process
Before starting any procedure, a consultation is necessary in order to properly plan the treatments. Most often, the patient will initially consult us on their orthodontist’s recommendation. This first appointment is mainly an information session where we can confirm the pathology and be on the same page with the treatment proposed by your orthodontist, but above all to discuss what your surgery consists of, what recovery time will be needed and to inform you of the main risks associated with the procedure. Once the orthodontic preparation is completed, a new clinical and radiological evaluation will allow us to precisely determine where we want to reposition the bones. Often, a 3D virtual planning of the procedure will be carried out by our surgeons in order to obtain optimal and accurate results that will allow them to determine the best approach according to the patient’s condition.
Finally, surgery will be performed in one of our affiliated health centres under general anesthesia. Depending on the type of intervention, a short hospital stay, usually one to two days, may follow.
For more information on pre-treatment steps and tips for optimizing recovery, see our instruction pages.
If you would like more information about the procedures or our clinic, please contact our team at 514 637-1606 (Montreal) or 514 394-7979 (South Shore), or by email at info@cliniquemaxillo.com.