Corrective Jaw Procedures

If your teeth do not fit well together, have a disproportional face, a gummy smile, an under or overbite, or a jaw size that is too big or too small, you probably have jaw problems. Many discover these problems during their teenage years and have it corrected early. Others may have postponed treatment and have now developed teeth problems, facial pain, or TMJ disorders related to a poor bite.

There are great treatments available to improve facial balance, improve your aesthetics and smile, correct your bite to help you eat better, eliminate jaw or TMJ related pain, and increase your teeth health and longevity. New techniques and technology now decrease your treatment time, enhance recovery, and get you back to normal activities sooner.

Dr. Kazemi is an expert in correction of dento-facial deformities to establish correct bite, jaw size, and facial balance. He collaborates with several expert orthodontists who are leaders in their field to combine orthodontic and surgical techniques to achieve predictable results that meet your goals. Most patients can have the procedures done as outpatients, avoid jaw-wiring, and return to normal activities as early as seven to 10 days. Insurance and payment options, can make the procedure affordable.

See section on corrective jaw surgery for more details

Types of jaw problems:

If your bite is off, have poor smile, and have poor facial balance, you may have problems with either your teeth position, jaw size relationship, or combination of both. Here are the common signs:

  • Long face look with a gummy smile, large lower jaw, and possible open bite
  • Short face look with deep overbite
  • A gummy smile look
  • Short chin look with underbite
  • Sunken upper teeth look
  • A combination of the above

These problems arise from a poor bite where teeth do not fit well together and there was an excessive or inadequate development of the upper and lower jaws.

Why is it important to correct your bite?

Having a normal bite and correct jaw relationship improves chewing, speech, and aesthetics, and protects teeth from decay, gum disease, and chipping. Patients with facial pain or TMJ symptoms also report improvements following orthodontic and surgical correction of their bite. Corrective jaw surgery may also improve breathing problems and sleep apnea in certain patients.

Types of procedures:

Patients with jaw size discrepancy may require one of the following procedures:

  • Upper jaw surgery (known as Lefort-I osteotomy): This procedure corrects excess or deficiency of the mid-face region.
  • Lower jaw surgery: Procedure that allows either advancement of retraction of the lower jaw to its proper relationship to the upper jaw
  • Chin surgery: A cosmetic procedure that either augments or retracts the chin for better facial balance

For more details see the section on Corrective jaw surgery