AboutJoel S. Teig, DMD, FABOMS Expertise I am a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon and I am available to answer questions related to tooth extractions, implant insertion, facial recontruction, facial and oral tumor removal, TMJ dysfunction and various successful treatments, including surgery if all else fails, and occlusal discrepancy requiring orthognathic or jaw surgery.
Experience Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon practicine for over 20 years. Assistant Clincal Professor and State University School of Dentistry.
Organizations American Dental Association, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Education/Credentials BA
DMD
Awards and Honors National Honor Society (OKU), Philadelphia County Dental Society, Mosby Book Award, Oral Surgery Honors, Summa Cum Laude
Question I'm having orthognathic surgery in my upper jaw to solve my gummy smile and in my lower jaw to forward my chin. my surgeon and orthodontist decided i wont need to have any braces on before surgery since my teeth are already in the position they want them to be in. when i asked my surgeon how he was gonna tie up my jaws after surgery if he wasn't going to band me using the braces he said he was gonna use screws placed in my gum and put bands on them. i don't quite get the picture. are my jaws gonna be tied to each other using the screws or is each jaw going to be tied up by itself? i want to know more about those screws...
thanks
Answer Muna - There are a number of different techniques to tie the jaws up. I have never used nor heard of placing screws through the gums and into the bone and then ties between upper and lower. I have never heard, but as long as the tissue is kept very clean and the screws were placed in very dense bone then everything should work out.
There is a good possibility that within both the upper and lower jaws, screws and metal plates will be placed to directly connect one section of bone to the other. This is very common and the temporary connection during healing of the upper to lower is just used as a "belt and suspenders" support.
So, both the bone fragments of each jaw should be screwed together and the two jaws will be linked by wires tied to upper and lower screws.
Ask your surgeon if that is correct, if not have him fully explain it to you. You must go into the surgery very comfortable with every aspect of the proposed treatment.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me again.
