Maxillofacial & facial skeletal surgery
Corrective Jaw Surgery in Los Angeles
Corrective jaw surgery, also called orthognathic surgery, repositions the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both to improve your bite, your facial balance, and in some patients your breathing. Dr. Husam Elias, board certified in oral and maxillofacial surgery, plans each case in 3D alongside your orthodontist.
What Is Corrective Jaw Surgery?
Corrective jaw surgery, known medically as orthognathic surgery, is a procedure that repositions one or both jaws when they have grown out of alignment with each other or with the rest of the face. "Orthognathic" simply means "straight jaw." When the upper jaw (maxilla) and lower jaw (mandible) do not meet correctly, the result can be a bite that makes chewing difficult, lips that strain to close, an unbalanced profile, and sometimes a narrowed airway. Braces can straighten teeth, but they cannot move the bones that hold them. Jaw surgery can.
At Cosmetic Doc, jaw surgery is performed by Dr. Husam Elias, who holds both medical and dental degrees, is board certified by the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, and formerly served as Section Head of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. Because he is also a triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon, he plans every movement for both function and facial harmony. It is a cornerstone of our maxillofacial and facial skeletal surgery practice, and patients travel from across Los Angeles for it.
Who Is a Candidate for Jaw Surgery?
Jaw surgery is usually performed once facial growth is complete. You may be a candidate if you have:
- A skeletal bite discrepancy: An underbite, overbite, or open bite caused by the position of the jaws rather than the teeth alone, which orthodontics by itself cannot fully correct.
- Difficulty biting or chewing: Trouble biting through food, uneven tooth wear, or discomfort because your teeth do not meet properly.
- Facial imbalance: A receding or protruding lower jaw, a long or short lower face, a gummy smile from excess upper jaw height, or a chin shifted to one side.
- Breathing or sleep concerns: Advancing the jaws may improve the airway in selected patients with obstructive sleep apnea, as part of a plan developed with your sleep physician.
Types of jaw surgery
Jaw Surgery Procedures We Perform
Your plan may involve one jaw or both, depending on where the discrepancy lies. These are the procedures and corrections Dr. Elias most often discusses with patients.
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Double Jaw Surgery
Bimaxillary surgery repositions the upper and lower jaws in one coordinated operation. It is often recommended when both jaws contribute to a bite problem, a long face, or asymmetry, and it offers the most control over facial balance.
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Upper Jaw Surgery (LeFort I)
A LeFort I osteotomy frees the upper jaw above the tooth roots so it can be moved forward, raised, lowered, or leveled. It can correct a recessed midface, a gummy smile, an open bite, or a tilted smile line.
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Lower Jaw Surgery (BSSO)
A bilateral sagittal split osteotomy divides the lower jaw on each side, from inside the mouth, so the tooth-bearing portion can move forward or back. It is commonly used for a recessed or prominent lower jaw.
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Underbite Correction
When the lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth, surgery may advance the upper jaw, set back the lower jaw, or both. Many underbites involve an underdeveloped upper jaw rather than an oversized lower jaw.
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Overbite Correction
A severe overbite rooted in a small or recessed lower jaw can be corrected by advancing the lower jaw, which may also strengthen a weak chin and jawline and improve your profile.
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Open Bite Correction
In a skeletal open bite, the front teeth do not touch when you bite down. Surgery, most often on the upper jaw, repositions the bones so the front teeth can meet and work together.
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Facial Asymmetry
When a jaw has grown unevenly, the chin, bite, and smile line may shift to one side. Jaw surgery can recenter these structures, sometimes combined with chin or contouring procedures for a balanced result.
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Surgical Orthodontics
Jaw surgery is a partnership with your orthodontist. Braces first align the teeth for the new jaw position, surgery repositions the jaws, and a finishing phase of orthodontics fine-tunes your bite.
The Jaw Surgery Timeline
Jaw surgery unfolds over months, in five phases.
Consultation and Records
Dr. Elias examines your face, bite, and jaw joints and records a 3D CBCT scan, photographs, and digital scans of your teeth to confirm, with your orthodontist, which jaws need to move.
Pre-Surgical Orthodontics
Most patients wear braces or clear aligners before surgery, commonly for about 12 to 18 months. This phase positions the teeth for the jaws' new relationship, so your bite may temporarily look worse before it improves.
Virtual Surgical Planning
Shortly before surgery, updated records are used to plan your operation on a 3D model. Dr. Elias sets each jaw movement digitally, reviews the predicted profile with you, and uses the plan to create custom surgical splints. Learn more about our 3D imaging and surgical planning technology.
Surgery
Jaw surgery is performed under general anesthesia, through incisions inside the mouth, so there are typically no visible facial scars. The bones are held in their new position with small titanium plates and screws. Surgery is performed in an accredited surgical facility or hospital appropriate to the procedure, and many patients stay overnight for monitoring.
Finishing Orthodontics
After initial healing, a shorter phase of orthodontics, often around 6 to 12 months, perfects how your teeth fit together.
Recovery After Jaw Surgery
Swelling peaks in the first few days, improves noticeably over two to three weeks, and fully resolves over several months. Most patients return to school or desk work in about two to three weeks. You will start with a liquid diet, then move to a soft, no-chew diet for roughly six weeks while the bone heals. Temporary numbness of the lips or chin is common, especially after lower jaw surgery, and typically improves over the following months. Our pre- and post-operative instructions walk you through each stage.
Benefits
What Jaw Surgery Can Improve
Jaw surgery changes how your face works and how it looks. Depending on your diagnosis, benefits may include the following.
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Restore a Functional Bite
Repositioning the jaws lets your upper and lower teeth meet as intended, which can make biting and chewing easier and reduce uneven wear on your teeth over time.
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Balance Your Profile
Advancing a recessed jaw or setting back a prominent one brings the chin, lips, and nose into proportion, often with a stronger, more defined jawline.
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Recenter an Uneven Face
When uneven jaw growth has shifted your chin or tilted your smile, surgery can recenter the lower face for a more balanced appearance from every angle.
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Support Easier Breathing
In selected patients, moving the jaws forward may enlarge the airway, which can complement other treatment for obstructive sleep apnea under the guidance of your physicians.
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Ease Lip Strain
When the jaws are in balance, many patients find their lips close comfortably at rest, and a gummy or strained smile often looks more relaxed and natural.
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Keep Your Identity
Every movement is planned in millimeters to improve function and harmony while keeping the features, expressions, and character that make you recognizably yourself.
Cost and Insurance for Jaw Surgery
The cost of corrective jaw surgery depends on several factors:
- Surgical plan: Whether one jaw or both are moved, and whether chin surgery or other procedures are added.
- Facility and anesthesia: Surgical facility or hospital fees, general anesthesia, and any overnight stay.
- Planning and records: 3D imaging, virtual surgical planning, and custom surgical splints.
- Orthodontic care: Treatment before and after surgery, billed separately by your orthodontist.
Because orthognathic surgery often treats documented functional problems, it may qualify for medical insurance; our team can help verify your benefits and gather the records insurers typically request. Surgery performed purely for appearance is generally not covered. You will receive a personalized, written quote, and we accept cash, checks, major credit and debit cards, and financing plans.
Schedule Your Jaw Surgery Consultation
If you have been told your bite problem is skeletal, or you want to know whether jaw surgery could help, schedule a consultation with Cosmetic Doc. Bring any orthodontic records you have, and we will gladly coordinate with your orthodontist. You can also ask about related options such as chin and jaw surgery. Consultations are available at our Pasadena office and Sherman Oaks office.
Questions patients ask
Corrective Jaw Surgery FAQs
Is corrective jaw surgery the same as orthognathic surgery?
Yes. Orthognathic surgery is the medical term for corrective jaw surgery. It repositions the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both to correct how the teeth meet and how the jaws relate to the rest of the face. It is sometimes combined with chin surgery for better overall facial balance.
Will I have visible scars after jaw surgery?
In most cases, no. Upper and lower jaw surgery are performed through incisions inside the mouth, so there are typically no scars on the face. Occasionally a very small skin incision is needed to place a fixation screw, and it usually heals to be barely noticeable.
Will my jaws be wired shut after surgery?
Usually not. Modern jaw surgery secures the bones with small titanium plates and screws, so most patients can open their mouths after surgery. Light elastic bands may guide your bite during early healing, and you will follow a liquid, then soft, diet while the bone heals.
Can jaw surgery help with sleep apnea?
In selected patients, advancing the upper and lower jaws may enlarge the airway and improve obstructive sleep apnea, but it is not the first treatment for everyone. Dr. Elias evaluates your airway with 3D imaging and coordinates with your sleep physician to decide whether jaw surgery is appropriate for you.
How long does recovery from jaw surgery take?
Most patients return to school or desk work in about two to three weeks. A liquid and then soft diet is typical for around six weeks. Swelling improves substantially during the first month, and your final facial contours settle over several months as residual swelling resolves.
Does insurance cover corrective jaw surgery?
Corrective jaw surgery for documented functional problems, such as a bite that impairs chewing or a skeletal discrepancy affecting breathing, may qualify for medical insurance. Our team can help verify your benefits and assemble the records your insurer requests. Surgery performed purely for appearance is generally not covered.
How old do you need to be for jaw surgery?
Jaw surgery is usually performed after facial growth is complete, generally in the mid-to-late teens for young women and the late teens or early twenties for young men. Healthy adults of any age can be candidates. Your orthodontist and Dr. Elias will confirm that growth has finished.
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Your Choice for Expert Cosmetic Surgery in Pasadena & Sherman Oaks
Cosmetic Doc delivers board-certified cosmetic surgery with care, compassion, and artistry. From facelifts and rhinoplasty to body contouring, Dr. Husam Elias pairs dual MD/DMD training with an on-site AAAHC-accredited surgery center for the safest, most natural-looking results. Contact our Pasadena or Sherman Oaks office today to schedule your consultation.