Surgical Orthodontics

Correct severe jaw misalignments and achieve lasting facial harmony with surgical orthodontics. Bright Smiles Miami collaborates with top oral surgeons to resolve complex bite issues, improving your breathing, chewing, and confidence.

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While traditional braces and clear aligners are highly effective at moving teeth into their proper positions, they cannot alter the underlying bone structure once a patient's jaw has stopped growing. For adults and older teens with severe skeletal discrepancies—such as a pronounced underbite, severe overbite, or significant facial asymmetry—surgical orthodontics (also known as orthognathic surgery) offers a life-changing solution. This collaborative treatment combines the precise tooth-moving power of orthodontics with the structural correction of jaw surgery.

At Bright Smiles Miami, we serve as the architects of your new smile. We work closely and seamlessly with highly skilled oral and maxillofacial surgeons to create a unified, comprehensive treatment plan. By realigning the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both, surgical orthodontics does more than dramatically improve facial aesthetics; it restores fundamental oral functions, making it easier to speak, chew, swallow, and breathe.

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Transformative Benefits of Surgical Orthodontics

Restores Optimal Function: Resolves difficulty in chewing, biting, and swallowing caused by severe jaw misalignment.

Improves Airway & Breathing: Repositioning the jaws often expands restricted airways, alleviating snoring and sleep apnea.

Enhances Facial Harmony: Corrects noticeable asymmetry, receding chins, and protruding jaws for a balanced, aesthetic profile.

Prevents Long-Term Damage: Alleviates chronic jaw joint (TMJ) pain and prevents severe, uneven wear on tooth enamel.

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The journey through surgical orthodontics typically involves three distinct phases. First is the pre-surgical orthodontic phase, which lasts 12 to 18 months. During this time, you will wear braces or clear aligners to move your teeth into the correct position over your future jaw alignment. Your bite may actually feel worse during this phase, but this is a normal step in preparing the teeth for the surgical shift.

The second phase is the orthognathic surgery itself, performed by an oral surgeon in a hospital setting. Following a recovery period of a few weeks, you return to Bright Smiles Miami for the final phase: post-surgical orthodontics. During this period, which lasts approximately 6 to 12 months, we fine-tune the final alignment of your teeth, ensuring your new bite locks together perfectly. Our dedicated team supports you at every step, ensuring a smooth, coordinated, and deeply rewarding transformation.

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FAQs

Straight answers to the questions we hear most in our chairs

What is surgical orthodontics?

Surgical orthodontics, or orthognathic surgery, is a combined treatment involving braces and jaw surgery to correct severe skeletal abnormalities in the upper or lower jaws that cannot be fixed with orthodontics alone.

Who is a candidate for orthognathic surgery?

Candidates are typically adults or older teenagers whose jaws have finished growing and who suffer from severe bite issues, facial injuries, congenital defects, or extreme jaw misalignments.

At what age can you undergo jaw surgery?

Surgery must wait until jaw growth is fully complete. This is usually around age 16 for females and ages 18 to 21 for males, though pre-surgical orthodontic preparation can begin sooner.

Why can't I just get braces instead of jaw surgery?

If your upper and lower jaws are structurally mismatched in size or position, braces alone can only move the teeth, not the bone. Surgery is required to physically reposition the jawbones into alignment.

Who actually performs the jaw surgery?

The surgery is performed by a specialized oral and maxillofacial surgeon in a hospital or surgical center. Bright Smiles Miami handles the orthodontic planning before and after the procedure.

Will I need to wear braces before the surgery?

Yes. The pre-surgical orthodontic phase usually lasts 12 to 18 months. We must move your teeth so that they will fit together correctly after the oral surgeon repositions your jaws.

Will jaw surgery change my facial appearance?

Yes, orthognathic surgery can significantly enhance your facial profile, resolving issues like a receding lower jaw, protruding chin, or severe facial asymmetry, resulting in a balanced and natural look.

What is the recovery time for orthognathic surgery?

Initial healing and a return to work or school typically takes about 2 to 4 weeks. However, complete healing and fusion of the jawbones can take up to a year.

Will I need to wear braces after the surgery?

Yes. Once you have healed from surgery, you will continue with post-surgical orthodontics for about 6 to 12 months to perfectly fine-tune your final bite alignment.

Can surgical orthodontics cure my sleep apnea?

For many patients, yes. Advancing the upper and lower jaws physically opens and expands the airway, which is highly effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea.

Does insurance cover surgical orthodontics?

Because orthognathic surgery corrects functional medical issues (like breathing, eating, or speech impairments), the surgical portion is often covered by major medical insurance rather than dental insurance. Our team will help coordinate with your providers.

Why choose Bright Smiles Miami to manage my surgical orthodontics?

Our experienced team excels in complex, multi-disciplinary care. We coordinate flawlessly with top-tier oral surgeons, ensuring you receive personalized, consistent, and expertly guided care throughout your entire smile transformation.

Contact us

Ask us anything. We answer straight and we answer fast.

Email

The fastest way to reach us

info@brightsmilesmiami.com

Phone

Call during office hours

(305) 428-2878

Office

2555 SW 8th St Suite 201, Miami, FL 33135

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