For very severe problems with bite alignment, jaw surgery in combination with braces might be necessary. This combination is known as orthognathic surgery, from ortho = straight and gnathic = jaw. This treatment becomes necessary when not only are the teeth misaligned, but also the jaw.

These severe bite alignment problems are seen as severe crossbites (when the lower teeth are outside of the upper teeth), underbites, overbites and deficient chins.

A bad bite can cause problems such as inability to chew properly, speech problems and TMJ issues. Jaw surgery in conjunction with braces is also used to treat sleep apnea by moving the jaws forward to permanently expand the airways.

If jaw surgery is needed

Dr. Sema partners with excellent oral surgeons who perform the surgery. They work closely together to fully correct your bite. Generally the braces are worn for 9 to 18 months before the surgery to align the teeth. Jaw surgery is done with the braces still in place. Typically 4-6 weeks after jaw surgery, once the jaw has healed sufficiently, Dr. Sema starts to make her final adjustments with the goal of having braces off within six months.

Common jaw problems

Dr. Sema can assess your situation, and sometimes correction can be made with only braces. When braces alone can’t best correct the bite problem though, surgery may be ideal. Listed below are common findings that may warrant jaw surgery:

• Misaligned bite and problems with closing mouth correctly
• Injury and trauma
• Difficulty chewing, or biting into solid foods
• A disproportional appearance of the lower facial features
• Sleep apnea and snoring
• Extensively worn down teeth
• Jaw pain and headaches
• An underbite, overbite and other types of bite deformities

Click HERE to see before and after jaw surgery photos!

Visit Dr. Sema for a consultation to see what you can do to improve the health of your jaw and eliminate the negative effects associated with a misaligned jaw.

Are you experiencing jaw pain? Difficulty chewing? Headaches?

The jaw joint, known as the temporomandibular joint or TMJ, can go out of alignment and cause symptoms such as jaw pain, facial muscle pain and difficulty chewing. Additionally, if someone is compulsively clenching or grinding their teeth, the muscles of the jaw joint are affected and can also cause painful symptoms of jaw pain, headaches, neck and shoulder pain.

As a specialist in the alignment of the teeth and jaw, Dr. Sema is well-equipped to evaluate and diagnose your TMJ related symptoms.

How TMJ is treated

TMJ disorder can be treated with braces as part of a program of orthodontic correction for a bite and misaligned (crooked) teeth. Dr. Sema also custom fabricates special mouth guards (known as “splints”) that prevent nighttime compulsive clenching or teeth grinding.

In severe cases, orthognathic surgery can be a possible solution if the other methods are not adequate means of restoring the jaw to healthy function.

Symptoms of TMJ:

• Persistent pain in your jaw
• Frequent headaches or migraines
• Pain in your back, neck and shoulders
• Jaw pops when chewing
• Ringing in your ears, earaches

If experiencing any of the above, make an appointment to see Dr. Sema and she can help you treat your TMJ disorder.

Retainers are oral appliances made of either clear plastic, or a combination of plastic and metal wire that retains, or maintains the correct position of teeth that have completed orthodontic treatment. Dr. Sema recommends that anyone who has completed orthodontic treatment wear their retainers to keep the amount of post-straightening teeth movement to a minimum.

Retainers can be used before or after teeth straightening procedures, and can even help with the shaping of the gums as bone structure in the jaw changes.

Why should I wear a retainer?

There are different types of retainers. Dr. Sema will help you choose the best one for you.

After braces come off, you will need to wear a retainer. This is because teeth naturally tend to spread out or shift out of place depending on the amount of extra space in the jaw. To prevent this shifting of teeth is the main reason to wear a retainer. Now that you have beautiful straight teeth, don’t you want to keep them that way?

After just completing orthodontic treatment, patients are often required to wear a retainer during the day and at night while sleeping. However, once the teeth have had some time getting used to their new position, it’s alright to only wear the retainers at night when you sleep.

Which kind of retainer is right for me?

A fixed retainer is not removable by the patient.

A removable retainer can be taken out to brush and floss with ease. The disadvantage is that a removable retainer may be forgotten and not used, leading to shifting of the teeth.

Some people require a permanent “fixed” retainer. These can’t be removed by the patient, and sit along the backside of the bottom row of teeth. A fixed retainer reduces the chances of a specific orthodontic case reverting or returning to problematic bite conditions that existed before treatment began. It can be more challenging to floss your teeth with a fixed retainer but Dr. Sema can show you how to effectively care for your teeth.

Dr. Sema will take different factors into consideration and help you decide which is the best type of retainer for you.

How long do I need to wear my retainers?

Dr. Sema recommends retainers be worn full time for six months after braces are removed. Then, patients can start wearing them only while sleeping. Dr. Sema recommends night time wear for at least 6 more months, at which point patients can start going a night or two without their retainers.

Dr. Sema says that you should NEVER throw away your retainers. Keeping your retainers over a long period of time helps you maintain your beautiful smile you worked so hard to achieve!

How to clean your retainers

Ideally, brushing your retainers with an antibacterial soap and separate toothbrush is best. Toothpaste is alright as well. Be sure to store your retainers in the retainer case that Dr. Sema will be sure to give you. Daily cleaning of your retainers is recommended.