Most orthodontic patients have mild to moderate dental and/or skeletal problems and are pleased with their overall facial appearance. Patients with mild orthodontic problems are often treated with limited or full orthodontic appliances using nonextraction techniques. Patients with moderate orthodontic problems are often treated with full orthodontic appliances using extraction mechanics.
A small proportion of patients have dentoskeletofacial
problems toward the more severe end of the diagnostic spectrum. However, such
patients with significant skeletal or facial concerns are sometimes treated
with full orthodontic appliances using a powerful combination of orthodontic
and orthognathic surgical techniques. Two important factors must be taken
into consideration when deciding between nonsurgical and surgical orthodontic
treatment:
1) The nature and severity of the patient's dentoskeletofacial problems, and
2) The dental, skeletal and facial treatment goals.
While routine orthodontic treatment alone is often sufficient to straighten
a patient's teeth and achieve an acceptable occlusion or bite by moving teeth
in such a way as to camouflage the patient's underlying skeletal or jaw problem,
in the most severe cases orthodontics alone cannot adequately camouflage the
more significant underlying problems or achieve the skeletal and facial treatment
goals. Such cases can often be treated to a wonderfully improved result using
a combined orthodontic surgical approach.
Dr. Handy will sensitively discuss the surgical orthodontic option as a part of his consultation regarding all available treatment alternatives with any individual patient for whom such an approach would offer significant benefits. If a patient is interested in learning more about surgical orthodontic treatment of their case, Dr. Handy will refer the patient to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for further consultation before initiation of any definitive orthodontic treatment.
Problems For Which Surgical Orthodontics Is
Sometimes Indicated
• Moderate to severe openbite
• Severely retrusive facial profile
• Severely protrusive facial profile
• Vertical maxillary excess or severely "gummy smile"
• Significant facial asymmetry
• Severe posterior crossbite or narrow palate
• Select Temporomandibular Disorders
• Cleft Lip/Palate
