Metal Mouth Message Board

Can't surgeons just move the lower jaw forward a little more instead of breaking more bones?

Depends on a lot of things; profile, appearance, airway, facial proportions; previous orthodontic work.... It's the whole package and your surgeon should take everything into account. Half medicine half artistic impression.

^ what they said.

It's about the facial harmony and even if it's just a few mm here or there, it can make a huge difference in the way you look. perhaps ask the surgeon for before and afters of similar cases to see what effects were made with double vs single jaw surgery? my surgeon at my consultation was great about that.

[quote="Class2geo"]Can't surgeons just move the lower jaw forward a little more instead of breaking more bones?[/quote]

Let's see... the jaws are recessed, and instead of touching the upper jaw, move the lower a little more forward...

This would not only not fix the recessed upper jaw, but would create an underbite. I don't think you understand the anatomy of the jaws.

kjohnt wrote:

Class2geo wrote:Can't surgeons just move the lower jaw forward a little more instead of breaking more bones?

Let's see... the jaws are recessed, and instead of touching the upper jaw, move the lower a little more forward...

This would not only not fix the recessed upper jaw, but would create an underbite. I don't think you understand the anatomy of the jaws.

Oops I meant when dealing with recessed lower jaw.

Class2geo wrote:

kjohnt wrote:

Class2geo wrote:Can't surgeons just move the lower jaw forward a little more instead of breaking more bones?

Let's see... the jaws are recessed, and instead of touching the upper jaw, move the lower a little more forward...

This would not only not fix the recessed upper jaw, but would create an underbite. I don't think you understand the anatomy of the jaws.

Oops I meant when dealing with recessed lower jaw.

It really just depends on how recessed the lower jaw is, and the dynamics of your particular skull. I've seen some people get only lower or only upper. Jaw surgery is definitely part science, part art!

i mean if your lower jaw is recessed but your upper jaw deviates from the midline or something like that is reason enough to have it operated on

I had an overbite and endured two surgeries in an attempt to correct it. Each time they moved the upper jaw forward too much and the lower jaw not enough. I really question if these surgeons actually know what they are doing.