Why it's done

Jaw surgery may help to:

• Make biting and chewing easier and improve chewing overall
• Correct problems with swallowing or speech
• Minimize excessive wear and breakdown of the teeth
• Correct bite fit or jaw closure issues, such as when the molars touch but the front teeth don't touch (open bite)
• Correct facial imbalance (asymmetry), such as small chins, underbites, overbites and crossbites
• Improve the ability of the lips to fully close comfortably
• Relieve pain caused by temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder and other jaw problems
• Repair facial injury or birth defects
• Provide relief for obstructive sleep apnea