Do you Need Jaw Surgery?

If you have a skeletal jaw imbalance, your life may be affected in many ways but do you need jaw surgery?

When the skeletal jaw imbalance becomes so severe that it is beyond the healthy. ‘Safe’  boundaries of camouflage orthodontics, such as corrective jaw surgery, are certainly an option. If your quality of life is affected by your jaw imbalance, corrective jaw surgery is a treatment option.

Jaw Surgery is a surgical procedure done under general anesthesia in a hospital setting by Specialist Oral Surgeons. The type of jaw surgery and timing of jaw surgery will be determined by both the Orthodontist and Oral Surgeons after careful planning. There will be a 3-6 weeks recovery period at home and for our overseas patients, please plan to be in Singapore for this important recovery period.

How does jaw discrepancy affect you?

  • You may be self-conscious about your skeletal imbalance, affecting your emotions and self-esteem.
  • Sometimes, you intentionally change your jaw posture to hide the jaw imbalance. You may tilt your head a certain way, push your short lower jaw forward, or tense jaw muscles to keep lips together. Over time, this is tiring and can lead to jaw muscle spasms, a tired neck, and stiff joints.
  • You can’t chew well. Eating can be painful when you accidentally bite your cheek or gum as the upper and lower teeth do not line up.
  • Lips and cheeks may develop painful ulcers as a traumatic bite develops from teeth that cannot meet due to the underlying jaw deformity.
  • Your speech is affected because air escapes awkwardly through jaws that are imbalanced.
  • Your upper and lower lips may be difficult to close, resulting in an open mouth with dry, red, angry gums.
  • You may be unable to get a good night’s result due to Sleep Apnea associated with a short lower jaw. This makes you feel constantly tired during the day.


There will be good days and there will be bad days. Some days, everything on the list above affects you. On other days, only a few points do, and in varying degrees of severity. This is a very common experience in patients with skeletal jaw imbalances. It is a personal journey where, at some point, you go, ‘Ok, I’ve enough of this. I need to get my jaw checked out and fixed!’

Do you really have a skeletal jaw imbalance?

Good news! A small group of patients with an underbite or crooked bite, (often associated with a long jaw or crooked jaw) may actually look worse than they really are. This is due to a special situation caused by a premature contact interference from a malpositioned tooth that causes affected patients to posture/ move their jaw forwards or to the side to achieve a better bite! This is great news as their ‘special bite’ is an indication that their jaw imbalance may not be that bad after all, and jaw surgery in Singapore may not be necessary. In such cases, alternatives such as Camouflage Orthodontics should be considered.

If your child is young and shows signs of skeletal jaw imbalance, their growth potential is certainly an advantage! Get them screened as early as possible to avoid jaw surgery as this problem often worsens with time. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children be screened by an Orthodontist at age 7. Interceptive Orthodontics and Growth modification may nip the problem at its early stage. So take action early and get your kids diagnosed by our Braces Specialist.

Corrective jaw surgery is a treatment option that involves your family, too. It is an important decision, so bring them to your first jaw surgery consultation with MyBracesClinic’s Orthodontic Team. We would be happy to answer everyone’s questions.

Call MyBracesClinic at 67979797 or 65303605  or WhatsApp us for an appointment!

Related topics

Alternatives to Jaw Surgery

Alternatives to Jaw Surgery

Jaw surgery to correct skeletal imbalance is a major undertaking and all alternatives must be evaluated before finalising on a jaw surgery plan.
Dentofacial Orthopedics

Dentofacial Orthopedics

Dentofacial orthopedics is a specialized field within orthodontics that focuses on the guidance and development of the facial structures, not just the teeth.

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