Orthognathic Surgery changes lives

Anyone who sees Radhika (name changed), won’t recognize that her jaw was asymmetrically located to one side until a year ago. The shy village dweller living close to Belagavi who rarely showed her face in public because of the facial deformity underwent Orthognathic Surgery (surgery performed on the jawbones usually after the jaws stop growing) at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at the KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences.

The surgery is done to establish harmony between a person’s upper and lower jaws and to establish a harmonious profile and efficient eating abilities. These deformities can be hereditary or acquired due to trauma or growth deficiency of jaws.

Orthognathic Surgery

The deformity is expressed as either upper or lower jaw being too forward / backward with difficulty in eating and closing the mouth, rarely even with breathing difficulty “No scars remain after Orthognathic surgery,” said Dr S M Kotrashetti, adding that 15% of the general population have such deformities but, many people are unaware about it, he said. This treatment is almost needed with all cases born with Cleft Lip and Palate Deformities which lead to jaw size discrepancy in their teens and adulthood.

Orthognathic Surgery is effective in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (Severe snoring during sleep) when other conventional modalities fail to be effective

The Center for the Correction of Dentofacial Deformities established at the KLE Academy for Higher Education 5 years back specializes in the management of such deformities and has operated hundreds of cases over the years benefiting the local community. Like Radhika, there are several who have benefitted from such surgeries (Gallery)

Slide4

Before a patient is operated, the discrepancies between the upper and lower jaw are calculated through software, and pre-operative planning is done. A patient opting for this surgery first undergoes the pre-surgery phase where an Orthodontist fixes braces on the teeth. Orthognathic surgery is performed by the team of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, post which the patient is again made to wear braces for a period of 6 months to 1 year till the complete function is restored.

We have seen many patients with jaw deformities retract from society with under-developed social skills. This surgery boosts their confidence. It is only suggested to those with severe deformity. Patient under 14 years old are instead given growth modification treatment,” said Dr K M Keluskar, Professor, Orthodontist, Centre for the Correction of Dentofacial Deformities

Slide12

Earlier, Orthognathic Surgery was done in bigger cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, etc. However, patients from across the country come to avail this treatment here said Principal Dr. Alka Kale,

The team is being coordinated by Dr. Kotrashetti, Dr Tejraj Kale and Dr. Abhishek Motimath (Maxillofacial Surgeons), Dr Keluskar and Dr Amit Nilgar (Orthodontists). 

Popular Doctors

Related Articles