Surgical Treatment for Bad Bite FAQ's
Posted on 6/21/2021 by Ankur Johri |
 Medically speaking, a bad bite is known as malocclusions. Malocclusions are generally referred to as crooked or unaligned teeth. Sometimes, patients can have teeth that cross over one another, overlap over another, or are spaced too far apart. All these are different kinds of malocclusions that are caused by the improper development of our jawbones.
Most often, malocclusions are considered to be hereditary, but sometimes, environmental factors like thumb sucking, malnutrition, and oral infections or diseases can also result in bad bites.
Jaw surgery is performed to treat bad bites. During this surgery, the surgeon changes the shape, size, and alignment of the jawbones to improve the patient's occlusion. After changing the bone structure of the jaws, the teeth are given time to adjust and align themselves on the operated jaw bone. The amazing thing about teeth and jawbones is that regardless of age, these bones continue to move and grow. This feature enables the teeth to naturally take roots in the surgically treated jawbones.
Some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about surgical treatment for bad bite are:
What kind of problems can occur if I have a misaligned jaw or malocclusion?
When you have a misaligned jaw or malocclusion (bad bite), you will experience frequent headaches, experience difficulty in biting and chewing your food, will be more prone to oral infections and diseases because dental hygiene will become a problem, face difficulty in speaking, and may even be affected by obstructive sleep apnea.
What types of equipment are used in jaw surgery?
During the jaw surgery, your surgeon will use scalpels, bone cutters, scissors, forceps, scalers, and excavators to operate on your jaw. Your jaws will be attached together with the help of titanium plates and screws that are strong enough to hold the jawbones in place.
What is the cost of jaw surgery?
Jaw surgery is one of the most costly, corrective, and cosmetic surgery. On average, the cost of jaw surgery can range between $20,000 to $80,000 depending on the type of surgery, the size of the affected area, and the reputation of the surgeon and hospital.
It is to be noted that reconstructive jaw surgery is generally three times more expensive than corrective jaw surgery.
Will my medical insurance cover for my jaw surgery?
Some medical insurance plans will cover jaw surgery for bad bite, but most medical insurance plans do not provide coverage for oral surgeries. It is best that you check with your health insurance provider/company before you undergo a surgical treatment for bad bite.
At Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and can help you find the best surgical procedure for treating you bad bite. Call us at (610) 435-6161 to schedule your appointment.
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