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Jaw surgery can be the recommended treatment for a number of conditions, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. For a consultation, contact either of our Baltimore locations.

TMJ Disorders and Facial Pain

TMJ disorders develop for many reasons. You might clench or grind your teeth, which tightens your jaw muscles and stresses your joint. You may have a damaged jaw joint due to injury or disease. Injuries and arthritis can damage the joint directly, or stretch or tear the muscle ligaments. As a result, the disk, which is made of cartilage and functions as the "cushion" of the jaw joint, can slip out of position.

Whatever the cause, the results may include a misaligned bite, pain, a clicking or grating noise when you open your mouth, or trouble opening your mouth wide.

There are various diagnostic and treatment options to help manage your TMJ disease, from minimally invasive arthroscopic procedures to advanced custom fabricated metallic joint replacement surgeries.

We also work closely with specialized dentists at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry to provide non-surgical management of TMJ disease and facial pain.

Orthognathic Surgery

Orthognathic surgery is needed when jaws don't meet correctly and/or teeth don't seem to fit with jaws. Teeth are straightened with orthodontics, but corrective jaw surgery repositions misaligned jaws. This not only improves facial appearance but also ensures that teeth meet correctly and function properly.

Orthognathic surgery can also help to correct the following functional issues including:

  • Difficulty in chewing
  • Biting or swallowing
  • Speech problems
  • Chronic jaw or TMJ pain
  • Open bite
  • Protruding jaw
  • Breathing problems

Before any treatment begins, a consultation will be held to perform a complete examination with X-rays. We use modern computer techniques and three-dimensional models to plan your surgery.

Using comprehensive facial X-rays and video stills, we can show you how your bite will be improved and even give you an idea of how you'll look after surgery. This helps you understand the surgical process and the extent of the treatment prescribed, and to see the benefits of orthognathic surgery.

If you are a candidate for corrective jaw surgery, our doctors will work closely with your dentist or orthodontist during your treatment.

Sleep Apnea Surgery

Along with an interdisciplinary sleep disorders team, our specialists provide skeletal surgical correction for sleep apnea. Maxillomandibular (upper and lower jaw) advancement is over 95 percent effective in its ability to significantly enlarge the upper airway and limit obstruction by moving the upper and lower jaws forward, thereby opening the airway during sleep.

Additional sleep apnea information is available from the University of Maryland Sleep Disorders Center.

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