Orthognathic surgery can enhance a patient’s quality of life, including jaw function, comfort, and long-term oral health. It often also benefits a patient’s self-esteem since jaw deformities can significantly impact the face shape and smile.
However, jaw surgery can be an intimidating undertaking with a multi-month recovery timeline. Read on to learn more about what to expect when recovering from orthognathic surgery.
Recovery From Orthognathic Surgery
Orthognathic surgery is an involved procedure that usually requires multiple days in the hospital to recover. Depending on your condition, your doctor may have you stay in the hospital for two to five days after your surgery.
Jaw healing is a slow process, so you should plan to take a few weeks off from work or school to rest. You probably won’t start feeling healed until around six weeks post-surgery, and your jaw could take up to three months to completely heal.
Your doctor will give you comprehensive recovery guidelines before sending you home after surgery. You may need to avoid certain foods and follow special oral health instructions. Your doctor will also give you post-operative medications for you to take home.
Risks
Like all surgeries, orthognathic surgery has some risks. Most adverse results from orthognathic surgery will be immediately apparent after the procedure. This includes bad outcomes such as nerve damage or a bad reaction to anesthesia. However, these side effects are quite rare, and your surgeon will review them with you before the operation.
The other orthognathic surgery risk is infection. Your behavior greatly impacts the odds of infection during your post-surgery recovery. Adhering to your doctor’s recovery guidelines can reduce your infection risk.
Contact Us
Orthognathic surgery can make a big difference in your quality of life, and the recovery is quite manageable with proper physician support and guidance. If you are interested in getting orthognathic surgery, don’t hesitate to contact us and schedule an appointment with Advanced Orthodontic Care.
