Orthodontic Surgery

You might be here because you are dealing with a misaligned jaw, or other skeletal discrepancy and have questions about  how orthodontic surgery might be able to help. Watch this educational video by experienced Buffalo orthodontist Dr. Dominic Colarusso Jr. where he explains the scenarios in which orthodontic surgery may be a recommended course of treatment to help you achieve a healthy and beautiful smile.

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Surgical orthodontic work is required in cases in which larger skeletal discrepancies are present. We determine whether a patient has larger skeletal discrepancies by using orthodontic records, including X-rays. As part of orthodontic diagnosis and development of a treatment plan, we always examine these X-rays to determine jaw-to-jaw relationships in three planes of space. How does the mandible relate to the maxilla? How does the maxilla relate to the rest of the skull?

The better that the upper and lower jaws relate to each other, the easier it is to straighten teeth within that framework. If we have a discrepancy with the framework or skeletal relations, it can sometimes be impossible to align the teeth. It is easy to straighten the teeth in the maxilla or in the mandible, but it may be difficult to get the top and bottom teeth to relate together unless the framework is corrected. What determines whether a patient needs skeletal change or surgery is the positioning and the relationship between the maxilla and the mandible.

We can determine this data from X-rays. We compare a patient’s skeletal and dental relations to norms, and we try to treat towards norms, which are typically more aesthetically pleasing. Most patients do not require jaw surgery in orthodontics. One of the reasons that we promote early treatment is because we can accomplish more when a patient is younger in managing skeletal relations with growth and development. When a patient is older and growth and development is complete, and we can only resort to the surgical approach to jaw correction.

Orthodontists Associates of Western New York is proud to offer braces for all ages throughout Buffalo, Lancaster, Olean, Hamburg, Orchard Park, and Dunkirk, East Aurora, and Niagara Falls New York. If you are considering orthodontic treatment for yourself or a loved one, please contact one of our 7 convenient orthodontic offices to arrange a free consultation.

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At Orthodontists Associates of Western New York, our reputation as a leader in orthodontic care is based on one thing… Making a Healthy and Beautiful Smile