Orthognathic Surgery Underbite

After orthognathic surgery underbite issues are normally able to be corrected. The purpose of this type of surgery is to correct skeletal deformities causing the lower jaw to protrude over the upper jaw. The surgery is usually elective and is chosen for either functional and/or esthetic reasons when braces alone cannot correct an underbite problem. Underbites can develop due to heredity or poor habits like thumb sucking during bone development. An underbite that is not corrected can lead to other problems such as jaw pain while opening the mouth and uneven teeth wear. This surgery is used when the underbite is caused by skeletal issues and not by misaligned teeth only. Teeth that are misaligned can often be corrected with braces. Orthognathic surgery realigns the upper and lower jaws as needed based on the specific situation.