Mr. Yu, 38, suffered a severe facial fracture in a car accident six months ago. Almost all of his upper teeth fell out, and he could not bite or chew. He could only eat soft or liquid food. He had consulted the dental clinic many times about dental implants, but the maxilla was too retracted and could not be operated.
Mr. Yu later went to the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Dali Ren Ai Hospital) for treatment. Plastic Surgeon Dr. Su Qunlin planned the surgery. Orthognathic surgery was used to improve the maxilla retraction problem, which not only restored the oral function, but also made the facial contour more harmonious.
Dr. Su Qunlin said that although Mr. Yu’s facial fracture has healed, the car accident caused the maxilla to retract. If dental implants were placed directly, it would be difficult to ensure normal bite function due to the abnormal bone position, and the sunken midface would make him look older than his actual age.
Therefore, it is recommended to undergo orthognathic surgery first, cut the maxilla and move it forward to the ideal position, and then implant dental implants after the bones heal to ensure a stable bite and improve the facial contour.
To ensure the accuracy of the surgery, the medical team developed a personalized treatment plan for Mr. Yu. The dentist first made a temporary denture for him, simulated the expected implant position, and used CASS (Computer-Assisted Surgical Simulation) computer-assisted surgical simulation technology to accurately plan the surgical steps and predict the occlusal condition of the maxillary forward movement. Based on this, the occlusal guide used in the operation was made to make the surgical result fit the preoperative simulation plan.
Mr. Yu’s maxilla has been adjusted to the ideal implant position after the operation, and the implant is expected to be carried out in half a year. In addition, the problem of mid-face depression has also been improved, and the overall facial contour appears more harmonious and natural.
Dr. Su Qunlin pointed out that orthognathic surgery is suitable for correcting functional or aesthetic problems caused by abnormal jaw position. Common indications include: mandibular protrusion (buckle), maxillary protrusion (protruding teeth), etc. These conditions may be related to congenital craniofacial developmental abnormalities, acquired tooth and jaw development problems or trauma, which may affect chewing, pronunciation, breathing, and even cause facial disharmony.
The surgical method is to adjust the upper and lower jaw positions through osteotomy to achieve the ideal bite and facial proportions, and fix them with bone nails to maintain stable healing. Nowadays, orthognathic surgery combined with CASS technology can accurately predict bone movement and postoperative occlusion, making the surgical plan highly consistent with the actual results and improving the overall treatment effect.
Dr. Su Qunlin reminds that daily activities can be resumed within about 1 to 2 weeks after orthognathic surgery, but swelling may last for 1 to 2 months, and it takes about 3 to 6 months to completely eliminate swelling; liquid or soft food is required in the early postoperative period, and normal diet can be gradually resumed in about 6 to 8 weeks; in the early postoperative period, some patients may have a short-term impact on pronunciation due to changes in occlusion, and most patients can resume normal pronunciation as they adapt to the new occlusion.
In addition, orthodontic treatment is usually required after surgery to further improve the bite and dentition arrangement and maintain long-term stable treatment results.
Dr. Su Qunlin emphasized that orthodontic surgery can not only improve functional problems, but also greatly improve appearance and self-confidence. If people have abnormal jaw development, malocclusion (such as buckling, protruding teeth, facial asymmetry, jaw retraction), or facial trauma that affects chewing or appearance, it is recommended to consult a professional doctor as soon as possible to obtain the most appropriate treatment advice.
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