What are Lower Upper Jaw Shifts and Disorders? How to Fix?

The jaw is a structure consisting of two bones: the lower (mandible) and the upper (maxilla) jaw bone. There are also teeth on the bones that make up the jaw. In humans, as in other living creatures, the jaw helps perform eating functions such as biting and chewing. If the jaw structure is damaged, problems may occur in the listed functions. So what is chin crookedness? How to fix a crooked chin? How is chin correction surgery performed? You can find the answers to all these questions in the rest of the article.

How to Understand Jaw Shift?

The jaw is a structure that contributes to the performance of many vital functions. Some problems and developmental disorders cause the jaw to be crooked and the lower and upper jaw to be irregular. Jaw structure disorder affects many issues from a person’s eating to breathing, from sleep to speech. Chin curvature can sometimes be treated with physical therapy. However, in cases where the disorder in the jaw structure is more serious, jaw structure correction surgery may be needed for treatment. Jaw crookedness causes some signs and symptoms to appear in people. The most common symptoms of chin crookedness are as follows:

• Pain in temples,
• Jaw crunching, chattering,
• Pain in the area of ​​the jaw joint,
• Jaw stiffness, inability to open,
• Shoulder and back pain,
• Feeling of stuffiness in the ear.

In order for the jaw to be both structurally and functionally correct, the bone, tendon and muscle structures in the jaw must work in harmony. A disorder in any of these structures can cause curvature in the jaw. Common causes of jaw structure disorder are as follows:

• Trauma: Many situations such as accidents, falls, sports-related injuries can damage the jaw structure. Trauma can cause the jaw to crack, fracture, or dislocate the jaw joint. If there is minor damage to the jaw as a result of trauma, this may heal spontaneously. However, in cases of more serious fractures and dislocations, surgery may be needed.
• Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Diseases: Temporomandibular joint or jaw joint disorders are quite common in society. Sometimes the underlying cause may not be found in the development of TMJ diseases. However, sometimes TMJ diseases can also develop due to conditions such as arthritis, stress and trauma. Treatment of TMJ diseases varies depending on the severity of the disease affecting the person. In some people with TMJ disease; Methods such as cold application on the joint, jaw exercise, use of oral devices, and botox can help relieve discomfort. In cases where TMJ disease is very severe, jaw joint surgery may be required.
• Birth Defects: Some people may have congenital structural problems such as crooked jaw or crooked jaw. These problems, which are grouped under congenital defects because they exist from birth, can be corrected by both surgery and lifestyle changes.
• Tooth Alignment Irregularities: The teeth on the jaw bones must be arranged in a certain order. Irregularities in this arrangement, namely crooked teeth; It can negatively affect the development of the jaw bones and cause curvature, crookedness and misalignment. Crooked teeth can be corrected with devices such as braces and appliances. In cases where these are not sufficient, surgery may be used.

When the crookedness of the chin is obvious, it can be seen from the outside. The presence of symptoms seen in chin crookedness is also important for the diagnosis of this disorder. For a definitive diagnosis of jaw curvature, it is necessary to consult an oral, dental and maxillofacial surgeon. Experts can confirm the diagnosis of chin curvature with the help of various examination methods.

How to Fix Chin Misalignment?

Correcting the jaw structure disorder is of critical importance for improving the person’s eating, speaking and sleeping. There are many different methods of correcting the crookedness of the chin. Physical therapy, cold application, jaw exercises and simple painkillers can be used to treat minor injuries to the jaw. However, in more serious cases, surgery is required to correct the jaw structure.

Chin Shift Surgery

Jaw surgery, also known as orthognathic surgery, is the name given to the general operations used to correct the jaw bones and the alignment of the teeth in the jaw. Correcting the jaw structure not only improves functions such as eating and speaking, but also improves facial appearance.

Jaw surgery contributes to the correction of problems that orthodontic methods such as braces or appliances cannot correct. People may need to use braces and appliances before and after jaw surgery for orthodontic problems. Jaw surgery is usually performed after the completion of physical development. Therefore, the ideal age for jaw surgery is 14-16 years old for women and 17-21 years old for men.

Jaw surgery can be performed to solve the following problems:

• Improving biting and chewing functions,
• Correcting problems related to swallowing and speech,
• Protecting dental health,
• Elimination of problems related to jaw closure,
• Correction of facial asymmetry caused by conditions such as small chin and crossbite,
• Ensuring complete and healthy closure of the lips,
• Relieving pain caused by jaw disorders, especially TMJ diseases,
• Correction of facial injuries and birth defects,
• Improving sleep problems such as obstructive sleep apnea.

Before jaw surgery, there is usually a preparation period for the surgery. During this preparation process, patients usually need to wear braces for 12-18 months. In this way, the alignment of the teeth is corrected to a certain extent before the surgery. In jaw surgery, films of the teeth and jaw bones are taken to plan the operation in detail. Sometimes teeth may need to be reshaped to optimize tooth alignment. It is performed by jaw surgery, oral surgery and maxillofacial surgery specialists. Jaw surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia and patients need to stay in the hospital for approximately 2-4 days. Crooked jaw surgery is usually performed through the mouth. Therefore, there is no surgery scar left on the face. However, in some cases, it may be necessary to intervene with a small incision on the outside of the jaw. In such cases, a small scar may remain on the face. During the surgery, surgeons move the jaw bones into the correct position. Small plates, screws, and wires can be used to fix the bones in this position. These tools used fuse with the bone over time, strengthening the jaw structure. In some surgeries, bone can be transferred to the jaw bones from different bones in the body. Sometimes bones are reshaped by methods such as chiseling.

There are many subtypes of jaw surgery. These subspecies are as follows:

• Maxillary Osteotomy:  It is a type of jaw surgery in which the upper jaw bone is corrected. It is used in the treatment of conditions such as cross bite, jaw closing disorder, underdevelopment of the middle part of the face (midfacial hypoplasia), and lagging upper jaw.
• Mandibular Osteotomy:  It is jaw surgery in which the lower jaw bone is corrected. This method is used to improve the crookedness of the lower jaw.
• Genioplasty:  It is a type of jaw surgery in which the small chin condition is corrected. A small chin is often associated with severe lower jaw retardation. With genioplasty, the small jaw is reshaped and the lower jaw bone is brought to a more anterior position.

There are some situations that need to be taken into consideration in order to accelerate the post-operative recovery process. After the surgery, the patient should follow the doctor’s recommendations about what to eat and drink and pay attention to oral hygiene. Again, during this period, the patient should stay away from tobacco products such as cigarettes. Painkillers may be prescribed to the patient to relieve post-operative pain. Recovery after jaw structure correction surgery takes approximately 6 weeks. However, in some cases, recovery may take up to 12 weeks. It may be necessary to wait a few years for the braces placed after surgery to be removed. As a result of the treatment, in addition to improving the person’s oral and dental health, improvements can also be made in issues such as appearance and self-confidence.

As with all invasive procedures, chin crookedness correction surgery also has some risks. Risks of surgery include blood loss, infection, nerve damage, and jaw fracture. After the procedure, complications such as fixing the tooth in the wrong position, jaw joint pain, and adversely affecting dental health may occur.

What Happens If Jaw Shift Is Not Treated?

The jaw is very critical for nutrition. Especially in cases of congenital defect or severe jaw crookedness, the patient’s nutrition may be seriously impaired. This nutritional deterioration in young children can lead to developmental delay. Jaw problems can cause breathing problems, especially obstructive sleep apnea. Jaw curvature may also cause chronic headaches such as migraine or aggravate the existing problem.

Jaw structure disorder can affect people functionally. It may also lead to undesirable aesthetic results. Therefore, correcting the crooked jaw with both surgical and non-surgical methods improves the person’s quality of life. By detecting structural problems in the jaw early, it is possible to start treatment at a younger age. This increases the success of treatment. Jaw crookedness can be detected at an early stage by regular oral and dental health checks. Do not forget to go for regular oral and dental check-ups for the health of both yourself and your loved ones. We wish you healthy days.