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12 Signs You May Need Corrective Jaw Surgery

If you’re health-savvy, you know the importance of diet, exercise and keeping track of your cholesterol levels. You stand up straight, knowing good spinal alignment promotes back health. But jaw alignment? Chances are, you haven’t given it a second thought.

It may come as a surprise to learn an improper bite resulting from misaligned teeth and/or jaws can damage your health—and your looks. Here are a dozen telltale signs that you may need corrective jaw surgery:

  1. Difficulty taking a bite or chewing food
  2. Chronic jaw or jaw joint (TMJ) pain, often accompanied by a headache
  3. Difficulty swallowing
  4. Obstructive sleep apnea, characterized by breathing problems when sleeping, including snoring
  5. Excessive wear of the teeth
  6. Dry mouth from chronic mouth breathing
  7. Space between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed (called an “open bite”)
  8. Inability to make the lips meet without straining
  9. Protruding jaw
  10. Receding chin
  11. Facial injury or birth defects
  12. Unbalanced facial appearance from the front or side

If you have a misaligned jaw, it’s reassuring to know the board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons at Oral & Facial Surgeons of Arizona have the highest level of expertise in treating patients with poor jaw alignment. During your office visit, we will take X-rays to evaluate your bite and jaw alignment. Using state-of-the-art 3-D models and computerized imaging, we can help you understand your underlying condition. By the end of the consultation, you will feel fully informed of all the treatment options available to you.

To discover whether you have a misaligned jaw and what can be done about it, contact us today at our Arcadia or Tempe office.