Dr. Jacques NUSSBAUMER, in addition to his private orthodontic practice in Strasbourg, has been working for over 25 years in the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery at the Strasbourg University Hospital (CHU).
He and his team have developed solid expertise and extensive experience, with several hundred surgical cases successfully treated.
Orthognathic surgery is to the jaws what orthopedic surgery is to the limbs. It corrects positional discrepancies of the lower jaw (mandible) and upper jaw (maxilla), both in relation to one another and to the skull.
This is not an isolated treatment; it is always performed in conjunction with orthodontic therapy.
Surgical techniques are now highly refined and reliable. Demand for this type of treatment has significantly increased, leading orthodontists to more frequently recommend orthognathic surgery for their patients, whether they are young adults or older individuals.
As a result, treatment goals have become more ambitious, both functionally and aesthetically.
Jaw misalignments can lead to a mismatch between the upper and lower dental arches. Over time, they may also be associated with pain, difficulty chewing, and even snoring or sleep apnea.
The initial facial aesthetic concerns may be significant, and the improvement in facial harmony following treatment is often equally substantial.
This may include a marked reshaping of the lower facial contour, elimination of a double chin, reduction of jowl and labiomental folds, enhancement of the nasolabial angle, and correction of a gummy smile.
How does the treatment work?
Generally, the treatment is carried out in three phases:
- Pre-surgical orthodontic treatment, lasting 6 to 12 months, with the appliance we will choose together.
- The surgical phase, performed under general anesthesia. This procedure leaves no external scars. The time needed to return to normal activities varies depending on the nature of the work:
– 3 weeks for academic or school activities
– 1 month for sedentary intellectual work
– 2 months for physically demanding jobs - Post-surgical orthodontic refinement, lasting 3 to 6 months, ensures proper dental alignment and long-term stability.
