Orthognathic Surgery
Pronunciation: or-thog-NATH-ik
Corrective jaw surgery performed to realign the jaws and teeth to improve function and facial aesthetics when orthodontic treatment alone is insufficient.
Full Definition
Orthognathic surgery encompasses a range of surgical procedures designed to correct skeletal malocclusions, jaw asymmetries, and dentofacial deformities that cannot be resolved with orthodontics alone. Common procedures include Le Fort I osteotomy (maxillary repositioning), bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) of the mandible, and genioplasty. Treatment typically requires pre-surgical orthodontics, surgical intervention, and post-surgical orthodontic finishing. In editorial contexts, 'orthognathic' (jaw-straightening) must not be confused with 'orthodontic' (tooth-straightening), as these describe different disciplines and document types. Operative and medicolegal reports require precise use of named osteotomy terms.
Usage
Usage note: Spell 'orthognathic,' not 'orthognastic' or 'orthoganathic.' Do not use interchangeably with 'orthodontic.'
In Context
- "The surgical-orthodontic treatment plan included a Le Fort I osteotomy combined with bilateral sagittal split osteotomy as the orthognathic surgical approach." — Multidisciplinary treatment planning letter
- "A common editorial error is substituting 'orthodontic surgery' for 'orthognathic surgery'—both terms should be queried whenever they appear." — Editorial style note