Maxillofacial Surgery — Procedure Guide, Recovery & Risks | MyMedicPlus

Oral and maxillofacial surgery addresses diseases, injuries, and defects of the face, jaws, mouth, and neck, encompassing orthognathic jaw surgery, facial trauma repair, tumour resection, and cleft palate correction.

Indicated for jaw misalignment (malocclusion), facial trauma, TMJ disorders, oral tumours, cleft lip and palate, salivary gland disease, sleep apnoea surgical correction, and impacted wisdom teeth with complications.

Procedures are performed under general or local anaesthesia. Orthognathic surgery repositions the upper and lower jaw using osteotomies and titanium fixation plates. Intraoral incisions are used to minimise external scarring.

Jaw elastic bands restrict mouth opening for 4–6 weeks after orthognathic surgery. A liquid and soft diet is followed for 6 weeks. Swelling resolves over 4–8 weeks; lip and chin numbness may persist for 3–6 months.

Risks include infection, inferior alveolar nerve injury causing numbness (10–15%), malocclusion relapse, airway compromise, non-union of bony segments, and facial asymmetry that may require revision surgery.

Orthognathic surgery corrects malocclusion in over 90% of cases with stable long-term results. Facial symmetry and airway function improve significantly. Patient satisfaction exceeds 85% at 2-year follow-up.