Jaw Surgery (Genioplasty)
Deformities of the jaw are very diverse, usually due to developmental problems.  However, sometimes they can also occur as a result of accidents. One of the important problems in jaw deformities is whether the teeth are also involved. Because depending on this, the technique to be used in surgery, planning and recovery time vary.

Deformities in the jaw can be listed as follows;

• Jawbone shifting to the side
• Insufficient development of the upper jaw
• The upper jaw is excessively advanced compared to the lower jaw
• Underdevelopment of the lower jaw
• Developmental defects of the upper and lower jaw together

Normally, the teeth of the upper jaw are slightly in front of the lower teeth, covering the teeth of the lower jaw. Any other kind of upper and lower teeth relationship creates a situation that needs to be corrected. This treatment is sometimes performed only with orthodontics and sometimes, in cases where orthodontics is not sufficient or too late, with jaw surgery to be performed after orthodontic adjustment. Orthodontic treatment should continue for a while after the surgery.

Sometimes, although the teeth are in a normal occlusion relationship with each other, the lower jaw may remain in front, behind or to the side compared to the upper jaw. In such jaw disorders, jaw tip aesthetic surgeries can be performed by intervening only on the jaw tip bone without intervention for the teeth.

Surgery
Surgery varies according to the discomfort in the jaw.

The surgery to be performed if the chin tip is small;

The jaw tip bone is cut and taken as far forward as necessary and fixed.

The jaw tip can be enlarged by placing a prosthesis on the jaw tip.

Surgery to be performed if the jaw tip is on the side;

The jaw tip bone is cut and shifted to the center and fixed.

Surgery to be performed if the jaw tip is large;

The jaw tip is cut as much as necessary and taken back and fixed. The excess bone at the tip of the jaw is cut and removed.

Surgeries to be performed when there are tooth incompatibilities (biting problem);

• Moving the upper jaw forward
• Retrieval of the lower jaw
• Distraction applications in the upper or lower jaw

In such cases, orthodontic planning and treatment before surgery is very important to prepare the teeth for surgery and to determine their new position after surgery. This treatment lasts approximately 6 months. When the oral and dental structure of the person becomes suitable for surgery, orthodontic treatment is interrupted and surgery is performed. After the surgery, the upper and lower jaws are fixed to each other for a certain period of time to prevent the mouth from opening. This period is 3 weeks or 8 weeks depending on the fixation method to be applied in the surgery. During this period, the patient is fed with liquid foods and high-calorie solutions are prescribed to the patient. Depending on such surgeries, temporary or permanent sensory defects may occur in the lower lip, swelling may last longer than chin tip aesthetics. Orthodontic treatment should be continued for 6 months after the surgery.

All these surgeries are performed under general anesthesia. Since the incision will be made through the mouth, there will be no scar on the skin. Swelling is less and lasts shorter. Pain is less common. The recovery period is limited to 1 week or 10 days. During this period, it is important that the person is fed with liquid foods in order not to have wound problems in the mouth. Stitches do not need to be removed as the stitches dissolve spontaneously.