June 16, 2021

How will I benefit from jaw surgery?

Corrective jaw surgery will benefit you in numerous ways. After surgery, your jaw will be more aligned and balanced, and you will have a far more functional and healthy jaw. While recovery may be lengthy, we will keep you comfortable along the way. With jaw surgery, patients can see an improvement in speech, eating, chewing and also breathing. Many patients see a positive change in their facial structures as well after their jaw has been realigned.

**Disclaimer: This is not a patient of Dr. Richard Schmid, Dr. King Kim or
Sunrise Facial and Oral Surgery.

Watch this testimonial video from Brenna and how jaw surgery changed her way of life.

Evaluating your need for jaw surgery

Dr. Schmid and Dr. Kim use comprehensive facial x-rays and dental models to show you how your bite will be improved and even give you an idea of how your teeth and face will look after surgery. This helps you understand the surgical process and the extent of the treatment prescribed. Our goal is to help you understand the benefits of orthognathic surgery.

Our surgeons will work with your orthodontist to evaluate your need for jaw surgery. Patients need to have orthodontic work done before and after surgery. Jaw surgery is a lengthy and delicate process. In most cases, the whole process, including orthodontic work, will last 18-24 months. We will evaluate you thoroughly and realistically so that you may make the most informed decision possible.

Will health insurance cover this procedure?

For the most part, corrective jaw surgery will be considered a medical procedure rather than a cosmetic procedure, as it is needed to prevent more expensive dental or medical problems later in life.

This means that many health insurance companies will help to cover at least part of the procedure. However, each medical insurance company will have different requirements. Once you have an evaluation and a plan is in place for your surgery, our insurance department will call and find out what your benefits are for this type of procedure and will notify you of any copayments that will be due. Some medical insurance companies may require pre-approval and they will also find out if the insurance you have requires one. Also, because this procedure is done in the hospital, there will be charges they will bill to your health insurance. These charges are separate from our office. A representative from the hospital will go over the process of billing your insurance.

Next blog, Did you know snoring can be corrected with jaw surgery?