Combined orthodontic and surgical treatment (orthognathic surgery)

Complex misalignments are sometimes treated with a combination of orthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery. It is good to know that this is one of the main areas of focus of our institute. With over 100 cases a year, we are the leader in Europe in this field.

For a healthy, pain-free life

Jaw joint noises, headaches and muscle tension. Some patients already suffer from them. Others will suffer from them if the misalignment of the jaw is not corrected in time. The causes of a skeletal discrepancy are usually hereditary. It is therefore important to align the jaws correctly, for example to avoid overloading and stretching of the jaw joint and wear of the teeth through grinding. Read here why it is important for your health to treat misalignments.

Experience counts

With complex misalignments, experience matters more than ever. The Eltz Institut has specialised in these combined treatments for many years. Together with the world's best surgeons, we are researching new methods in this field. Every year we treat around 100 cases. In case you are wondering whether that is a lot or a little: it is the number that many other orthodontists treat in their entire career. Meet our medical director, Prim. Dr. Lutz Hodecker

Our treatment results

The results of combined orthodontic and surgical treatment are almost astonishingly beautiful. Beauty, after all, is a question of healthy function. That is why our focus is always on functional aesthetics. The function of the masticatory system, the muscles and the jaw joint must be established, and this then always results in an optimal aesthetic outcome as well. See our treatment results here

How we help

Using a combination of braces and jaw surgery, we have already achieved excellent results for a large number of patients.

• In a first step, we align the teeth correctly.
• The jaws are then surgically positioned so that the teeth fit together ideally.
• In a final phase, the fine adjustment is carried out with braces, which are now worn for a shorter time.

Through this teamwork, we ultimately achieve attractive facial aesthetics, reliable long-term stability of the treatment result and lasting health of the jaw joint. The jaws no longer have to be "wired shut", as they commonly were years ago, and the recovery time is now also very short.

If you have detailed questions about your specific case, call us without obligation on +43/1/319 00 07 15. We reserve part of our time exclusively for consultations.

Treatment process

Combined orthodontic and surgical treatment usually proceeds as follows:

Consultation

You come to our practice for a consultation without obligation. We start by taking your medical history, and first of all we want to listen to you: what wishes, needs and problems do you personally have? We then take photos and a panoramic X-ray to prepare for our consultation. After that, our orthodontists work with you to draw up a provisional treatment plan based on your needs. If the therapy recommended for you includes a surgical procedure, we also take a cephalometric X-ray after the consultation and arrange a further appointment. For this appointment, our orthodontists prepare a morphing. This means that we use the computer to calculate in advance how you will look at the end of the treatment – in other words, you see a photo of how you will look at the end of the treatment.

Records

In the next step, we start planning the therapy in detail. To do this, we take models of your jaws, analyse all the information gathered (X-rays, photos, models) and plan the therapy step by step. During this phase of treatment you will also get to know your surgeon. 

Braces before surgery

We bond self-ligating mini brackets to your teeth, which are barely visible and gently move your teeth into the desired position. You come to our practice about every 6 weeks for short appointments, at which we change archwires or carry out brief check-ups, for example. At the end of this phase we carry out an interim analysis. After that, the surgical expert also examines you to see whether we are ready for the next phase. We then insert a specific archwire (surgical wire).

Surgery

Our partner surgeon takes impressions and performs model surgery on a replica of your jaw as perfect preparation for the actual operation. Only then does the actual operation take place. You will stay in hospital as an in-patient for approx. 1 week. This is followed by the healing phase, which takes about 6 weeks.

Braces after surgery

The finishing phase of the orthodontic treatment begins: the teeth are moved into their final position and after a few months the braces are removed.

Retention

It is essential to us that the teeth stay in the desired position even after the braces have been removed. That is why a retainer is fitted immediately after removal. 6 weeks later, your teeth are polished and any remaining adhesive is removed. The retention phase usually lasts 12 months. Find out more about retention here.

Patient experience

How do you feel after an operation? Will I be in pain? How long will I be out of action? Our patient Jürgen has written down his experiences of the treatment so that patients can better prepare for what lies ahead of them. You can read about his journey here.

Costs of the jaw surgery

The treatment consists of two parts: the jaw surgery and the orthodontic treatment.

Unlike in many other European countries, the cost of the jaw surgery is covered by the health insurance fund (Austrian public health insurance). 

The orthodontic treatment has to be paid for privately. You can find out what orthodontic treatment costs in Vienna here.