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SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Malocclusion, or misalignment of the jaw, affects a quarter of the US population to varying degrees. Many patients are told by their dentists that their only choice of treatment is jaw surgery plus orthodontics, a treatment method that can take a couple of years. But despite what many orthodontists and oral surgeons believe, jaw surgery is not the only available solution for correcting overbites, underbites, open bites, misaligned jaws or TMJ pain.
In fact, corrective jaw surgery, or orthognathic surgery, carries significant risks that patients must understand. In this procedure, the surgeon will typically cut a section of the upper or lower jaw bone. Often, patients must wear braces for several months leading up to the surgery. Afterward, the patients have their jaws wired shut for several weeks while they heal.
This creates a variety of risks for the patient:
The problem, he says, is orthodontists often lack the know-how to treat their patients' malocclusions with non-invasive methods. That's why so many people undergo surgical procedures and braces that don't produce the right results. Instead of jumping to jaw surgery as the primary solution, Dr. Muslin recommends jaw surgery only for truly severe cases, such as when the size of one jawbone disfigures that patient's face. And even these patients may be helped non-invasively.
"We see patients that say (or were told) that they have an extreme underbite — and they don't," said Dr. Muslin. "We need to be careful about the definition of 'extreme' because of how it can be interpreted."
When orthodontists interpret "extreme skeletal malocclusion" too loosely, patients end up suffering the risks of surgery needlessly. That's why Dr. Muslin created his trademarked no-prep VENLAY® Bite Correction system, which addresses both skeletal and physical health with aesthetics that are not possible with surgery. As an example: "If the patient has small teeth, they will still have small teeth after jaw surgery. The alternative treatment can enlarge the teeth and replace the lost enamel due to wear by building a new biting surface over the top of the existing teeth without drilling down the teeth for porcelain crowns or cutting the jaw."
Most of Dr. Muslin's patients seek this treatment either because correction with braces or clear retainers did not work, or because they wish to avoid surgical correction. "We see patients of all ages that do not want the jaw surgery and get our treatment to avoid it," Dr. Muslin says.
Patients report successful outcomes both in the long and term and the short term, too:
SOURCE Dr. Sam Muslin
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In fact, corrective jaw surgery, or orthognathic surgery, carries significant risks that patients must understand. In this procedure, the surgeon will typically cut a section of the upper or lower jaw bone. Often, patients must wear braces for several months leading up to the surgery. Afterward, the patients have their jaws wired shut for several weeks while they heal.
This creates a variety of risks for the patient:
- Braces are designed to move teeth, not the jaw itself. They are seldom effective at treating jaw alignment issues.
- Surgery can place too great a burden on patients. They typically have to take time off from work and put other parts of their life on hold to accommodate surgical healing.
- Surgery, in general, is painful and may, or may not, heal as planned. Sometimes more surgery is needed. Patients may experience a loss of taste, numbness of the face or lips (paresthesia), TMJ pain or a loss of facial expression.
The problem, he says, is orthodontists often lack the know-how to treat their patients' malocclusions with non-invasive methods. That's why so many people undergo surgical procedures and braces that don't produce the right results. Instead of jumping to jaw surgery as the primary solution, Dr. Muslin recommends jaw surgery only for truly severe cases, such as when the size of one jawbone disfigures that patient's face. And even these patients may be helped non-invasively.
"We see patients that say (or were told) that they have an extreme underbite — and they don't," said Dr. Muslin. "We need to be careful about the definition of 'extreme' because of how it can be interpreted."
When orthodontists interpret "extreme skeletal malocclusion" too loosely, patients end up suffering the risks of surgery needlessly. That's why Dr. Muslin created his trademarked no-prep VENLAY® Bite Correction system, which addresses both skeletal and physical health with aesthetics that are not possible with surgery. As an example: "If the patient has small teeth, they will still have small teeth after jaw surgery. The alternative treatment can enlarge the teeth and replace the lost enamel due to wear by building a new biting surface over the top of the existing teeth without drilling down the teeth for porcelain crowns or cutting the jaw."
Most of Dr. Muslin's patients seek this treatment either because correction with braces or clear retainers did not work, or because they wish to avoid surgical correction. "We see patients of all ages that do not want the jaw surgery and get our treatment to avoid it," Dr. Muslin says.
Patients report successful outcomes both in the long and term and the short term, too:
- "I feel like a woman," said one of Dr. Muslin's most recent patients, just a few days after completing her treatment. She wished to avoid hospitalization and braces, not to mention the risks of jaw surgery. The non-invasive treatment took about a month and gave her an improved facial profile, a smaller-looking chin and a newfound sense of self-confidence.
- Another patient said Dr. Muslin changed his life. Five years after completing his treatment, he says his bite is perfect and his teeth are straight.
- One more patient came in for overbite correction after giving up on 20 porcelain veneers that failed. Treatment took a month, resulting in a better profile, a more masculine jawline and a more comfortable jaw position.
SOURCE Dr. Sam Muslin
