If you experience difficulty chewing, speaking, or breathing due to jaw misalignment, orthognathic surgery, also known as "corrective jaw surgery," can significantly improve your quality of life.
While orthodontics can often address bite issues, severe jaw misalignments resulting from skeletal deformities of the jawbones require a combined approach of orthodontics and surgery. This is because orthodontics alone cannot reposition the underlying bone structure.
At Drs. Nicolas & Asp Centers, our Specialist Oral Surgeons and Specialist Orthodontists specialize in precision-driven jaw correction procedures, tailored to your unique needs.
Orthognathic surgery is a specialized procedure that corrects jaw irregularities and misalignments, enhancing both function and aesthetics. This treatment is often recommended for patients with:
Orthognathic surgery is often recommended for teens and adults whose jaw growth is complete. If you have ongoing jaw discomfort or difficulty with basic oral functions, a consultation with our specialists can help determine the best course of action.
Your treatment journey will include:
Our Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon will perform a comprehensive evaluation of your face, teeth, and jaws, including precise measurements, digital scans, clinical photos, and a thorough review of your medical history. Using this information, we will create a personalized treatment plan and collaborate with you to establish a detailed timeline for your care.
Braces or aligners are used before surgery to align your teeth properly within the jawbone. This phase typically lasts six to twelve months, during which your surgeon monitors your progress. Once your teeth are in the correct position, we schedule your surgery.
The procedure is performed under general anesthesia and can last a several hours depending on the extent of the correction needed. During the surgery, your oral surgeon will reposition your upper and/or lower jaw as planned to achieve optimal function and alignment. Incisions are made inside the mouth, ensuring no visible scars.
We will provide you tailored aftercare, follow-up appointments, and rehabilitation guidance to promote proper healing and lasting results. Mild swelling, discomfort, and numbness are expected in the first few weeks but will gradually subside. During the initial recovery phase, a soft or liquid diet is usually advised, and patients may need to take time off from work or school for a smooth healing process.
Orthognathic surgery — also called corrective jaw surgery — repositions the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both to correct significant skeletal misalignment. Orthodontics moves teeth within the existing bone. When the underlying bone structure is the problem, orthodontics alone cannot fix it. Orthognathic surgery addresses the root cause, and is almost always combined with orthodontic treatment for the best functional and aesthetic outcome.
You may be a candidate if you have a severe overbite, underbite, or crossbite that cannot be resolved with braces alone, facial asymmetry caused by jaw misalignment, chronic difficulty chewing, swallowing, or speaking, obstructive sleep apnea linked to jaw positioning, or persistent jaw joint (TMJ) pain. Surgery is typically recommended once jaw growth is complete — usually in the mid to late teenage years for females, and slightly later for males. A consultation one of our Specialist Oral Surgeons is the first step to confirming whether it is right for you.
Treatment takes place in four stages. First, a comprehensive consultation — your surgeon will assess your jaw, teeth, and facial structure using digital scans, measurements, and clinical photographs to build your personalized plan. Second, pre-surgical orthodontics — braces or aligners are worn for approximately six to twelve months to position the teeth correctly within the jawbone before surgery. Third, surgical correction — performed under general anesthesia, your surgeon repositions the jaw as planned. All incisions are made inside the mouth, so there are no visible external scars. Fourth, recovery and rehabilitation — tailored aftercare, follow-up appointments, and post-surgical orthodontics ensure lasting alignment and optimal healing.
The procedure typically takes several hours, depending on the complexity of the correction and whether one or both jaws are being repositioned. Your surgeon will give you a clearer time estimate during your consultation once your treatment plan is finalized.
Yes. Orthognathic surgery is performed under general anesthesia in a hospital setting. You will be fully asleep throughout the procedure and will not feel any pain during the surgery itself.
No. All surgical incisions are made inside the mouth, along the gum line. There are no cuts made on the outside of your face, so there are no visible scars on the skin.
Most patients take one to two weeks off work or school during the initial recovery phase. Mild swelling, discomfort, and temporary numbness in the face and lips are normal and gradually resolve over the first few weeks. Full bone healing typically takes several months, during which your jaw continues to settle into its new position. Post-surgical orthodontics continues during this period to fine-tune your bite. Your team at Drs. Nicolas & Asp Centers will monitor your recovery closely throughout.
A soft or liquid diet is recommended during the early recovery period — typically the first few weeks after surgery. This protects the healing bone and avoids stress on the jaw while it stabilizes. Your surgeon will give you specific dietary guidance and let you know when it is safe to gradually reintroduce harder foods.
In many cases, yes. When obstructive sleep apnea is caused by the position of the jaw restricting the airway, repositioning the jaw surgically can significantly reduce or resolve the obstruction. Your surgeon will assess whether your sleep apnea has a skeletal component and discuss whether jaw surgery is an appropriate part of your treatment.
Jaw misalignment is a known contributing factor to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders — pain, clicking, or stiffness in the jaw joint. For patients whose TMJ problems are related to structural jaw imbalance, corrective surgery may reduce or resolve symptoms. Your surgeon and orthodontist will assess your jaw joints as part of your consultation.
Yes, in most cases. Pre-surgical orthodontics — lasting approximately six to twelve months — positions the teeth correctly within the jawbone so that when the jaw is repositioned during surgery, everything aligns as planned. Post-surgical orthodontics then fine-tunes the bite as healing progresses. Braces or clear aligners may be used depending on what is most appropriate for your case.
Coverage for orthognathic surgery varies depending on your insurance plan and whether the procedure is medically indicated — for example, to treat a functional issue such as difficulty chewing, breathing problems, or TMJ disorder. Drs. Nicolas & Asp Centers works with most major insurance providers and handles pre-approvals and paperwork on your behalf. Our team will help you understand what your plan covers before treatment begins. For more information, visit our Insurance & Payment Options page.
Orthognathic surgery at Drs. Nicolas & Asp Centers is overseen by our Specialist Oral Surgeons and coordinated with our Specialist Orthodontists — working together to plan and deliver your full treatment journey. To find out if jaw surgery is the right option for you, book a consultation at any of our four Dubai centers: Jumeirah, Marina Walk, Springs Souk, or Uptown Mirdif. Call us at 04 394 7777.