Reviewed by Derek Reznik, DDS, MS
Surgical orthodontics, or orthognathic treatment, combines orthodontic tooth movement with jaw surgery performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. It is for patients whose jaws do not meet correctly and whose underlying relationship cannot be corrected by moving the teeth alone. Reznik Orthodontics plans and manages the orthodontic side of these cases at both offices, working alongside surgeons in the Permian Basin.
Search for jaw surgery in Odessa or Midland, and you will find oral surgeons, which is correct: the operation is theirs. Harder to find is an explanation of the other half of the treatment, which lasts far longer than the surgery and determines much of the result. That is the orthodontist’s half.
Who needs surgery, and who does not
Most bite problems are corrected by moving teeth. Braces and aligners are remarkably good at compensating for a slightly off jaw relationship.
Surgery enters the picture when the discrepancy between the upper and lower jaws is large enough that compensating for it would either not work or would damage the teeth trying. Common indications include:
- A lower jaw that sits noticeably forward or back of the upper
- An open bite where the front teeth can’t be brought together
- Marked facial asymmetry
- Bite problems severe enough to interfere with chewing, speech, or breathing
Some of those are only surgical in adulthood. In a growing child, the same discrepancy can sometimes be guided rather than operated on, which is one of the strongest arguments for an early check by age 7. Once growth finishes, the options narrow.
The only way to know which category you’re in is a proper examination, with three-dimensional imaging where the case calls for it. Plenty of patients who arrive convinced they need surgery do not.
How the two treatments fit together
Orthognathic treatment runs in three stages, and the orthodontist is involved in all three.
- Before surgery. Braces are used to align the teeth within each jaw and position them so the jaws will fit together correctly once the surgeon moves them. This stage often makes the bite look temporarily worse, which is expected and is worth being warned about in advance rather than discovering.
- The surgery itself. Performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, usually in a hospital, repositioning one or both jaws. The orthodontist and the surgeon plan that movement together, working from the same records.
- After surgery. Orthodontic treatment continues to settle the bite precisely into its new position, and then retention holds it. Most patients return to school, work, or normal daily activities within about two weeks, with healing continuing over the following weeks while both the orthodontist and the oral surgeon monitor progress.
Cost, and why this page does not quote one
Orthognathic treatment involves two providers, a surgical facility and a longer orthodontic course, so a single figure quoted on a website would be meaningless.
What can be said is how the orthodontic side works here: the consultation is free, the fee is quoted in writing after examination, monthly payments begin at $99, $0 down is available, and in-house plans carry no interest. Reznik Orthodontics is not in-network with any insurance plan but accepts most PPO plans, bills your carrier directly and takes assignment of benefits where allowed. Medical rather than dental coverage sometimes applies to the surgical portion, and that is a question for the surgeon’s office and your carrier. See cost and financing.
Deciding whether to do it
This is a bigger decision than any other treatment on this site, and it deserves to be made slowly.
Surgery corrects the underlying jaw relationship, which is why it produces results that orthodontics alone cannot. It also involves an operation, a hospital stay, a recovery period and a longer overall course of treatment. Some patients with a genuine skeletal discrepancy decide, after understanding all of that, to accept a compromise result achieved with braces alone. That is a legitimate choice and it is one the practice will help you think through rather than argue you out of.
What you should have before deciding is a clear picture of both options: what surgery would achieve, what a non-surgical plan would achieve, and where the difference between the two actually falls. That is what the consultation is for, and it costs nothing.
Book a free consultation
Call the Odessa office at (432) 333-7105 or the Midland office at (432) 682-1222, or request an appointment online.
Dr. Megan Reznik and Dr. Derek Reznik are each a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. The consultation costs nothing, and it will tell you whether surgery is genuinely indicated for your case or whether a non-surgical plan would do what you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an orthodontist perform jaw surgery?
No. Jaw surgery is performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The orthodontist diagnoses the problem, plans the tooth movement with the surgeon, treats the case before and after the operation, and manages retention afterwards.
Will I need braces before jaw surgery, or only after?
Both, in most cases. The pre-surgical phase positions the teeth so the jaws can fit correctly once repositioned, and the post-surgical phase settles the bite into its final position.
How do I know whether braces alone would be enough?
A comprehensive orthodontic examination, with imaging where the case requires it, is the only reliable way. Severity of the jaw discrepancy, whether growth is finished, and what result you want all feed into that judgment.
Who chooses the surgeon?
It is a joint decision, and you have a say. Reznik Orthodontics coordinates with oral and maxillofacial surgeons practicing in the Permian Basin, and the two offices plan the case together from shared records.