Loading article content
Frequently Asked Questions
The formal medical term for tooth binding is maxillomandibular fixation (MMF), where the upper and lower teeth are secured with wire or rubber bands to maintain the postoperative bite position. If teeth tying is required following surgery, patients typically have an intratracheal tube placed during the procedure, which is removed the next morning. The visible setup from the tying lasts for 2 to 6 weeks, during which the upper and lower jaws remain fixed and cannot open or close freely.
With advancements like internal fixation for sagittal osteotomy of the lower jaw and stable internal fixation as standard surgical methods, the need for teeth tying after surgery has decreased to below 1%. This is now primarily reserved for cases involving severe bone deformities or highly unstable new positions of the upper and lower jaw bones.
In combined jaw surgery and orthodontic treatment, the surgeon handles the operation while the orthodontist manages the braces. Each role is distinct yet complementary to achieve optimal outcomes. The priority between surgery and orthodontics isn't about comparing their importance but about the sequence in the treatment process.
The traditional approach prioritizes orthodontics. Teeth are adjusted to the correct positions and angles within the arches before surgery, followed by jaw surgery to reposition the bones for a stable bite. Postoperative orthodontics focuses on fine-tuning, with the entire treatment typically completed within one year after surgery.
The concept of prioritizing surgery emerged in medical literature after 2009. It involves no pre-surgical orthodontics, only planning for the operation, then directly repositioning the upper and lower jaws to a normal relative position. Due to the rapid tooth movement that occurs within three months post-surgery, orthodontic treatment progresses faster, significantly shortening the overall treatment time.