How to Choose a Jaw Surgeon

Choosing a jaw surgeon is a difficult but crucial task. And while there is no “one-size fits all” approach, there are some clear criteria for ensuring you are working with a competent surgeon.  Here are some to consider:

1. Specialization

Most surgeons perform a variety of procedures but as is the case for any health condition, seeing someone who specializes in your condition is ideal. Practices that do a handful of jaw surgery procedures a year may not be up to date on many aspects of the procedure that are important to you and the success of your procedure. Typically seeing a provider specialized in your area of need results in a higher level of understanding and nuance.  In the jaw surgery world this often represents maximizing esthetics and airway changes instead of merely making the teeth fit.

2. Case Volume:

Similar to specialization, case volume is important to be competent in a procedure. From the office systems helping you navigate insurance, hospitals, and recovery, practices performing a high volume of a procedure are dialed into the process and can help you navigate the entirety of your journey and not merely perform a procedure.

3. Before & After images:

Most surgeons can make teeth fit together and deal with easier or select cases. However, surgeons with before and after images of complex cases, a variety of different types of cases, and cases similar to yours offers reassurance that your surgeon is not only capable but confident in dealing with your situation.

4. Reviews:

Most people understand the concept of Google and other reviews. However, it is important to examine those reviews in detail. How many reviews are for a situation like yours? For instance, a surgeon with 1,000 reviews for wisdom teeth removal and only 3 for orthognathic or TMJ surgery may be perfect for your wisdom teeth needs but not represent the ideal surgeon for your TMJ or Jaw surgery.

5. Complications and Revisions:

All surgeons have complications and patients that require revisions. Anyone saying otherwise should raise red flags and not have your trust.  Being confident that your surgeon has smaller numbers of complications and is confident dealing with those complications should they arise is a key to feeling confident in that surgeon.  Knowing that no matter what occurs, your surgeon will be able to handle the situation is more important than finding a surgeon who never has complications as they do not exist.  Also, if possible, examine if your surgeon routinely treats the complications of other surgeons and revises other surgeon’s treatment.

6. Comprehensive Care & Limitations:

This is often the most difficult consideration to explore.  Many surgeons treat one or a few aspects of jaw surgery but may not deal with all aspects.  For instance, many surgeons perform minor TMJ procedures or orthognathic surgery.  Well, what if you have a TMJ condition, require jaw surgery, and/or further esthetic procedures?  Is your surgeon capable of addressing all your needs or dealing with these issues should they arise? Will you be given a treatment and then told there is nothing else that can be done in that office should your condition worsen or not respond to the limited treatment? Are you forced into a box of the treatment options that provider performs or are you given the most appropriate treatment based on your condition and desires?

A common example of this seen in our practice involves patients with facial asymmetry.  If this issue is merely a difference in jaw size, many surgeons can treat this with orthognathic surgery.  Well, what if the issue stems from a TMJ condition? Is your surgeon equipped to handle that condition or might they avoid diagnosing it because it is out of their scope of practice? What if you only wanted to treat the cosmetic aspect? Does your surgeon perform jaw contouring and facial implant placement? What if your condition requires all the above? Do you have to see multiple providers and have multiple procedures, or can you receive comprehensive care from a single surgeon?

At Arizona Jaw Surgery, we have designed our practice to be a comprehensive jaw surgery practice that attempts to tackle any jaw issue.  We do not shy away from complex cases or cases that require TMJ or cosmetic treatment options. We do not have a one-size fits all approach and often think outside of the box to ensure we are treating what the patient desires and not merely a performing a procedure we know how to do.