How Does Reconstructive Surgery Differ From Orthognathic Surgery?
While orthognathic surgery can be considered a form of reconstructive surgery, more often than not the two take on different meanings. More simply stated, orthognathic surgery usually involves a realignment of the existing jaw structure while reconstructive surgery usually connotes the rebuilding or replacement of missing jaw structure. As mentioned above, the patient requiring reconstruction will often need the actual replacement of hard and soft tissue parts that are missing. Mitered cuts for realignment or a surgeon’s sleight of hand seldom suffice to fix the problem completely as is normally the case with orthognathic surgery. Please refer to our section on “orthognathic surgery” for a more detailed explanation of this commonplace treatment modality.
