Dr. David González Padilla, maxillofacial surgeon in Seville at Top Doctors, will talk to us about Orthognathic Surgery.
What is orthognathic surgery and what deformities can it correct?
Orthognathic surgery is surgery that treats bone-based and dental-based dentofacial deformities, that is to say, there is a problem in the position of the jaws, in the situation in the space of the jaws and also a dental problem. Therefore, the orthodontist and the maxillofacial surgeon are the two professionals who treat this type of deformity. The type of pathology that orthognathic surgery treats are those cases in which, for example, the jaw is very prominent, the case that is called prognathism or when the maxilla is very far back, there is a sinking of the middle third of the face or in those cases in which the jaw is backward, a retrognathia, or an asymmetry in which there is a deviation of the face by overgrowth of one side over the other. It is in these cases that the maxillofacial surgeon intervenes, correcting all these types of deformities.
How is the intervention planned and what experience do you have?
Planning in orthognathic surgery is complex and very thorough and exhaustive. We always begin with an examination of the face. We dissect practically the entire face, viewing it from the front, in profile, three-quarter view, and this facial analysis is then transferred to the radiological analysis, a complete radiological analysis. And the radiological analysis and the facial analysis are also transferred to the laboratory to perform the surgical intervention in the laboratory. That surgical intervention is extracted as a product of surgical splints that we transfer to the operating room and we complete the intervention. The experience we have is 25 years treating all this type of deformities with a wide casuistry. It should be taken into account that the two surgeons who intervene are Dr. Hernandez Guisado and myself, and we have intervened in the face transplant that was done in Andalusia, we have intervened in multiple very complex interventions and the experience we have in this field is very broad.