Surgical Orthodontics in Berkeley, CA

Surgical orthodontics, also called orthognathic surgery, is corrective jaw surgery combined with braces to fix severe skeletal problems that affect how you bite, chew, and speak. It is used when the jaws themselves are misaligned, not just the teeth. Dr. Robert Iezman plans and manages the orthodontic side and coordinates closely with an oral surgeon.

Most bite problems can be corrected with braces or aligners alone. But when the upper and lower jaws are significantly out of balance, moving the teeth is only part of the answer. Surgical orthodontics corrects the position of the jaws themselves, which can improve chewing, speech, breathing, and facial balance, and relieve long-standing strain. At Berkeley Family Orthodontics, Dr. Robert Iezman brings 38 years of experience to these complex cases, guiding the orthodontic treatment before and after surgery and working hand in hand with a trusted oral surgeon so your care stays coordinated from start to finish.

What Is Surgical Orthodontics?

Surgical orthodontics treats skeletal problems, meaning the issue is with the size or position of the jawbones, not only the alignment of the teeth. Braces move teeth within the jaw; jaw surgery repositions the jaw. Used together, they can correct bite and jaw discrepancies that braces alone cannot reach. It is typically recommended for adults and older teens whose jaws have finished growing.

Who Might Need Jaw Surgery?

Surgical orthodontics is reserved for more severe cases. You may be a candidate if you have:

• Difficulty chewing, biting, or swallowing
• An open bite (front teeth that do not touch when the back teeth are closed)
• A protruding lower jaw (underbite) or a very receding chin
• A significant overbite or crossbite rooted in jaw position
• Chronic jaw or TMJ pain
• Trouble with speech tied to jaw structure
• Facial imbalance or asymmetry from a jaw discrepancy
• Breathing concerns linked to jaw position

These differences can be present from birth, run in families, or develop after an injury. Only a full evaluation, including images and measurements, can tell you whether surgery is truly needed. In many cases, Dr. Iezman will confirm that non-surgical braces or aligners can achieve your goals instead.

How the Orthodontist and Oral Surgeon Work Together

Surgical orthodontics is a team effort, and understanding the steps takes the mystery out of it. Treatment usually follows four phases:

1. Evaluation and planning. Dr. Iezman examines your bite and jaws, takes 3D imaging, and maps a plan together with the oral surgeon so everyone shares one goal.
2. Presurgical orthodontics. You wear braces first, often for several months to a year, to move your teeth into the positions they will need to be in after the jaws are realigned. Your bite may feel different during this stage, which is expected.
3. Surgery. The oral and maxillofacial surgeon repositions the jaw (or jaws) in a hospital or surgical setting. Modern planning software lets the team preview the result in advance.
4. Postsurgical orthodontics. After healing, Dr. Iezman fine-tunes your bite with braces so your teeth fit together comfortably, followed by retainers to hold the result.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

Because surgical cases involve two phases of orthodontics around the surgery itself, the full process commonly takes somewhere in the range of one and a half to two and a half years, depending on the complexity of the case. Dr. Iezman will give you a realistic timeline at your consultation so you know what to expect at each stage.

Is Jaw Surgery Safe? Am I Too Old?

Orthognathic surgery is a well-established, routinely performed procedure done by experienced oral surgeons, and your team will discuss the benefits and risks in detail before you decide. There is generally no strict upper age limit for adults. Overall health, not age alone, is the deciding factor. The most important thing is that surgery is only recommended when it offers a real, lasting improvement that braces alone cannot.