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Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago

Jaw distraction
What Is Jaw Distraction?

 

Jaw distraction Chicago

Jaw distraction, also known as mandibular distraction, is a procedure that is usually carried out within the first several weeks of a newborn’s life. Some infants are born with a lower jaw that is undersized or recessed (called micrognathia), which results in babies having trouble eating, breathing, and even sleeping.

Jaw distraction can correct issues in the airways, alleviate difficulties with feeding, and improve psychosocial aspects by creating a more symmetrical face and jaw. The Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago is one of a select few clinics that offer this unique procedure, and we do so with the health, safety, and wellbeing of your child in mind.

Jaw distraction

IS MY CHILD A CANDIDATE FOR JAW DISTRACTION?

Defects or issues with the jaw are evident immediately after birth. Your child’s doctor will let you know if mandibular distraction is a viable treatment option for your newborn. Traditionally, children with micrognathia or other jaw defects (craniofacial macrosomia) were treated with a tracheostomy that would remain in place for several years, but thanks to the advancements in plastic surgery, jaw distraction is a permanent solution that corrects the problem early in life.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A CONSULTATION

If jaw distraction is suggested as a possible treatment option by your pediatrician, you should seek a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. During a consultation with the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago, we will take the time to explain all aspects of the procedure, including potential risks and recovery, and provide you with an extensive overview of both functional and aesthetic details of jaw distraction.

HOW A JAW DISTRACTION IS PERFORMED

First, a general anesthetic is administered and vital signs are monitored closely. The surgeon will make two incisions inside the mouth or on the external skin, one on each side of the jaw, and carefully separate the soft tissue from the mandible bone. A distraction device is attached to the jaw with screws; the distraction device will later be turned daily for about two weeks in order to slowly pull the ends of the jaw bones apart. By this method, the jaw is lengthened, and bone will form in the new gap between the two ends of the jaw bone during the healing process.

The distraction device remains in place for approximately twelve weeks to allow the new bone to fully form. The device is then surgically removed with another procedure at the end of treatment.

RECOVERY AFTER A JAW DISTRACTION

Most infants remain in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) or PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) during the entire distraction process because eating orally can be difficult while the device is in place. In some cases, patients will be allowed to go home, though parents must undergo special education to learn post-surgical care, feeding techniques, and how to adjust the distraction device.

After the distraction device is removed and the incision sites have healed, your baby should be able to eat, breathe, and sleep normally. Most infants that undergo this procedure can go on to have ordinary jaw growth and speech development.

POTENTIAL RISKS OF JAW DISTRACTION

There are always potential complications in any surgical procedure or anytime anesthesia is administered. Specific risks associated with jaw distraction may include:

      • Bleeding
      • Infection
      • Delay in speech development
      • Abnormal speech development
      • Abnormal speech development

At the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago, we take every effort to minimize potential complications by using the safest and most innovative techniques. You can further reduce risk by strictly adhering to all instructions provided by your plastic surgeon, both before and after the procedure.

WHAT DOES JAW DISTRACTION COST?

It is difficult to provide an approximate cost for jaw distraction because the procedure varies greatly between patients. Be sure to discuss all costs with your plastic surgeon during your consultation. Your medical insurance may cover some or all of the cost associated with jaw distraction. Contact your health insurance provider before your child undergoes the procedure.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

The doctors and staff of the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago are experts in both plastic surgery procedures and pediatric care. We understand that as a new parent, the wellbeing of your child is your highest priority, which is why we make it our highest priority as well. If you have any questions or concerns about mandibular distraction, please don’t hesitate to give us a call to schedule a consultation.

All surgical procedures by the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago are performed at top hospitals in Chicago and CMS or AAAASF-certified surgical centers for safety.

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Happy for this patient and her transformation. This patient is transfemale who underwent facial feminization. Can you tell what surgeries were performed? Still have to perform the tracheal shave. Posted with permission.

#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #craniofacialsurgery #FFS #facialfeminization #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
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6 month follow-up on a mastopexy augmentation case. The patient’s goals were to have her breasts lifted and the volume restored after pregnancy. No patient has perfectly symmetric breasts, which is normal. This case was challenging because of the asymmetries of the nipples; trying to lift, augment, and level the nipples all at the same time is difficult. Many variables to control but the post-operative photos demonstrate improved symmetry with all of the patient’s goals achieved. Posted with permission.

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6 month follow-up on a challenging revision rhinoplasty case. The patient had 3 prior rhinoplasty surgeries by another surgeon and was not happy with the aesthetics of the dorsum or tip. In the pre-operative profile views, you can see a dorsal hump, under-projected tip, and abnormal alar-columellar relationship. On frontal view, there are asymmetries of the dorsal aesthetic lines and C-shape deviation of the nose. The goal of the surgery was to make the nose straighter, improve the dorsum and tip proportions, increase tip projection, and improve the alar-columellar relationship. Look closely at the post-operative profile views and how the tip, nostril and columella appear. Posted with permission.

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Many ways to do a breast augmentation but the periareolar incision is a great option because the scar becomes imperceptible as the scar matures. This patient is 6 months out from a breast augmentation and the access incision we made was at the bottom border of the nipple areolar complex. It’s hard to see the scar at this point and the scar gets even better at the 12-18 month mark. Also, nipple sensation is unaffected after surgery. The other incisions that plastic surgeons use include an incision underneath the breast, at the breast fold, or the armpit. Each incision has their pros and cons but the periareolar is my preferred approach.

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Challenging #gynecomastia case where the patient had grade 2/3 gynecomastia or male breasts with excess skin and significant asymmetries. The challenging part of this case relates to how to manage the excess skin and achieve a symmetric result. Do you remove the excess skin which will leave scars or try to contract the skin with minimally invasive techniques? In this case I performed liposuction, removed the breast tissue through a nipple incision, and performed #Renuvion to facilitate contraction of the skin. Posted with permission.

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3 month follow-up on this patient who wanted improvement in the projection of her chin and definition of the jawline. The patient has retrogenia or a small chin and underwent #chinaugmentation with a #genioplasty. In the pre-operative photos, you can see the chin is short and recessed and therefore I moved the chin forward and down. In the post-operative photos you can see improvement in the projection of the chin, a more defined jawline and neck, and a more balanced lower 1/3 of the face. This case highlights the advantages of a genioplasty versus a chin implant, a chin implant cannot lengthen and advance the chin to the same extent that a genioplasty can. Posted with permission.

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A 1 year follow-up on a patient who wanted a rhinoplasty to remove the dorsal hump and improve the aesthetics of her tip. In this case the dorsal hump was removed, the nose made straighter, the tip refined, and the tip rotated and projected more. Her new nose fits her face without overtly changing the ethnic features of her face. Posted with permission.



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Proud of our research team for getting this important manuscript published in the #1 plastic surgery journal in the world. In this study, we looked at the published literature to develop guidelines on how to treat visual impairments related to droopy eyelids and excess skin of the eyelids.

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Happy for this patient who underwent full facial rejuvenation surgery, which included a brow lift, upper/lower blepharoplasty, facelift, neck lift, and facial fat transfer. How much younger does he look now? Posted with permission.

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Amazing transformation for this lovely patient who wanted to have fuller, more symmetric, youthful, and natural breasts. The patient underwent a #breastaugmentation with gel implants. Posted with permission.

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One year follow-up on a #BBL or Brazilian butt lift. As you can see from the post-operative photos, the fat that is transferred stays and is permanent. Posted with permission.

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Male patient in his late 60’s who was able to turn back the clock after undergoing a #facelift, #neck lift, #blepharoplasty, and #fattransfer. Pay close attention to the “bags” underneath the eyes, the jawline, and neck. The scars have healed nicely and are inconspicuous even with short hair. In the post-operative photos, the patient has maintained his natural facial features and anatomy, but just looks like a more youthful version of himself. Posted with permission.

#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #facelift #necklift #blepharoplasty #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
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