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.
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:
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- Bleeding
- Infection
- Delay in speech development
- Abnormal speech development
- Abnormal speech development
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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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This is a great case to highlight the complexities associated with creating an aesthetic tip and how small changes can yield significant aesthetic improvement. In this case, the patient had a droopy tip, hanging columella, and too much nostril show. In the post-operative views you can visualize a tip that is lifted, more projected, and the presence of a more aesthetic alar-columellar relationship. Happy for this patient and her beautiful and natural result. Posted with permission.
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Proud of our research team for getting this published. In this article, we developed a unique risk assessment tool to predict major complications in facial aesthetic surgery. Thank you to the Aesthetic Surgery Journal for publishing our work.
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The hardest type of rhinoplasties for plastic surgeons to perform are cleft rhinoplasties. A major reason is that the anatomy of the nose and midface are asymmetric, therefore, you have an asymmetric nose sitting on top of an asymmetric midface. In this case, I used rib cartilage to rebuild the cartilage of the nose and fat transfer to improve asymmetries of the midface and lips. In the post-operative frontal views, you can see a straighter nose, the tip has been lifted, and the right nostril has been brought down and inwards. On profile view, you can see the dorsal hump was lowered, the tip of the nose has been lifted, rotated, and refined. The fat was placed in the cheeks and upper lip to improve the midface deficiency that is common in cleft lip patients. Posted with permission.
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Plastic surgery can be dramatic or understated. This is a before and after with subtle changes to improve the proportions and aesthetics of the nose in a natural way. This patient wanted only small changes of the dorsum and tip. In the post-operative photos, you can visualize the dorsal hump has been removed and the tip has been refined, slightly rotated and projected. Posted with permission.
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Couldn’t be happier for this beautiful patient and her natural before and after results. This patient is 3 months out from a deep plane or sub-SMAS facelift, neck lift, and facial fat transfer. Pay close attention to the neck, jawline, and midface or cheeks. In the post-operative views you can see a well-defined neck and jawline. The face appears less bottom heavy, there is restoration of the midface volume, and the overall facial configuration is more heart-shaped and youthful. Posted with permission.
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It’s been a minute but this is a great before and after of a facial feminization case and this patient is only 6 weeks out from surgery. Pay close attention to the hairline, the forehead, orbital rims, eyebrows, nose, chin and jawline. Does this patient look like they had major surgery 6 weeks ago? Posted with permission.
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It’s never too early to starting thinking about that summer body. This patient underwent a mommy makeover or a breast reduction/lift and tummy tuck. Pay close attention to the belly button, this patient had an umbilical hernia, which made the reconstruction of her belly button even harder. Most plastic surgeons take their time trying to make the belly button look as natural as possible since the appearance of the belly button can be an obvious sign that the patient had a tummy tuck. Posted with permission.
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