When the upper and lower jaws do not align correctly, the problem is skeletal — not dental. Braces and aligners move teeth within the jaw, but they cannot move the jaw itself. Orthognathic surgery — jaw surgery — repositions the bone, creating the skeletal foundation that makes both function and aesthetics correct in a way that orthodontics alone cannot achieve.
Jaw Surgery Procedures
The Le Fort I osteotomy moves the entire upper jaw (maxilla) forward, backward, upward, or downward to correct its position relative to the skull and lower jaw. It addresses open bites, crossbites, midface deficiency, and vertical excess (gummy smile caused by skeletal over-eruption). The jaw is secured in its new position with titanium plates and screws. Pre-surgical orthodontics aligns the teeth within each jaw before surgery — post-surgical orthodontics finalises the occlusion in the corrected skeletal framework.
The bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) moves the lower jaw forward or backward to correct the bite relationship between upper and lower teeth. It is the standard surgical correction for class II malocclusion (receding lower jaw, retrognathia) and class III malocclusion (protruding lower jaw, prognathism). The split is made through the back portion of the mandible on both sides, allowing the tooth-bearing segment to be repositioned and fixed with titanium hardware.
Complex skeletal discrepancies often require simultaneous repositioning of both the upper and lower jaw in a single surgical session — bimaxillary osteotomy. This approach corrects compound deformities that cannot be fully addressed by moving only one jaw, achieves the most stable final occlusion, and produces the most significant improvement in both facial profile and smile aesthetics. Performed at CMC Hospital under general anaesthesia with an experienced maxillofacial anaesthesia team.
Genioplasty repositions the chin bone to improve facial proportions — moving it forward, backward, upward, or downward depending on the aesthetic goal. It is frequently performed alongside jaw surgery as part of a comprehensive facial balance correction, or as a standalone aesthetic procedure for patients with a receding or prominent chin who do not require jaw repositioning. The osteotomy is performed entirely inside the mouth — no external scars.
Why CMC Hospital for Jaw Surgery?
Orthognathic surgery is a major procedure performed under general anaesthesia with post-operative monitoring and an inpatient hospital stay of 1 to 2 nights. It cannot be safely performed in a dental clinic environment. Ferrari Dental Clinic's affiliation with CMC Hospital Beirut — Johns Hopkins International affiliated — provides the full hospital infrastructure required: dedicated operating theatres, specialist anaesthesiologists experienced in maxillofacial procedures, intensive care unit access, and a recovery team.
Dr. Habib Zarifeh as Head of Oral Surgery at CMC Hospital coordinates the full treatment plan — pre-surgical orthodontics, the surgical procedure, and post-surgical care — as a single continuum. Patients referred for jaw surgery at Ferrari Dental Clinic are never handed off to an external surgeon they have never met.