Orthognathic surgery: a significant contribution to facial and dental esthetics.

Esthetic dentistry was once a specialty of the family dentist and the orthodontist. Today it is a field for the prosthodontist, periodontist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and others. When jawbones are malpositioned, unesthetic facial contours can result, and dental compensations occur that can be additionally unattractive. Orthodontic attempts to correct malocclusion or other disharmonies of the dentition in affected individuals without surgical intervention can cause tooth instability and result in less than satisfactory cosmetic results. The treatment of orthognathic surgeons is especially well suited for full-face esthetic appearance--the picture the patient views each day in the mirror.