As with all forms of surgery, there are potential complications with jaw reconstruction:
- The surgery will be done in an operating room and will require a general anesthetic. Serious complications related to the anesthetic may arise. However, these are rare.
- Although the potential for this is low, occasionally it is necessary to give a transfusion to the patient during surgery. Screening techniques for blood have greatly increased the safety of blood transfusions.
- Teeth adjacent to the bone cuts can be damaged and may require treatment or be removed. However, the surgery is carefully designed to avoid this problem.
- If the lower jaw is operated on, you will probably encounter numbness of the lower lip, chin, gum, and on rare occasions, the tongue. This numbness may last several months. This is not a paralysis; feeling will return. Most patients will regain most, if not all, of the feeling to their lower lip and chin.
- When the upper jaw is operated on, the cheeks, upper lip and roof of the mouth may become numb. This condition will last for several months but is temporary.
- If the position of the jaw is not acceptable following surgery, it may be necessary to repeat the operation and reset the jaw bones. Once again, the surgery is carefully planned to avoid this type of complication.
- Growth of the jaw bone after surgery can result in failure of the operation, requiring further surgery. Since the jaw surgery is timed to occur after jaw growth is complete, this is an uncommon problem.
- You will be placed on an antibiotic to minimize the possibility of infection after surgery.
- When the upper jaw is operated on, it is possible to have problems with the sinuses and/or nasal septum after surgery. The surgery is designed to avoid these problems, but if they should occur, further treatment may be necessary.
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