University of California San Francisco
Orthognathic surgery
UCSF’s oral and maxillofacial surgeons treat a wide range of conditions in both the UCSF Dental Center surgery center and UCSF Medical Center. “Maxillofacial” refers to the face, jaw, mouth, and neck, and typically involves surgical care for injuries, diseases, or structural abnormalities in these areas.
Orthognathic surgery is a specialized procedure that corrects jaw and facial bone irregularities to improve alignment, function, and overall facial balance. It may be recommended when orthodontic treatment alone cannot resolve issues such as difficulty chewing, chronic jaw or TMJ pain, excessive tooth wear, an open bite, or growth-related imbalances. This surgery can also help address facial asymmetry, congenital defects, chronic mouth breathing, receding or protruding jaws, and sleep-related breathing problems such as sleep apnea.
Why choose UCSF for orthognathic surgery?
UCSF is a world leader in health care and research, dedicated to providing excellent, patient-centered care. At the UCSF Dental Center, expert faculty and residents provide world-class oral health care to our community, while advanced trainees in oral and maxillofacial surgery restore smiles under the guidance of experienced expert faculty. As a patient at the UCSF Dental Center, you’ll experience:
- Personalized treatment plans
- Advanced technology
- A collaborative faculty-resident care team
- An emphasis on education and comfort
- A longstanding commitment to excellence
Payment and insurance options
Different clinics work with different insurance plans, and participation may change over time. Please be sure to ask our staff about insurance options when scheduling your appointment.
- The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic is contracted with most insurance carriers. You should be aware that there are significant insurance differences between the hospital-based practice and the surgery center.
- Patients may pay with cash, check, or credit card for Dental Center services.
- The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic accepts Denti-Cal.
What to expect
Personalized consultation
Our providers take time to understand both your dental needs and your lifestyle, ensuring that your treatment plan is tailored to you from the very first visit.
At your first consultation, the doctor will evaluate you for treatment. The doctor will use this time to understand your needs, review treatment options, and suggest a treatment plan based on your unique situation.
Please let us know in advance if you have a recent (within six months) set of panoramic X-rays. The standard full-mouth X-rays are not sufficient for a complete evaluation. Please send electronic files of your panoramic X-rays to OMFSxrays@ucsf.edu. If you bring a copy on a disk or drive and our system is not compatible with that digital format, we may not be able to view them. In that case, we will need to take panoramic X-rays on the day of your evaluation. You will be responsible for the cost of those X-rays.
Bring records and insurance
Please share any previous dental records and provide your insurance information so our team can efficiently coordinate your care and coverage.
You should also bring:
- Government-issued identification
- Health insurance information, including authorizations or referral
- Registration forms
- List of prescription medications and dosages
- List of medications that you're allergic to
- List of questions you may have
- Recent test results related to your condition
- Models (if any)
- Images (if any)
- Paper and pen or pencil to take notes
Receive your dental plan
Your provider will outline your personalized treatment plan, explain the next steps, and schedule follow-up visits to keep your care on track.