In the hands of an experienced surgeon, jaw reduction surgery is considered safe, but any surgical procedure comes with risks.
With intraoral procedures that involve incisions in the mouth, the primary risk is infection, says Dr. Gerald Wittenberg, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Vancouver, British Columbia. Your provider may recommend that you use mouthwash frequently to prevent infection. If an infection does occur, it's usually treated with antibiotics.
Facial nerve damage is also a risk, and it can cause temporary or long-term loss of feeling or paralysis in the lower facial region, including your lower lip. "The most severe part of the numbness usually lasts a week or two, but it may be a full year before your lip feels totally normal," says Dr. Rodman.
That said, the risk of serious or permanent nerve damage is low, in experienced hands. "The change in the contours of the lower jaw from 'front to back' generally are 'low risk' since they alter the contour without involving many important nerves/vessels in the facial area," Dr. Wittenberg explains. "The surgeon will be aware of the position of the nerve supplying feeling to the lower lip/chin area such that any long-term issue should be easily avoided."
Another reason to choose your surgeon carefully: "You must be careful to avoid the nerve and the roots of the teeth," says Dr. Manish Shah, a plastic surgeon in Denver. "You do increase the chance of a jaw fracture and molar tooth loss if your surgeon is too aggressive."
Other risks include asymmetric or undesirable results, or long-term bone deterioration due to bone removal.
Your surgeon should talk you through all of these risks during your initial consultation.
