Surgical Orthodontics in Fort Wayne, IN
Surgical Orthodontics for Fort Wayne Adults
Some bites cannot be corrected by moving teeth, because the problem is where the jaws sit rather than where the teeth sit. When the discrepancy is skeletal — a lower jaw well behind or ahead of the upper, an open bite that will not close, marked facial asymmetry — the correction combines orthodontic treatment with jaw surgery performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
Dr. Joel Johnson plans the orthodontic side of those cases at our Fort Wayne office and works with your surgeon on sequencing. The first and most useful thing he does is establish whether you are actually in this category. Plenty of patients arrive convinced surgery is inevitable and turn out to be treatable with orthodontics alone; others have been told for years to live with something that is fixable.
When Surgery Enters the Conversation
Growth is the dividing line. In a child or young teenager, jaw position can often be influenced while the bones are still developing — which is the whole argument for Early orthodontic treatment. Once growth is complete, that window closes, and a significant skeletal discrepancy needs surgical correction to change.
| Presentation | How it shows up | How it is approached |
|---|---|---|
| Lower jaw set back or forward | Bite will not meet however the teeth are aligned | Orthodontics before and after surgery; the jaws are repositioned by an oral surgeon |
| Open bite that will not close | Front teeth never touch, chewing is compromised | Assessed for skeletal cause first; some cases are orthodontic only |
| Marked facial asymmetry | One side of the jaw sits differently from the other | Imaging determines whether the cause is skeletal before any surgical plan |
| Function or airway concerns | Wear, joint symptoms, or breathing flagged by a physician | Coordinated plan with your surgeon and, where relevant, your physician |
Function, not appearance, usually drives the decision: chewing that does not work, teeth wearing unevenly, jaw joint symptoms, or breathing and airway concerns raised by a physician or dentist.
How a Combined Case Runs
These cases are longer and more coordinated than routine orthodontics, and it helps to know the shape of them from the beginning.
First comes a diagnostic phase: records, imaging and an honest assessment of whether the discrepancy is skeletal. If it is, Dr. Johnson and your surgeon agree a plan and a sequence. Orthodontic treatment usually starts before surgery to position the teeth so the jaws can be moved into a working bite, the surgery happens under the surgeon’s care, and orthodontic treatment continues afterwards to refine the result. Then retention, indefinitely.
Timelines are case-specific and generally measured in years rather than months. Anyone quoting you a number before seeing your imaging is guessing.
Why the Orthodontic Side Matters
The surgeon moves the jaws; the orthodontist decides where the teeth need to be for that movement to produce a bite that functions. Poor planning on the orthodontic side is what produces a technically successful surgery and a disappointing bite.
- Dr. Johnson tells you first whether your case is genuinely skeletal — before anyone discusses an operating room.
- He completed his orthodontic residency at the University of Michigan and holds an adjunct clinical faculty appointment there.
- The orthodontic plan is built around the surgical plan, in coordination with your surgeon, not in isolation.
- Alternatives are explained honestly, including what orthodontics alone can and cannot achieve in your case.
- One orthodontist across a multi-year case, so nobody inherits the plan halfway through.
- Records and imaging done here, so the diagnosis starts from your anatomy rather than a referral note.
Cost, Insurance and Payment Plans
Combined cases involve two providers and two fees: ours for the orthodontic treatment and the surgeon’s for the surgical procedure and facility. Medical insurance sometimes covers the surgical portion where the problem is functional, which is a different benefit from your orthodontic coverage. We will tell you exactly what our side costs and help you understand what to ask your carrier. pricing, payment plans, insurance, your first visit.
Getting to Our Fort Wayne Office
our office at 10211 Dupont Circle Drive Suite A, Fort Wayne, IN 46825, on the Dupont Hospital Medical Park, just off the I-69/I-469 interchange, on the north side and easy to reach from I-69 and I-469 — useful for a treatment that involves more appointments over a longer period than most.
O·M·I Orthodontics, 10211 Dupont Circle Drive Suite A, Fort Wayne, IN 46825. Phone (260) 489-8989. Open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon. See Our Fort Wayne office page for directions, or all three offices if our Auburn or Fishers office is closer to you.
Local pages for the communities we draw from: Huntertown · Leo-Cedarville · Columbia City.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether I need jaw surgery?
You do not, until someone examines the skeletal relationship on imaging. That is what the free consultation determines — and a fair number of people who expect surgery do not need it.
Who performs the surgery?
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon, not our office. We plan and carry out the orthodontic side and coordinate the sequence with your surgeon.
Could I have avoided this with early treatment?
Sometimes. Jaw growth can be influenced while a child is still developing, which is why an evaluation around age seven matters. Once growth finishes, that option is gone.
How long does a combined case take?
Longer than routine orthodontics, usually years, because it runs orthodontics before surgery, surgery, then orthodontics after. Dr. Johnson gives you a case-specific plan rather than an average.
Will insurance cover it?
The surgical portion is sometimes covered under medical insurance when the problem is functional; orthodontic coverage is separate. We are specific about our fee and will help you frame the questions for your carrier.
Is there any non-surgical option?
For genuine skeletal discrepancies in an adult, orthodontics alone can improve the alignment of the teeth but cannot move the jaws. Dr. Johnson will tell you clearly what each route can and cannot achieve, including Adult orthodontics as an alternative where it is realistic.
Other treatments we offer: Braces treatment · Clear aligner · Retainers and post-treatment care. all services.
Get a Straight Answer About Jaw Surgery
If someone has told you that you may need jaw surgery, get it assessed properly before you accept it. Dr. Joel Johnson will tell you at a free consultation whether your case is genuinely skeletal, what orthodontics alone can achieve, and what a combined plan would involve.
If DeKalb County is closer to home, the same assessment is available at our other location — see surgical orthodontics in Auburn.
Patients closer to Indianapolis can be seen at our Fishers office instead — see surgical orthodontics in Fishers.
Find us at 10211 Dupont Circle Drive Suite A, Fort Wayne, IN 46825 in Fort Wayne — the Dupont Hospital Medical Park, just off the I-69/I-469 interchange. Our hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon. You can book your complimentary consultation online, send us a message, or call (260) 489-8989.