Jaw surgery can provide lasting correction of a significant skeletal bite or jaw misalignment, but some effects can continue after the initial recovery period. Most patients gradually move through the early stages of swelling, discomfort, dietary restriction, and altered sensation, while a smaller number may experience symptoms that persist for months or, occasionally, longer.
The long-term effects depend on the type of surgery, whether the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both were operated on, the extent of the jaw movements, and individual healing. Understanding what may persist—and what usually improves over time—can give you a more realistic picture of recovery.
*AI-generated image - for illustration only. Clinical accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jaw surgery, or orthognathic surgery, is used to correct significant skeletal problems affecting the relationship between the jaws and teeth. Our jaw surgery guide provides a broader overview of these procedures.
First, What Counts as a Long-Term Side Effect?
Not every symptom that lasts several weeks should be considered a permanent side effect. After jaw surgery, different parts of the body recover at different speeds. Pain usually settles relatively quickly, while swelling, numbness, jaw movement, and the bite can take considerably longer to stabilize.
For practical purposes, a long-term effect is a symptom or change that persists well beyond the initial healing period. Some may gradually improve over many months, while a small number can become permanent.
Current evidence shows that neurosensory changes are among the more common longer-lasting effects after orthognathic surgery, while skeletal relapse and some jaw-joint symptoms can also occur. At the same time, many patients experience substantial improvements in function and quality of life following treatment.
Which Effects Can Last After Jaw Surgery?
1. Numbness or altered facial sensation
One of the most important long-term considerations is altered sensation. Nerves supplying sensation to the lower lip, chin, gums, tongue, or other areas of the face can be affected during jaw surgery. This is particularly relevant after lower-jaw procedures because important sensory nerves pass through the mandible.
You may experience:
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Reduced sensitivity
- An unusual or altered sensation
- Occasional sensitivity to touch or temperature
Most postoperative sensory changes improve during healing. However, recovery can be slow, and a small proportion of patients may have persistent changes.
2. Changes in the bite
Orthognathic surgery is intended to establish a better relationship between the jaws and teeth, but the bite can continue changing during healing and orthodontic refinement.
In some patients, the final bite may not settle exactly as originally planned. Further orthodontic adjustment may be sufficient, while uncommon cases may require additional treatment.
This is one reason postoperative orthodontic follow-up remains important even after the surgical phase has been completed. Specialist guidance notes that occasional bite discrepancies may require additional adjustment and, rarely, further surgery.
3. Skeletal relapse
Relapse means that some movement of the jaw occurs after it has been surgically repositioned. Relapse does not necessarily mean that the entire correction has failed. Small changes can occur during bone healing and remodeling without significantly affecting the overall result.
The risk varies according to the original deformity and the type and direction of jaw movement. Certain complex movements and some open-bite corrections may have particular stability considerations.
A systematic review of orthognathic-surgery relapse found that postoperative skeletal changes occur in many cases, although the authors highlighted limitations in the available evidence, including small samples and predominantly retrospective studies.
A recent systematic review of overall orthognathic outcomes reported relapse greater than 2 mm in 18.7% of the pooled cases, again emphasizing that this figure represents diverse procedures and definitions rather than a universal relapse rate.
4. Temporomandibular joint symptoms
The temporomandibular joints (TMJs) connect the lower jaw to the skull. Some patients may experience jaw-joint symptoms after orthognathic surgery, such as:
- Jaw-joint pain
- Clicking or other joint sounds
- Changes in jaw movement
- Difficulty opening the mouth fully
- Other symptoms associated with temporomandibular disorders
5. Changes in facial appearance
Jaw surgery deliberately changes the position of the facial skeleton, so some lasting change in appearance is expected rather than considered a side effect. Depending on the procedure, changes may involve:
- Facial profile
- Chin position
- Lip relationship
- Facial symmetry
- Nasal appearance after certain upper-jaw procedures
- Overall facial proportions
6. Persistent difficulty with jaw movement
*AI-generated image - for illustration only. Clinical accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jaw stiffness and restricted mouth opening are common during early recovery. Most patients gradually regain improved movement as healing progresses.
Persistent limitation is less common. Specialist guidance identifies ongoing difficulty opening the mouth as a possible complication, but notes that persistent severe restriction is unusual.
If restricted movement continues or worsens rather than improving, it should be assessed rather than assumed to be a normal part of long-term recovery.
7. Problems involving plates or screws
Small plates and screws are commonly used to stabilize the repositioned jaw bones. They are often designed to remain in place permanently. In some patients, however, a plate or screw can become irritated or infected and may eventually need to be removed. This can happen months after surgery, once the jaw has already healed sufficiently.
8. Sinus or nasal changes after upper-jaw surgery
When surgery involves the upper jaw, the procedure can affect structures around the nose and maxillary sinuses. Potential longer-term problems can include:
- Persistent nasal changes
- Sinus symptoms
- Chronic sinusitis in uncommon cases
- Changes related to the nasal septum
These problems are not expected in most patients, but they are recognized possibilities after certain maxillary procedures.
What Usually Improves Rather Than Lasts?
It is equally important not to mistake normal recovery symptoms for permanent complications.
| Effect | What generally happens over time |
|---|---|
| Swelling | Usually decreases substantially during the first weeks, although subtle swelling can take months to fully settle |
| Pain | Usually improves considerably during the early recovery period |
| Jaw stiffness | Generally improves as healing progresses |
| Altered sensation | Often improves gradually, although a small proportion may have persistent changes |
| Dietary restrictions | Usually become less restrictive as the jaw heals |
| Early bite changes | Often refined through postoperative orthodontic treatment |
Are Long-Term Side Effects Common?
*AI-generated image - for illustration only. Clinical accuracy is not guaranteed.
There is no single percentage that applies to all long-term side effects because the risks vary according to the procedure and the way each study defines a complication.
For example, temporary altered sensation is considerably more common than permanent sensory impairment. Similarly, small postoperative skeletal changes are not equivalent to a major relapse that requires another operation.
A recent large systematic review reported an overall complication rate of 32.4%, but most reported complications were minor and self-limiting. It also found permanent sensory alterations in 3.4% of pooled cases and reported substantial improvements in quality of life and patient satisfaction.
This illustrates why a complication rate should not be interpreted as a “failure rate.” Many postoperative effects are temporary and do not prevent patients from achieving a successful overall treatment outcome.
Does Jaw Surgery Affect Quality of Life in the Long Term?
For many patients, the long-term picture is not dominated by side effects. Correcting a significant skeletal jaw problem can improve the relationship between the teeth and jaws and may improve aspects of daily function and quality of life.
A recent systematic review found substantial improvements in quality-of-life measures following orthognathic surgery, alongside high overall patient satisfaction.
This is important when considering long-term effects: the appropriate question is not simply whether any symptom remains, but whether the overall treatment achieves its intended functional and skeletal goals while keeping persistent complications to a minimum.
When Does a Long-Term Symptom Need Further Evaluation?
Persistent symptoms are not necessarily a sign that something has gone wrong, but they deserve attention when they are worsening, interfering with daily life, or not following the expected recovery pattern. Examples include:
- Numbness that remains unchanged or becomes troublesome over time
- Persistent or worsening jaw-joint pain
- Significant difficulty opening the mouth
- A noticeable change in the bite
- Repeated swelling or signs of infection around fixation plates
- Persistent sinus symptoms after upper-jaw surgery
- A noticeable change in jaw position
The Bottom Line
Most of the effects experienced after jaw surgery improve as healing progresses. However, some patients can have longer-lasting effects, particularly altered sensation, changes in the bite, skeletal relapse, TMJ symptoms, or problems involving fixation plates.
Permanent complications are considerably less common than temporary postoperative effects, and the risk is different for upper-jaw, lower-jaw, and double-jaw procedures. Current evidence also shows that many patients experience meaningful improvements in function and quality of life after orthognathic surgery.
The most useful way to approach long-term risks is therefore not to assume that complications are inevitable, but to understand which effects are possible, how often they persist, and how your individual jaw problem and planned procedure influence that risk.
