Do Wisdom Teeth Need To Be Removed Before Having A Sliding Genioplasty?

Q: Dr. Eppley,Is wisdom teeth removal a prerequisite for an osseous sliding genioplasty? Also, how much does your practice charge for an osseous genioplasty (with hospital fees + anesthesia)? 

A: There is no correlation between a sliding genioplasty and wisdom teeth, whether they are removed or not. The chin is located on the front part of the jaw while the wisdom teeth (third molars) is on the back part of the jaw. You may be thinking of a sagittal split ramus osteotomy (back of the jaw osteotomy) where having impacted wisdom teeth out six months before the procedure is needed as the embedded tooth roots may interfere with  successful splitting of the bone and plate the screw fixation to hold it together as it heals. In fact, wisdom teeth removal can be done at the same time as a sliding genioplasty if necessary.

A sliding genioplasty is done as a one hour procedure done under general anesthesia in a surgery center not a hospital. The usual total fees are around $6500 for all involved costs.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana