MMA Surgery: The Jaw Procedure That Also Treats Sleep Apnea
Maxillomandibular advancement — MMA, or "bimax advancement" — occupies a distinct position in oral and maxillofacial surgery. It is an established surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Advancing the jaws also changes the facial profile; the extent varies between patients.
How moving the jaws opens the airway
The tongue and soft palate are suspended from the mandible and maxilla. When both jaws are surgically advanced, those soft tissues move forward with them, and the airway behind the tongue and palate — where obstruction happens during sleep — can become structurally larger. Rather than trimming soft tissue, MMA can enlarge the corridor itself.
Who is a candidate?
- Adults with moderate-to-severe OSA confirmed by a sleep study (polysomnography)
- Patients who cannot tolerate CPAP, or prefer not to rely on a device long-term
- Especially those with retruded jaws — where the anatomy that causes the apnea is the same anatomy weakening the profile
- Patients who failed oral appliances or previous soft-tissue surgery
Candidacy is decided by clinical examination together with a sleep study and imaging. The decision is made together with a sleep physician; CT-based airway analysis and cephalometrics form the basis of the plan.
Planning: millimetres decided before the OR
How many millimetres of advancement, how the occlusion is preserved, what happens to the airway volume — all of it is planned beforehand in three dimensions on CT. The skeletal plan and the projected airway change can be reviewed before surgery.
Recovery and what to expect
Hospital stay is typically 1–2 nights. Swelling peaks in the first week and a soft diet is kept for the early weeks. Return to social life usually takes 2–4 weeks; it varies between patients. The objective verdict comes from a follow-up sleep study once healing is complete.
A note on "getting MMA for the jawline"
Some communities discuss MMA purely as an aesthetic upgrade. Advancement of both jaws is real surgery with real indications. When a skeletal deformity or documented OSA is present, it is a well-established operation. As a casual cosmetic shortcut on normal anatomy, it is not; which side of that line a patient is on is decided by clinical examination, a sleep study and imaging. See Ethics & Candidacy and the comparison of implants vs. orthognathic surgery.
Her cerrahi veya girişimsel işlemde sonuçlar kişiden kişiye değişiklik gösterebilir. İşlem öncesinde hekiminizden detaylı görüş almanız önerilir.
This article is for information purposes only and does not replace medical examination and diagnosis. Results of any surgical or interventional procedure may vary from person to person. You are advised to obtain a detailed opinion from your physician before any procedure.
Last updated: · Editor: Prof. Dr. Selçuk Basa (Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery) · selcuk.basa@maxillofacial.com