Costs
How Much Does Orthognathic Surgery Cost in Los Gatos?
Key takeaways
- Orthognathic surgery in the Bay Area generally runs in the low five figures for a single-jaw case and can reach the mid five figures for a double-jaw case before insurance.
- The surgeon's fee is only one line: facility, anesthesia, imaging, virtual planning, and orthodontics are usually billed separately.
- Corrective jaw surgery is most often reviewed under medical insurance rather than dental, because it restores chewing and breathing function.
- A pre-authorization submitted before scheduling replaces guesswork with a number your plan has agreed to.
- Two honest quotes can differ by thousands when one includes surgical planning and follow-up care and the other prices only the operating day.
Orthognathic (corrective jaw) surgery in Los Gatos generally falls in the low five figures for a single-jaw case and can reach the mid five figures for a double-jaw case, before insurance. The two variables that move that number most are how many jaws are repositioned and how much of the case your medical plan accepts as medically necessary — which is why two people with similar bites can be quoted very differently.
Corrective jaw surgery is a planned, staged treatment. The surgical fee is only one line on the page. Orthodontics before and after surgery, imaging, anesthesia, the facility, and follow-up visits all sit alongside it. Understanding how those pieces fit together is the fastest way to read any quote you receive.
What drives the price
Scope of the surgery
A single-jaw procedure, such as repositioning the lower jaw to correct an underbite, involves one surgical site and a shorter time in the operating room. A double-jaw case moves both the upper and lower jaw and sometimes includes a genioplasty to reposition the chin. Each added component adds planning, operating time, and hardware.
Imaging and digital planning
Modern jaw surgery is planned virtually. A cone beam scan builds a 3D model of your jaws and airway, and that model is used to design the exact movements and the surgical guides. As a standalone item, a cone beam scan in this area typically runs from under a hundred dollars to a few hundred; full virtual surgical planning with printed splints is a separate, larger line item. We cover this in more detail in our guide to cone beam imaging costs.
Anesthesia and facility
Orthognathic surgery is performed under general anesthesia in a hospital or surgical facility, and anesthesia is billed by time. Lighter options you may know from other dental visits — nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, or IV sedation — cost far less, but they apply to procedures like wisdom teeth removal or implant placement, not jaw repositioning. If you are comparing a nitrous oxide fee to a jaw surgery anesthesia fee, you are comparing two different categories.
Orthodontics before and after
Most patients wear braces or aligners for roughly 9 to 18 months before surgery and several months after. That orthodontic treatment is usually billed separately by your orthodontist and can add thousands to the total treatment journey. A surgical quote that looks low may simply exclude it.
Diagnostic findings along the way
Sometimes planning scans reveal something that needs attention first — a cyst, a lesion, or an impacted tooth. Biopsy and oral pathology work is quoted on its own and can shift the timeline. It is uncommon, but it explains why an estimate may be revised after records are reviewed.
Surgeon experience and local cost pressure
Santa Clara County carries higher facility, staffing, and malpractice costs than most of the country, and that shows up in surgical fees. Experience also matters: a surgeon who performs jaw surgery routinely plans faster, operates more efficiently, and has fewer surprises. Two honest quotes can differ because one includes virtual planning, custom plates, and a year of follow-up while the other prices only the operating day.
Typical ranges
| Component or variant | General range (before insurance) |
|---|---|
| Consultation and records review | $150 – $500 |
| Cone beam (CBCT) scan, standalone | $75 – $400 |
| Virtual surgical planning and splints | $1,500 – $4,000 |
| Single-jaw surgery (surgeon fee) | $10,000 – $25,000 |
| Double-jaw surgery (surgeon fee) | $20,000 – $45,000 |
| Genioplasty added to a case | $3,000 – $8,000 |
| General anesthesia | $1,000 – $4,000 |
| Hospital or facility fee | $5,000 – $20,000 |
| Pre- and post-surgical orthodontics | $5,000 – $10,000 |
| Biopsy or oral pathology work, if needed | $300 – $1,500 |
These are general market bands, not quoted prices. A written surgical quote normally covers the surgeon's fee, planning, and routine post-operative visits; it usually does not cover the facility, the anesthesiologist, orthodontics, prescriptions, or care for unrelated findings.
How to compare quotes
Put two estimates side by side and check the same ten things on each. If a line is missing, that is a question, not a discount.
- Is the surgeon's fee listed separately from anesthesia and facility fees?
- Is virtual surgical planning included, or billed on top?
- Are imaging and records part of the quote, or already paid?
- How many post-operative visits are included, and for how long?
- Who bills the hospital or surgical center, and has that fee been estimated?
- Is the quote based on a single-jaw or double-jaw plan, and what happens if the plan changes?
- Has the practice submitted a pre-authorization to your medical plan?
- What is the written policy if a revision or hardware removal is needed later?
- What is the expected timeline from braces to surgery to final records?
- Are you given a good-faith estimate in writing before you commit?
Federal rules also protect you from certain unexpected out-of-network charges tied to facility care. Reading those protections before surgery is worth the fifteen minutes.
Financing and insurance
Orthognathic surgery is frequently reviewed under medical insurance rather than dental, because it corrects function — chewing, breathing, and jaw joint mechanics. Approval usually depends on documented findings: measurements, imaging, and sometimes a sleep or airway evaluation. A pre-authorization submitted before scheduling tells you what your plan will pay instead of leaving you to guess.
Beyond insurance, the common payment paths are health savings or flexible spending accounts, third-party health care lending, and in-house payment arrangements where available. Compare the total cost of credit, not just the monthly figure, and watch for deferred-interest terms that charge back the full interest if the balance is not cleared in time.
If you want the full picture before you sit down with us, our orthognathic surgery guide walks through the stages of treatment, and our financing page covers payment options in more detail.
What a consultation establishes
We review your bite, take 3D imaging, and coordinate with your orthodontist to define exactly which movements are needed. From there you receive a written estimate with the surgeon's fee itemized and an explanation of what the facility and anesthesia will add. We will also walk you through sedation and comfort planning so you know what the day of surgery looks like before you commit to anything.
Request a consultation to get a written estimate for your jaw surgery.
Frequently asked questions
Is orthognathic surgery cheaper in Los Gatos than in nearby cities?
Fees across Santa Clara County are fairly similar, since facility, staffing, and insurance costs are regional rather than city-specific. Driving to a neighboring city rarely changes the surgeon's fee much, though hospital and surgical center fees can vary. The larger savings usually come from insurance approval and from choosing a team that plans the case efficiently.
Why did my quote come in higher than the range I read online?
Most published ranges show only the surgeon's fee, while your quote may also include the facility, anesthesia, virtual planning, and hardware. Double-jaw cases and added procedures such as a genioplasty also raise the total. Ask for a line-by-line breakdown so you can see which components account for the difference.
Does a higher price mean better results?
Price alone is not a quality measure, but very low quotes often exclude planning, imaging, or follow-up care that you will still need. What matters more is how often the surgeon performs jaw surgery, how the case is planned, and how clearly the estimate is written. Compare inclusions and experience before comparing totals.
What is the most affordable way to have jaw surgery?
The most reliable way to lower your out-of-pocket amount is to pursue medical insurance approval with complete documentation, since an approved claim usually covers far more than any discount would. Pairing that with an HSA or FSA and a structured payment plan handles the remainder. Skipping imaging or planning to save money tends to cost more over the full treatment.