Jaw Surgery Time Halved, Decade-Long Waits Ending

Raphael Nnadi

December 20, 2025
4:25 pm

Dentists and surgeons in Region Zealand are adopting a new digital method that cuts jaw surgery time in half and could finally reduce decade-long waiting lists for patients.

Advanced Technique Targets Long Waiting Lists

For years, patients in Region Zealand have faced extreme delays for jaw surgeries, some waiting nearly ten years. That is far longer than in other Danish regions. The wait has caused significant frustration and pain for individuals who need surgery to correct severe overbites or underbites.

Now, there may finally be relief on the horizon. Surgeons at Zealand University Hospital in Køge have started using an advanced digital technique that helps them perform the same operation in roughly half the usual time. The procedure already exists in other parts of Denmark, but this is the first time the region has implemented it.

How the New Method Works

The new approach relies on 3D-printed surgical guides created from precise digital models of each patient’s jaw. Previously, surgeons had to bend and adjust metal splints manually during surgery. Now, the digitally designed splints act as exact templates, speeding up the process while improving accuracy.

According to specialists at Zealand University Hospital, the result is not just faster but better. The technology makes the operation more precise and is expected to cause fewer side effects and post-surgery discomfort for patients.

The method is already common at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, where it was introduced back in 2016. There, surgeons complete similar jaw surgeries in about two hours. At Zealand University Hospital, it has traditionally taken around four. Adopting the faster digital technique could double the operating capacity.

New Resources and Expected Improvements

Until recently, Region Zealand had only one full-time jaw surgeon qualified to perform these complex operations alone. A few part-time specialists supported the work, but the shortage of qualified surgeons made it impossible to address the mounting waiting list.

That situation is finally changing. The region has allocated 18.5 million Danish kroner to roll out the digital operation technique and expand capacity. Officials expect the number of surgeries to rise significantly next year and beyond.

At the same time, the region’s healthcare leaders believe the new approach will quickly reduce waiting times. While no one can say exactly when the backlog will disappear, they expect visible progress starting in 2026.

Because jaw surgery in Denmark falls within the broader public health system, improvements like this are seen as essential both for patients and for the sustainability of the system. For travelers or foreigners trying to understand local care services, the Danish healthcare system provides structured access to both public and private options.

Financial and Practical Benefits

The advanced technique may appear more expensive on paper because of the cost of producing custom 3D-printed splints. However, the shorter surgical time balances that out. Fewer hours in the operating room means saving staff time for surgeons, nurses, and anesthesia teams.

In practical terms, the hospital can treat more patients without increasing staff numbers. That efficiency could prove vital as other regions merge into the new Region East Denmark, scheduled for 2027. Experts believe this regional merger, combined with the new method, will further reduce long-standing disparities in access to treatment across the country.

Faster Treatment Ahead

So far, four patients have had their jaw operations performed with the new digital technique at Zealand University Hospital. Next year, the hospital expects to complete about 150 such surgeries. As experience grows, they plan to increase that number to 180 annually.

For comparison, only 74 patients have undergone the procedure this year under the old system. In total, over 400 patients in Region Zealand are currently in orthodontic preparation for future surgery.

Given the long history of delays, these developments mark a major shift. If surgeons achieve the same efficiency as their colleagues in other parts of Denmark, patients who once waited nearly a decade might finally be treated within a reasonable time frame.