Arnett Gunson Facial Reconstruction

If you're considering double jaw surgery, look no further than Dr. Michael Gunson and Lori Heinze in Santa Barbara / Goleta—they are truly the best in the field. They take on the toughest cases, and I am beyond grateful that my Ohio orthodontist referred me to them. I had double jaw surgery (DJS) at age 56 with Dr. Gunson, and I could not have asked for a better experience. From start to finish, everything was handled with the utmost professionalism and care. The entire process—from my initial consultation in January 2022, to my surgery in March 2024, throughout my follow up care to my one-year final appointment in March 2025—was exceptional. My recovery was easier than I expected, and the results have been life-changing. I no longer suffer from daily headaches, neck, or shoulder pain. My severe snoring disappeared overnight—I now sleep peacefully through the night for the first time in years. People often tell me I look ten years younger! But the biggest, most immediate difference? As soon as I woke up from surgery, I took one deep breath in and knew it had worked. My airway was increased by four times in size, and for the first time, I could breathe fully and freely. Dr. Gunson is a brilliant, meticulous, and compassionate surgeon who specializes in these procedures, and his expertise is evident at every step. Lori Heinze and the entire team (Carol, Kim, Jasmine) are incredibly kind, intelligent, and hardworking—they made me feel completely supported throughout the entire journey. My only regret? Not doing this years ago! I was nervous and kept putting it off, but now, knowing what I do, I would have done it sooner without hesitation. If you are considering jaw surgery, trust Dr. Gunson and his team—you will be in the best hands possible. A million thank yous to Dr. Gunson, Lori Heinze, and the entire staff! You gave me a new quality of life, and I will forever be grateful. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly, highly recommend! Angela Thomas (Ohio)

Very happy with Dr. Gunson! He is not only a dedicated expert in his field and a highly sought after surgeon, but a courteous and thoughtful individual, taking inspiring care of his patients and their needs. Dr. Gunson performed surgery on my upper jaw, completely correcting the issues with my bite, restoring clean functionality to my jaw and improving my breathing. His work was impeccable, and there can't be a kinder or more likeable surgeon out there. Throughout the process, he was available to any questions or concerns I, or my family members had for him, and worked to make sure everyone was informed and comfortable with the procedures. Once again -- very happy with my experience with Dr. Gunson. Highly recommend!

Dr Gunson is one of the most incredible surgeons I have ever had the chance to work with. He is compassionate, detail oriented, and committed to excellence. He treatment plans his patients with a thorough understanding of facial beauty, airway, and a terrific bite. His surgical outcomes are incredible and he never settles for second best. His team is great as well - his staff are attentive to details and will help you through the entire process. You are in the best hands if you are lucky enough to be one of Dr Gunson’s patients.

Dr. Gunson and his team are absolutely incredible! From first meeting Dr. Gunson and his team at my consultation in summer 2018 to today (a little more than six months post-operation), I have continued to be blown away by the level of care Dr. Gunson and his office provide. Not only are Dr. Gunson and his staff the finest, most thorough team you can find for your maxillofacial surgery, but they are also extremely compassionate and invested in each patient’s well-being. Dr. Gunson is passionate about his work and about providing the best results for his patients. After having had Dr. Gunson perform my surgery, it is apparent how much pride Dr. Gunson takes in his work - and if you ask me, that is the only type of surgeon I want operating on me! Maxillofacial surgery is major surgery and life-altering, so choosing the best surgeon is critical. I know how important selecting a surgeon is because my mom had to have maxillofacial surgery twice - the second surgery was to revise the dreadful outcome of the first surgery. Arnett-Gunson performed my mom’s second surgery, in order to revise the damage the first surgeon caused, and we were blown away by her wonderful results. Arnett-Gunson made my mom look like my mom again and completely fixed her jaw and bite. After seeing what kind of damage a bad surgeon can inflict on a patient, and then seeing how Arnett-Gunson was able to correct my mom’s botched surgery, I knew I was only going to trust the top maxillofacial surgeon (i.e., Dr. Gunson) with my surgery. Now that I am a little over six months post-op, I feel great and my bite feels fantastic! I could not be happier with the results! It’s so strange to think I lived this long with such a misaligned jaw and bite, but now that my bite is completely fixed, I notice how wrong my bite was before my surgery. Everything just feels “right” now with the way I bite down and chew. Not only does my bite feel great, but also my migraines have completely gone away. Before my surgery, I would get migraines approximately twice a month (sometimes three times) and they were horrible. Dr. Gunson had told me, prior to my surgery, that migraines could be a result of my misaligned jaw and he was absolutely right. It is such a relief not to have to miss work or waste a weekend day in bed because of a bad migraine anymore. Overall, I just couldn’t be happier with my results and the outcome of my surgery. I can’t say enough about how exceptional Dr. Gunson and his team are! I would never trust anyone else to perform such a major surgery on me. Thank you for everything, Dr. Gunson!

My husband was one of the pioneering jaw patients almost 20 years ago! He has recently gone back into Dr. Gunson’s office to seek advice on ‘minor’ restorative work (considering the major jaw surgery!) that can help open up his nasal passage to help with his breathing. It’s been very reassuring to know that Dr. Gunson tries to deal with his patients as individuals. I really do feel he tried to take my husbands situation and find a solution that would work best for him. I can only imagine the knowledge and experience that is required to deal with these type of situations! My husband and I are grateful to know we are good hands, if not the best hands, when it comes to these type of surgeries.