Can I change maxillofacial surgeon during the pre-surgery braces stage

[Class2geo]

I chose the first surgeon that my insurance said they would cover. I already started the process(3 months in, orthodontist estimated 1 year of braces before surgery) with him but reading negative stories here about bad outcomes makes me want to choose the best possible surgeon in my area with quality reviews online. The surgeon I have now only has wisdom teeth removal reviews and they're all positive. However I seen other surgeons with more reviews and specifically surgery reviews. I want to minimize the risk of a bad outcome as much as possible.

[EWUgal15]

You should choose a surgeon that you feel comfortable with and that has lots of experience with the procedure you're wanting/needing done. That said, they should also work and communicate well with your orthodontist. I understand how important insurance coverage is, but if your current surgeon makes you feel uncomfortable, you shouldn't trust them to break your face. Being so early into treatment, I think you still have time to visit other OMFS practices for consults to make a decision. There are a couple threads here that list the questions you should ask at a consult. Take a look at those and talk to your orthodontist about surgeons that he/she works with regularly.

[Lala082008]

I would also say don't rely too much on online reviews for doctors -- they tend to not represent a fair or balanced spectrum of patients. I would recommend you talk to your current surgeon and ask him how many surgeries he does like the one you need. I also would take your orthodontist's view into account. When choosing my surgeon, my ortho recommended two people: one private surgeon I could get in with right away and another surgeon at a teaching hospital who takes months to get in with. I chose the longer wait because my ortho said he's the best. And I've heard that from other orthodontists as well. I think medical professionals and actual patients are the best places to get reliable info.