Has anyone in their 50's had orthognathic surgery for an underbite?

[Guest guest]

I have large fillings in my upper teeth and the teeth cannot be

filled anymore. I have a very narrow upper jaw and a bad bad

underbite. I am told I have no choice but to have surgery to widen

and bring forth the upper jaw and then perhaps either a denture or

implants. My insurance won't cover any of this. My teeth are not

straight. I am going to the UNC Chapel Hill Oral Surgery Department

this month to talk to a surgeon there. I also have a heart arrythmia

called atrial fibrillation and am on a blood thinner daily to prevent

my heart from producing clots and causing a stroke. I should have

had this done many years ago, and now I have been to 3 oral surgeons,

an orthodontist, regular dentist, and a prosthadontist and all say it

has to be done. I am terrified. If anyone has had this done and is

close to my age and perhaps has afib too, please write to me asap. I

have to make a decision to either be without teeth soon or do it.

I'd feel alot better knowing how others have made out. They are

saying I may not have to have braces first since I won't be keeping

the upper teeth. Please let me know what you all have been through

and how long it is before you can talk. I am a nurse who teaches CNA

students at our community college and can't be out of work long.

Tell me about your experiences. Thanks. Nursewriterteacher

[Guest guest]

I meet some of your criteria... I am 56, almost 57. I had surgery to

advance my lower jaw 5 mm and move it sideways 3, last June. I have

many teeth that have required crowns because they were so full of

filllings.

I don't have fibrillation, but I do have a small heart murmur. I do

not take blood thinners, other than a small aspirin daily, because

one of my docs suggested it as stroke prevention. My surgeon had me

stop that a week before surgery.

Chapel Hill was the site of the video on jaw reconstruction that the

Discovery Channel shows from time to time, although the procedure was

specifically to rectify an underbite, rather than an overbite. I had

an underjet.

Try not to be terrified, although I understand well why you are. I

sailed through the surgery (mine was, I think, an easier procedure

than yours, but I am probably older than you are).

I am fine. I don't understand about not needing the upper braces, as

it has been my impression that the docs need the braces to anchor the

support system, post op. But I'm not a specialist, and particularly

as your problems have complications, you should ask for, and get, an

explanation that is satisfactory to you.

If they aren't going to use braces, will you be wired, post op? That

would affect your ability to talk, significantly. if you have a

splint, that also will make it, um challenging. But I will also tell

you that few people have much pain, as the nerves often become numb

post-op. Many times they come back completely; others have varying

degrees of residual numbness.

I found my lower advancement relatively easy -- and it becomes moreso

the further I get away from it. I did find that I was really, really

weary for about a month afterward, and I am still struggling to

regain the stamina i had before the surgery. But I cannot tell you

how pleased I am with the outcome.

If I can answer any specific questions for you, ask away. I'm not

informed, except from reading others' experiences, about the uppers.

Cammie