Help! I'm trying to decide if I should have this surgery done.

[Guest guest]

I am a 30 y.o. woman and cannot decide if this surgery is for me. I

worked in the dental field for 13 years and heard over and over and

over again how pretty I would be if..... how happy I would be if....

I am not happy with my profile. I want to have this surgery done,

but can't decide if it's worth the risks and the money it costs to

do it. Please give me feed back on your experience with the

surgery. I will have to have my lower jaw set back a bit and my

upper jaw moved forward if I go thru with it. There isn't an

orthodontist in my state that will do braces without it. I feel my

self esteem would be so much better.

Please give me some feedback if you have any advice.

[Guest guest]

This is something that only you can decide. You probably need a long

session with a dentist, ortho and/or oral surgeon, if you haven't had

one, to understand exactly what the risks and benefits may be. It can

be a big commitment, in terms of time, money and discomfort.

For me, the work was well worth doing. I had functional problems (and

you may, too, by the time you get to be 56. Or not.) that were

resolved by the surgery.

How important is " being pretty " to you? Has anyone ever discussed the

possibility of functional problems without the surgery? What are the

risks? Can you get an experienced, well-qualified surgeon to do the

work? Is the aftercare you will need available to you? Can you afford

the procedures, and/or do you have insurance to cover them? Can you

take the time off you may need for recovery? Is your family

supportive?

These are all matters to be considered. I would hope you would

disregard some of them (such as an unsupportive family -- that is not

unusual, and you are the person most intimately involved in this).

But they are among the matters you will have to deal with.

Have you ever had surgery or general anesthesia? How do you handle

that? Do you have any other risks -- any other general health issues

that complicate things?

Just trying to toss out some topics for you to think about. I don't

want you to post answers here, unless you wish to do so. But I'd urge

you to take out a piece of paper, or sit down at the computer, and

make yourself some lists of pros and cons, and then weigh them.

Best,

Cammie

> I am a 30 y.o. woman and cannot decide if this surgery is for me.

I

> worked in the dental field for 13 years and heard over and over and

> over again how pretty I would be if..... how happy I would be

if....

> I am not happy with my profile. I want to have this surgery done,

> but can't decide if it's worth the risks and the money it costs to

> do it. Please give me feed back on your experience with the

> surgery. I will have to have my lower jaw set back a bit and my

> upper jaw moved forward if I go thru with it. There isn't an

> orthodontist in my state that will do braces without it. I feel my

> self esteem would be so much better.

>

> Please give me some feedback if you have any advice.

[Guest guest]

Thank you to Cammie and kEV S for your responses. You have

definatly given me some other things to think about, questions to

ask, etc. I am currently checking the options in my area for local

surgeons and their expertise. Being in the dental field I realize

some of the issues that can go with this surgery. However, I want to

make certain when putting in this much time, energy, money and risks

I have the best possible care before, during and after the surgery.

We have a local surgeon in our area that performs this and he is held

in high regards by his peers here. However, I have heard some not so

good things as well. I will continue my journey and try to make a

responsible, good decision for me.

One thing that does concern me is I don't have eating or pain

problems at this time. My teeth do hit straight down on the front

and none at all in the back along the tongue side though. As you

described my biggest concern is what could happen to my teeth down

the road as far as wear goes and as well as pain in the future. I

don't want to be in my 50's or later and have to go thru this. If

it's a strong possibility I would rather do what is necessary now to

prevent it.

I'm definately going to think long and hard before jumping in.

Thanks again! Misty

> > I am a 30 y.o. woman and cannot decide if this surgery is for

me.

> I

> > worked in the dental field for 13 years and heard over and over

and

> > over again how pretty I would be if..... how happy I would be

> if....

> > I am not happy with my profile. I want to have this surgery

done,

> > but can't decide if it's worth the risks and the money it costs

to

> > do it. Please give me feed back on your experience with the

> > surgery. I will have to have my lower jaw set back a bit and my

> > upper jaw moved forward if I go thru with it. There isn't an

> > orthodontist in my state that will do braces without it. I feel

my

> > self esteem would be so much better.

> >

> > Please give me some feedback if you have any advice.

[Guest guest]

I have to agree with everyone else - braces don't make you ugly.

Attitudes are ugly.

I have Clarity clear ceremic braces, and most people can't tell I

have braces at all. I can talk to someone three feet away, and they

don't notice. Before surgery I asked my ortho if the ceremic braces

were more prone to splintering or breaking during surgery, and he

got upset with me. " Who have you been talking to? Quit worrying

about stupid things! You're fine. "

I spent several weeks with a mouth full of metal and plastic after

surgery, with drool and hooks and splint and bruises and

everything. I held my head up and answered questions of " How are

you? " with a big thumbs up. Nobody ever said I was ugly. They all

said they loved my attitude. When people asked what all the

hardware was about, they went away from my surgery explanation

saying, " Cool! You have a problem and you're fixing it, and that's

great. "

There is no shame in taking steps to do what needs to be done.

Kudos to all of us strong enough and brave enough to do it! We have

the right to hold our heads high, whatever our heads my look like at

the moment.

Kris