contemplating underbite lower jaw surgery...

July 18, 2004

I have recently been reading a lot of posts on both support groups

for orthognathic surgery, and it has made me think long and hard

about whether or not to go for braces/surgery for my underbite. I'm

18 years old, and my ortho had told me as I was going through

puberty that I would need to wait until I was 17 or 18 to begin

treatment. At 17, he said that I was ready for braces but I was

dreading having braces so much that I put it off for more than a

year. Now, I'm taking the time to seriously think about the

pros/cons of going though surgery. According to my ortho, I have a

severe enough underbite to require surgery to fix it. In my facial

profile, it is obvious enough that my bottom jaw sticks out but it

never bothered me enough to the point that I would go though surgery

just for cosmetic purposes. I also don't have any joint pain or TMJ

discomfort, unlike many who have posted on the message boards. In

addition, my bite is functional, and my teeth have grown to match up

so I can eat properly. However, my face and jaws do get sore, and I

am usually aware of the uncomfortable-ness of my underbite. I have

always tended to breathe through my mouth during the day and night.

My question is, if I don't go though surgery to fix it while I'm

young, will I eventually get problems like joint pain/TMJD or a

worsening of my bite? I'm really scared that my bite will get worse

and worse as I get older and I will eventually have problems eating

and pain at my joints. Has anyone here decided not to have the

surgery while young only to do the surgery anyway later in life? I

just feel like I don't have severe enough problems to really need to

undergo such major surgery, but on the other hand I would like to

have a normal bite.

Also, I read about this on the posts and it got me a little worried:

my ortho says I only need lower jaw surgery. However, I read in

previous postings that after surgery, some people have " extra skin "

under the chin and sometimes a double chin...does this go away after

a year-long recovery?? I'm fairly slender and the skin under my chin

isn't flabby at all but I'm worried that if I get this surgery I

will have saggy skin there!!

Thanks a lot and sorry for the really long post,

Mandy

July 18, 2004

Hi Mandy,

I'm 28 and in the midst of taking a decision. I got braces at a

later age (24) to straighten some teeth and regret not having it

done earlier. I am now debating the surgery.

My best advice to you is - If you are debating on getting braces to

straighten teeth, I _highly_ recommend it! I feared getting braces

for the impacts on my social life - but I think the benefits greatly

outweigh the impacts. Also at 18, everybody has them.. it's

definitely the right time to get them.

For the surgery, sounds like we're on the same boat..! See my

previous post. I can't seem to decide..

R

> I have recently been reading a lot of posts on both support groups

> for orthognathic surgery, and it has made me think long and hard

> about whether or not to go for braces/surgery for my underbite.

I'm

> 18 years old, and my ortho had told me as I was going through

> puberty that I would need to wait until I was 17 or 18 to begin

> treatment. At 17, he said that I was ready for braces but I was

> dreading having braces so much that I put it off for more than a

> year. Now, I'm taking the time to seriously think about the

> pros/cons of going though surgery. According to my ortho, I have a

> severe enough underbite to require surgery to fix it. In my facial

> profile, it is obvious enough that my bottom jaw sticks out but it

> never bothered me enough to the point that I would go though

surgery

> just for cosmetic purposes. I also don't have any joint pain or

TMJ

> discomfort, unlike many who have posted on the message boards. In

> addition, my bite is functional, and my teeth have grown to match

up

> so I can eat properly. However, my face and jaws do get sore, and

I

> am usually aware of the uncomfortable-ness of my underbite. I have

> always tended to breathe through my mouth during the day and

night.

> My question is, if I don't go though surgery to fix it while I'm

> young, will I eventually get problems like joint pain/TMJD or a

> worsening of my bite? I'm really scared that my bite will get

worse

> and worse as I get older and I will eventually have problems

eating

> and pain at my joints. Has anyone here decided not to have the

> surgery while young only to do the surgery anyway later in life? I

> just feel like I don't have severe enough problems to really need

to

> undergo such major surgery, but on the other hand I would like to

> have a normal bite.

> Also, I read about this on the posts and it got me a little

worried:

> my ortho says I only need lower jaw surgery. However, I read in

> previous postings that after surgery, some people have " extra

skin "

> under the chin and sometimes a double chin...does this go away

after

> a year-long recovery?? I'm fairly slender and the skin under my

chin

> isn't flabby at all but I'm worried that if I get this surgery I

> will have saggy skin there!!

> Thanks a lot and sorry for the really long post,

> Mandy

July 18, 2004

Mandy,

I definitely had some of the same concerns you did...believe me! I

was totally against getting braces for the second time (i'm 21). and

i was totally dreading the surgery too. but now, i'm really glad i

made the decision i did. my surgery is less than 3 weeks away (upper

and lower jaw, chin advancement, sinuses), and i just can't wait to

get it done. i'm not too thrilled about the recovery part...pain,

jaw banded closed, liquid diet...but it'll be worth it in the end.

adn i was able to get the clear braces. i was still really self

concious about them in the beginning, but i look at pics of myself

with them, and you can hardly tell i have them. but i really am not

thrilled about the way i look, and that played a huge roll in my

decision to get braces and surgery. i have an underbite, a pretty

bad open bite (which gives me a lisp...grrr), and a chin that i

hate....haha. a lot of people say i look fine. if you look at my

picture on my yahoo profile...it's really hard to tell. but if you

look at my side view, or listen to me talk, or see me try to

eat...it's much more obvious! and my ortho as well as my oral

surgeon said that if i dont' get it now, it will keep getting worse

and worse to the point that i can't chew and i'll have pain in my

jaws all the time. he also said if i waited too long, that it might

even be too late for surgery. so with that said...i'd say go for

it!! :-)

Tom

> I have recently been reading a lot of posts on both support groups

> for orthognathic surgery, and it has made me think long and hard

> about whether or not to go for braces/surgery for my underbite. I'm