Re: one more try - for ASHLEY

October 5, 2004

HI ,

I tried to email you all this info directly, let me know if u don't

get it....JO

>

> Hi Jo,

>

> I'm from a small town in upstate NY that's just about 2 hours from

> every major city (Albany, Binghamton, Rochester, Syracuse). I'd

> love to get a second opinion from an OS that is closer. Would you

> share your surgeon's name?

>

> I am honestly not sure what is so special about my case. In my

> ortho's words, I have a severe underbite due to overgrowth of the

> lower jaw and undergrowth of the upper. My lower jaw is

> asymmetrical as well, which will be fixed with surgery. Also, my

> upper jaw will need to be expanded. I know it'll be a complex

> surgery, but other people have had the same thing and haven't had

to

> travel 12 hours for it! I don't have any health issues. I just

> think my ortho really trusts this surgeon and since they'll have to

> do so many things at once, he wants to send me to NC. I've heard

of

> many other people having this same type of surgery though, and it

> just doesn't seem necessary to travel so far for it.

>

> By the way, my ortho was also trained by this particular surgeon.

I

> don't know how much of his recommendation has to do with this

fact.

> He may be biased. My ortho has sent other people there before that

> had more complicated cases, and supposedly none of them had a

> problem with travelling so far. Our area is very small though, and

> this orthodontist basically rules. These other people probably

> didn't try to get a second opinion. By the sound of it, though,

> travelling that far is absolutely ridiculous because I'll need to

go

> back down for check-ups at least 4 times, and that's with no

> complications. I'd rather not see one surgeon for surgery (in NC),

> and then go to another for check-ups (in NY).

>

> Another opinion would be a good place to start in terms of

> researching other surgeons in the area. However, I'm not sure what

> I would do if I found another surgeon. My orthodontist would not

be

> happy that I went against his advice (he simply would not give me

> ANY other names of surgeons in the area). I don't know how much

> faith I should put into his recommendation. I'm sure this

> particular surgeon really is " one of the best, " but is it really

> worth the hassle? I doubt it...but I've seen on this board over

and

> over again that you need to trust your ortho and OS, and follow

> whatever instructions they give you. Thanks for your concern!

> -

October 5, 2004