new OS with great news but I need advise! (long)

August 24, 2004

Hello all, I'm looking for some advise...

I went in for a consult yesterday early morning with new oral

surgeon. I am switching to him as my original OS was out of network

and he would have cost us ALOT of money. My new OS comes VERY

highly regarded, I have a friend's mom who has had over 30 surgeries

for TMJ issues so she's my surgery guru. She has gone to this OS,

and knows many others who have as well and all have been beyond

happy. So I met with him and he was very nice, I liked him alot, he

answered all of my questions (and seemed impressed by some of them,

thanks to you guys and 's site). Towards the end of my

questions I asked him 'So, how close would you say I am to being

ready?' I wasn't expecting much for an answer and I got what I

expected. He laughed and said, 'well, I'm not the orthodontist, I

can't really tell you that one. but, things do look aligned and

leveled.' Eh, oh well.

Now time out for a second. I was ORIGINALLY told 12-18 months in

braces, then surgery, then 3-6 more months in braces. I have been

in braces since may. Last time in the ortho's office I asked him

how I was doing, am I on track, ahead of schedule, behind schedule,

etc. (it's been 3 months, I thought that was long enough to see how

things are moving, etc). My ortho (after looking at me and my chart

a few dazed times), told me that I'm ahead, MUCH ahead of

schedule... He did say that next time I'd get a wire change and we

would do some arch work, some detailing and then get me ready for

surgery but didn't give me a timeline.

So back to the OS (who has other patients of my ortho's so he does

work with my current ortho), I asked some more questions and then I

asked, 'so... I know you can't give me a real answer but, I have

approved for surgery, the old OS's office sent in a pre-auth and it

was approved, so I know I am approved for surgery. I would like to

get this done with by the end of the year so I don't have to worry

about my husband's insurance changing or the company changing

providers all together and suddenly I'm not covered. is there ANY

chance we can get this done this year, or is this DEFINITELY next

year?' And he said, 'Oh, totally this year. Yeah, no problem with

that. How does October sound? Then you would be healed up for the

holidays.'

WHAT?!?

He took a panoramic x-ray and a profile of my skull x-ray and I was

off on my way to work.

But then I spent all day in a fog. OCTOBER?!? What? How? Wow!

That would be AMAZING!

However, I don't even go in to the ortho until sept. 22nd... How is

this possible to do in October??? This morning I did call my

ortho's office and said, 'hi! so I've changed oral surgeons and new

OS seems to think that I could be ready in October?!? but I don't

even see my ortho again until sept 22nd... so...' the ortho

office lady was beyond nice, she took my message and told me that my

ortho would be in the office this afternoon. so he'll look things

over and either he will give me a call, or an assistant will give me

a call to let me know what is up.

I don't know how I could be ready in October unless my ortho gets on

board and I start going in more frequently. And I thought that you

had to stabilize in your braces for some time before you could do

surgery... ??? Is this really possible to do this year? I feel

bad, I feel all that I read on this board is people getting moved

BACK, not moved UP! Any advise or thoughts? Is this crazy or is

this actually possible? I do have all alot of faith in this OS and

I know he wouldn't do anything until I was ready, and I know that my

ortho has to 'declare' me ready first. I definitely don't want to

rush things, but could it actually be falling together this

quickly?

August 24, 2004