Guest guest Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Hello everyone. I am new to this, so please pardon my lack of knowledge on specific medical terms. I am currently 18 years old and a freshman in college. I just found out today that I am ready for surgery as of July 1st!!! I am so excited as this has been a long process. Up until I was about 12 years old, I grew up thinking I had buck teeth, and I was made fun of (of course!) for it. I don't even remember when I started seeing an orthodontist, but at age 12 is when he told me that I in fact didn't have buck teeth, but I had an " undergrown bottom jaw, " and that I would need surgery to fix it someday...especially since I suffer from severe TMJ. There was a lot of ups and downs. They were going to start me w/braces when I was 14, and we had all the necessary consultations for the braces and other orthodontics and the surgery; however, we soon found out that my father's insurance wouldn't cover the $20,000 surgery, so I was stuck. My break came when my mom got a new job with excellent insurance that would cover all of it. So, when I was 17 I FINALLY got braces and started the ball rolling. Needless to say I am truly thankful that my time is FINALLY coming for this surgery. However; even though it's 4 months away, I'm nervous also. My nervousness is what brings me here. I have a few questions. I'm sure a lot of them have been covered by my doctors already and will be covered again, but I can't remember. First of all, do most people who have a surgery like this (once again, i don't know the technical terms, but i am having my bottom jaw moved forward, my top palete widened, and my chin moved back) stay in the hospital, and if so, for how long typically? Second of all, is there a chance a surgery like this could worsen my TMJ? I know having my wisdom teeth removed certainly worsened it, but this is different because my jaw will be fitting together for the first time ever, and I would think that would make it better. Thank you so much in advance for any help you can offer me. I'm sure I will be popping in and out of here a lot in the next few months. Sorry this is so long. Take care. Bethany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Hi Bethany, I had similar surgery (upper impacted, lower advanced, chin reduced & advanced) about 2.5 years ago. I didn't have my upper jaw surgically expanded, just a small expansion non-surgically. For double jaw surgeries, my surgeon has his patients stay 2 days in hospital (including day of surgery). Yes, there is a chance that surgery can worsen TMJ problems. You need to weigh the benefits versus the risks and decide. Your surgeon should advise you of the risks. Ask how some of his other patients fared (even ask to speak to them). I decided that it was worth it for me to go for surgery as I was relatively young (at almost 47 years of age!), healthy, and I didn't want to have to do this when I was older and possibly not in as good health. Hope that helps, > > Hello everyone. I am new to this, so please pardon my lack of > knowledge on specific medical terms. I am currently 18 years old and > a freshman in college. I just found out today that I am ready for > surgery as of July 1st!!! I am so excited as this has been a long > process. > > Up until I was about 12 years old, I grew up thinking I had buck > teeth, and I was made fun of (of course!) for it. I don't even > remember when I started seeing an orthodontist, but at age 12 is when > he told me that I in fact didn't have buck teeth, but I had > an " undergrown bottom jaw, " and that I would need surgery to fix it > someday...especially since I suffer from severe TMJ. > > There was a lot of ups and downs. They were going to start me > w/braces when I was 14, and we had all the necessary consultations > for the braces and other orthodontics and the surgery; however, we > soon found out that my father's insurance wouldn't cover the $20,000 > surgery, so I was stuck. > > My break came when my mom got a new job with excellent insurance that > would cover all of it. So, when I was 17 I FINALLY got braces and > started the ball rolling. Needless to say I am truly thankful that > my time is FINALLY coming for this surgery. However; even though > it's 4 months away, I'm nervous also. > > My nervousness is what brings me here. I have a few questions. I'm > sure a lot of them have been covered by my doctors already and will > be covered again, but I can't remember. First of all, do most people > who have a surgery like this (once again, i don't know the technical > terms, but i am having my bottom jaw moved forward, my top palete > widened, and my chin moved back) stay in the hospital, and if so, for > how long typically? Second of all, is there a chance a surgery like > this could worsen my TMJ? I know having my wisdom teeth removed > certainly worsened it, but this is different because my jaw will be > fitting together for the first time ever, and I would think that > would make it better. > > Thank you so much in advance for any help you can offer me. I'm sure > I will be popping in and out of here a lot in the next few months. > Sorry this is so long. Take care. > > Bethany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Hello Bethany, I'm 18 also! Thought I might be of some help to you, I haven't been in here in a while i'm heading into my third year post op!! I had a class three underbite, I had to have my top moved forward and my bottom reduced, it was in August of 2002. At the time I had a hard time getting over the pain and the change and healing all at once. I had a tough recovery at first, I fainted several times ...lack of hydration...as the doctor told me...make sure you drink until you have to go to the bathroom again! If you have any questions at all please reply or email me! I can deffintly say that I would do it over again if it were now, if you asked me in my post op hospital bed after being in surgery 6 hours i might have had another answer lol! any questions or anything contact me. Best of luck and all my support ~ katie ~ > > Hello everyone. I am new to this, so please pardon my lack of > knowledge on specific medical terms. I am currently 18 years old and > a freshman in college. I just found out today that I am ready for > surgery as of July 1st!!! I am so excited as this has been a long > process. > > Up until I was about 12 years old, I grew up thinking I had buck > teeth, and I was made fun of (of course!) for it. I don't even > remember when I started seeing an orthodontist, but at age 12 is when > he told me that I in fact didn't have buck teeth, but I had > an " undergrown bottom jaw, " and that I would need surgery to fix it > someday...especially since I suffer from severe TMJ. > > There was a lot of ups and downs. They were going to start me > w/braces when I was 14, and we had all the necessary consultations > for the braces and other orthodontics and the surgery; however, we > soon found out that my father's insurance wouldn't cover the $20,000 > surgery, so I was stuck. > > My break came when my mom got a new job with excellent insurance that > would cover all of it. So, when I was 17 I FINALLY got braces and > started the ball rolling. Needless to say I am truly thankful that > my time is FINALLY coming for this surgery. However; even though > it's 4 months away, I'm nervous also. > > My nervousness is what brings me here. I have a few questions. I'm > sure a lot of them have been covered by my doctors already and will > be covered again, but I can't remember. First of all, do most people > who have a surgery like this (once again, i don't know the technical > terms, but i am having my bottom jaw moved forward, my top palete > widened, and my chin moved back) stay in the hospital, and if so, for > how long typically? Second of all, is there a chance a surgery like > this could worsen my TMJ? I know having my wisdom teeth removed > certainly worsened it, but this is different because my jaw will be > fitting together for the first time ever, and I would think that > would make it better. > > Thank you so much in advance for any help you can offer me. I'm sure > I will be popping in and out of here a lot in the next few months. > Sorry this is so long. Take care. > > Bethany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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