Re: A bit scared and not sure what to do

[Guest guest]

I am new to this site and never posted, but wanted to respond and let

you know I am going through the exact same thing. I am 32 and my

teeth have shifted because I never went back to an ortho since

college to get an upper retainer. Needless to say, now when I

consulted with several orthodontists they all are recommending

surgery. Otherwise there is NOTHING they can do.

When I first had braces, I was told about the surgical option, but

was led to believe it was pretty intense, and I didn't have any

noticable or severe problems to go through the procedure and costs

etc. At that time, my parents said it was really up to me and at 17

I didn't want to go through it. I don't want to go through it now,

but can't stand that I have 2 teeth that are crossing each other and

I have a slight openbite. My friends say that they don't know what I

am talking about, they say " you look good - what's the issue " , but

honestly I don't like my teeth. I am not sure if this is simply

vainity - but I notice my bite and my teeth. I too worry, will this

get worse? And to be honest 2 orthodonists told me that your teeth

keep moving forward as you get older....

I am glad this support group is here - I see other people are going

through the same thing, choices, and decisions. I am hoping I can

find other options too. I have been looking into alternatives and

could keep you posted on what I find.

I am hoping someone could advise me on time frame. I have a 3 year

year old and want to have another child. I also have to travel for

work and wonder about recovery. I was given a range of 1 - 3 years.

Plus having braces again at 32 isn't appealling.

Sorry this isn't really advice, but wanted to let you know its OK to

be unsure (and I am right there with you.)

>

> Hi guys im new here and never posted before and I just happend to

be

> doing jaw surgery searches and lucked out and found this place .

> Basically when I was 15 I had braces for 3 years and when I was

done

> I had perfect teeth just a slight gummy smile but nothing really

> major anyways I being in high school at the time never wanted to

> wear the retainer feeling that I would talk funny in school etc so

I

> after getting my braces off I never picked up the retainer and went

> on with life as usual enjoying my nice smile. About 7 or 8 years

> later I started to notice a clicking sound in my jaw when I would

> eat sometimes and it seemed like from that point on over the years

I

> started to notice my four front teeth shifting out a bit over time

> and guess when you have had perfect teeth you really notice when

> they start to go crooked . I always wanted to get they fixed

again

> because as a kid you get teased and stuff and so remembering that

> you never want to go through that again etc and also you get use to

> a nice smile so you dont want to see it get worse over time so

> basically I finally went to see a couple orthodontists and after my

> consultation they both said I needed to have upper jaw surgery to

> get my bite right . My bite now feels normal and I can close all

the

> way but my jaw does click when I chew and the overbite I do have

> seems to look mainly from the four front teeth moving out etc.

> I also went to see a surgeon and hear him out and he said they

> would move my upper jaw up higher and back in more on an angle down

> a bit and maybe make my chin a bit more prenounced etc so this to

me

> sounded and sounds soooooooo scary I mean I read a lot of the posts

> and still its a scary thing to deal with and I guess I have the

same

> fears as many that you will look different and not look like you

> anymore and you hear some people say they lose feeling in their

face

> and lips etc for a long time and I get worried what if it never

> comes back or what if after the surgery you dont look as good or a

> bit odd etc. Its such a stressful thing to deal with and im 33 now

> im wondering if im making too much out of a few crooked teeth I

mean

> I want them perfect again but guess im wondering if surgery is

worth

> the risk and stuff ? When I first looked into an orthodontist I

> figured they would just make me wear braces and then a retainer but

> when I asked them they seemed like it wasnt an option and the only

> way they could improve on my smile was to have the surgery done so

> sounds to me like they wont even do the work if i dont do it .

> Like a lot of people im really scared and not sure what to do or

> where to turn and its so hard to find information on the net mainly

> all you get is adds from other orthodontists etc saying what they

> offer etc but I wanted to hear from people who had the surgery done

> and went through the pain and the overall finished look and hear

> what they said and if it was bad or worth it etc?

> Sorry for writing so much I just wanted to give people a good idea

> of my situation so they can better give me some advice and help. I

> guess im feel like im at the dammed if you do dammed if you dont

> stage and a bit discouraged really . Most people say your teeth

> are fine or they are not that bad etc but like i said earlier they

> are not nice and perfect like they use to be and im worried they

are

> just getting worse and so any advice would really be helpful and

> would mean a lot to me because its a scary and really stressful

> thing to have to think about and try to decide what to do. I saw

> some adds of people looking forward to getting their operations and

> here i am thinking of how they basically cut out above your teeth

> and gums what is your skeleton and then there is the chin do i

> leave it or let them make it a bit more prenounced? any help would

> mean a lot and this site really is a great thing and nice that

there

> are people that care out there to share their thoughts and feelings

> and experiences

[Guest guest]

Hi sachermn,

I'm 28 and just got my braces put on (for the second time in my

life) in preparation for the surgery. I'll be having upper and

lower done in about 1 year, though on this message board we've

reently asked about the time frames people have been given, and they

really range from 6 mos (braces to operation) to as much as 10

years; but I would say the average seems to be 12-18 mos.

I'm not thrilled about having braces at my age, but at the same time

I am really excited to finally get my face fixed, because my lower

jaw is elongated on one side, which makes my face very asymmetrical,

and it protrudes as well, giving me a less-than-desirable profile.

To me it's just a small price to pay in order to quit hiding from

cameras and feel better about myself. I only wish I had done it

sooner so that I'd look great at my high-school reunion this fall.

Instead I'll show up in braces, hehe.

I am in a similar situation as far as kids go; I don't have any yet

but was hoping to maybe start trying this year. But when I asked

for advice on this board, and since my surgery is about 1 year out,

I was given an overwhelming opinion that I should wait until I've

recovered to start trying for kids. If you were to have surgery 3

years out, there's probably no reason why you couldn't have a baby

in the meantime. But if it were 1 year away, you'd likely have the

baby around the time you were ready for surgery, and you'd have to

probably put the surgery off for 6 mos. or so until you recovered

from that. The helpful folks here helped me decide that it's best

for me to focus on me this year, and once I have recovered from my

surgery I'll be better able to focus on having children and giving

them all of my attention. But it's really up to you, your

priorities, and what your doctors say.

Anyway, I hope that was a little helpful. Every situation is

different of course, but I've found it very comforting that there

are all these people online who know what I'm going through and can

relate more than my friends and family can. Good luck, and I hope

you get the advice you're looking for.

[Guest guest]

Hello--

I'm new here too and am finding all kinds of wonderful help from

everyone. I'm almost 31 and I have had my braces on for 14 months

now. I had both jaws done the end of December. I am at 5 weeks and

everything is going wonderful!! I was freaked about what I was going

to look like later--you know whats my nose gonna look like and my

chin. I had the top jaw pulled up and forward and the bottom moved

way to the left. I think the results are awesome! It's a freaky thing

to try and decide--I don't think anyone can make that decision for

you. I found that my imagination was my worst enemy:) As for myself

I didn't have many side effects from the surgery. Everything went

very smooth and I had no bruising and just a small amount of

swelling. I have almost all of the feeling back in my face and whats

still numb is getting better daily! I don't know if this makes you

feel any better, but I thought I would put my 2 cents worth in:)

-- In orthognathicsurgerysupport , " Crazyboy2000 "

<crazyboy2000@y...> wrote:

>

> Hi guys im new here and never posted before and I just happend to

be

> doing jaw surgery searches and lucked out and found this place .

> Basically when I was 15 I had braces for 3 years and when I was

done

> I had perfect teeth just a slight gummy smile but nothing really

> major anyways I being in high school at the time never wanted to

> wear the retainer feeling that I would talk funny in school etc so

I

> after getting my braces off I never picked up the retainer and went

> on with life as usual enjoying my nice smile. About 7 or 8 years

> later I started to notice a clicking sound in my jaw when I would

> eat sometimes and it seemed like from that point on over the years

I

> started to notice my four front teeth shifting out a bit over time

> and guess when you have had perfect teeth you really notice when

> they start to go crooked . I always wanted to get they fixed

again

> because as a kid you get teased and stuff and so remembering that

> you never want to go through that again etc and also you get use to

> a nice smile so you dont want to see it get worse over time so

> basically I finally went to see a couple orthodontists and after my

> consultation they both said I needed to have upper jaw surgery to

> get my bite right . My bite now feels normal and I can close all

the

> way but my jaw does click when I chew and the overbite I do have

> seems to look mainly from the four front teeth moving out etc.

> I also went to see a surgeon and hear him out and he said they

> would move my upper jaw up higher and back in more on an angle down

> a bit and maybe make my chin a bit more prenounced etc so this to

me

> sounded and sounds soooooooo scary I mean I read a lot of the posts

> and still its a scary thing to deal with and I guess I have the

same

> fears as many that you will look different and not look like you

> anymore and you hear some people say they lose feeling in their

face

> and lips etc for a long time and I get worried what if it never

> comes back or what if after the surgery you dont look as good or a

> bit odd etc. Its such a stressful thing to deal with and im 33 now

> im wondering if im making too much out of a few crooked teeth I

mean

> I want them perfect again but guess im wondering if surgery is

worth

> the risk and stuff ? When I first looked into an orthodontist I

> figured they would just make me wear braces and then a retainer but

> when I asked them they seemed like it wasnt an option and the only

> way they could improve on my smile was to have the surgery done so

> sounds to me like they wont even do the work if i dont do it .

> Like a lot of people im really scared and not sure what to do or

> where to turn and its so hard to find information on the net mainly

> all you get is adds from other orthodontists etc saying what they

> offer etc but I wanted to hear from people who had the surgery done

> and went through the pain and the overall finished look and hear

> what they said and if it was bad or worth it etc?

> Sorry for writing so much I just wanted to give people a good idea

> of my situation so they can better give me some advice and help. I

> guess im feel like im at the dammed if you do dammed if you dont

> stage and a bit discouraged really . Most people say your teeth

> are fine or they are not that bad etc but like i said earlier they

> are not nice and perfect like they use to be and im worried they

are

> just getting worse and so any advice would really be helpful and

> would mean a lot to me because its a scary and really stressful

> thing to have to think about and try to decide what to do. I saw

> some adds of people looking forward to getting their operations and

> here i am thinking of how they basically cut out above your teeth

> and gums what is your skeleton and then there is the chin do i

> leave it or let them make it a bit more prenounced? any help would

> mean a lot and this site really is a great thing and nice that

there

> are people that care out there to share their thoughts and feelings

> and experiences

[Guest guest]

Hello friend, and welcome.

Writing long is not a problem, to me, but a few paragraphs here and

there would be helpful! ;~> I was kinda breathless by the time I

finished reading that solid block of type...

Anyhow. All of us are frightened.

Pain is, believe it or not, not usually a big problem. Most of the

complaints about pain have to do with:

1. Those danged spacers the ortho uses before he puts the appliances

on.

2. The cuts and scrapes from the wires and brackets.

3. Sensitivity of the teeth after surgery.

Some folks do have a lot of pain, but they are few and far between.

(Doesn't help, if you're one of the few.)

Most do not. Numbness, to a greater or lesser degree, can be a

problem. For most of us, most of it goes away by a year or so post

op. Again, that doesn't help if you're one of the ones who wind up,

occasionally, without sensation in your face, or a considerable part

of it. Particularly, ask your docs what they think if you're a

musician, and rely on the shape and/or sensitivity of your mouth to

make your living, or find your pleasure.

For me, anyhow, the reason to go through with the surgery in addition

to ortho was for the sake of long-term retention. It could be,

though, that if you tell an ortho that you absolutely won't consider

the surgery, but have learned the error of your ways about retainers,

they'd do the ortho without, but give you a less totally successful

result. I dunno.

And I hope that you can find surgeons and orthos you can trust and

rely upon to guide you with regard to the decisions about your chin,

etc. They are the people who know the most about such matters.

There's nothing wrong with having more than one consult, to try to

figure out who you want treating you.

Good wishes,

Cammie

>

> Hi guys im new here and never posted before and I just happend to

be

> doing jaw surgery searches and lucked out and found this place .

> Basically when I was 15 I had braces for 3 years and when I was

done

> I had perfect teeth just a slight gummy smile but nothing really

> major anyways I being in high school at the time never wanted to

> wear the retainer feeling that I would talk funny in school etc so

I

> after getting my braces off I never picked up the retainer and went

> on with life as usual enjoying my nice smile. About 7 or 8 years

> later I started to notice a clicking sound in my jaw when I would

> eat sometimes and it seemed like from that point on over the years

I

> started to notice my four front teeth shifting out a bit over time

> and guess when you have had perfect teeth you really notice when

> they start to go crooked . I always wanted to get they fixed

again

> because as a kid you get teased and stuff and so remembering that

> you never want to go through that again etc and also you get use to

> a nice smile so you dont want to see it get worse over time so

> basically I finally went to see a couple orthodontists and after my

> consultation they both said I needed to have upper jaw surgery to

> get my bite right . My bite now feels normal and I can close all

the

> way but my jaw does click when I chew and the overbite I do have

> seems to look mainly from the four front teeth moving out etc.

> I also went to see a surgeon and hear him out and he said they

> would move my upper jaw up higher and back in more on an angle down

> a bit and maybe make my chin a bit more prenounced etc so this to

me

> sounded and sounds soooooooo scary I mean I read a lot of the posts

> and still its a scary thing to deal with and I guess I have the

same

> fears as many that you will look different and not look like you

> anymore and you hear some people say they lose feeling in their

face

> and lips etc for a long time and I get worried what if it never

> comes back or what if after the surgery you dont look as good or a

> bit odd etc. Its such a stressful thing to deal with and im 33 now

> im wondering if im making too much out of a few crooked teeth I

mean

> I want them perfect again but guess im wondering if surgery is

worth

> the risk and stuff ? When I first looked into an orthodontist I

> figured they would just make me wear braces and then a retainer but

> when I asked them they seemed like it wasnt an option and the only

> way they could improve on my smile was to have the surgery done so

> sounds to me like they wont even do the work if i dont do it .

> Like a lot of people im really scared and not sure what to do or

> where to turn and its so hard to find information on the net mainly

> all you get is adds from other orthodontists etc saying what they

> offer etc but I wanted to hear from people who had the surgery done

> and went through the pain and the overall finished look and hear

> what they said and if it was bad or worth it etc?

> Sorry for writing so much I just wanted to give people a good idea

> of my situation so they can better give me some advice and help. I

> guess im feel like im at the dammed if you do dammed if you dont

> stage and a bit discouraged really . Most people say your teeth

> are fine or they are not that bad etc but like i said earlier they

> are not nice and perfect like they use to be and im worried they

are

> just getting worse and so any advice would really be helpful and

> would mean a lot to me because its a scary and really stressful

> thing to have to think about and try to decide what to do. I saw

> some adds of people looking forward to getting their operations and

> here i am thinking of how they basically cut out above your teeth

> and gums what is your skeleton and then there is the chin do i

> leave it or let them make it a bit more prenounced? any help would

> mean a lot and this site really is a great thing and nice that

there

> are people that care out there to share their thoughts and feelings

> and experiences

[Guest guest]

Try having braces at 56!

Not fun, but needed to happen, as did the surgery.

Scheduling travel and braces shouldn't be a problem. Scheduling

babies and surgery can be. Be candid with your docs (including your

ortho and your OB/GYN). At 32, I think you're on the edge of where

your biological clock gets louder -- but then, women are having

babies at what -- 57? -- these days, so maybe I'm out of date.

You may want to do the baby first, and wait for the surgery.

It will, probably, though, take a year or more to get you ready for

surgery (ask your ortho this one), so maybe you'll have an answer

about what's gonna happen with the babies by then. If so, your teeth

can be held in position while you deliver and recover, and then, when

you're up to it, you can schedule the surgery. That probably would

mean more time in braces, though, unless they could do something with

retainers and take the braces off, then reinstall them for surgery.

Again, ask your ortho...

Good wishes to you.

Cammie

> >

> > Hi guys im new here and never posted before and I just happend to

> be

> > doing jaw surgery searches and lucked out and found this

place .

> > Basically when I was 15 I had braces for 3 years and when I was

> done

> > I had perfect teeth just a slight gummy smile but nothing really

> > major anyways I being in high school at the time never wanted to

> > wear the retainer feeling that I would talk funny in school etc

so

> I

> > after getting my braces off I never picked up the retainer and

went

> > on with life as usual enjoying my nice smile. About 7 or 8 years

> > later I started to notice a clicking sound in my jaw when I would

> > eat sometimes and it seemed like from that point on over the

years

> I

> > started to notice my four front teeth shifting out a bit over

time

> > and guess when you have had perfect teeth you really notice when

> > they start to go crooked . I always wanted to get they fixed

> again

> > because as a kid you get teased and stuff and so remembering that

> > you never want to go through that again etc and also you get use

to

> > a nice smile so you dont want to see it get worse over time so

> > basically I finally went to see a couple orthodontists and after

my

> > consultation they both said I needed to have upper jaw surgery to

> > get my bite right . My bite now feels normal and I can close all

> the

> > way but my jaw does click when I chew and the overbite I do have

> > seems to look mainly from the four front teeth moving out etc.

> > I also went to see a surgeon and hear him out and he said they

> > would move my upper jaw up higher and back in more on an angle

down

> > a bit and maybe make my chin a bit more prenounced etc so this to

> me

> > sounded and sounds soooooooo scary I mean I read a lot of the

posts

> > and still its a scary thing to deal with and I guess I have the

> same

> > fears as many that you will look different and not look like you

> > anymore and you hear some people say they lose feeling in their

> face

> > and lips etc for a long time and I get worried what if it never

> > comes back or what if after the surgery you dont look as good or

a

> > bit odd etc. Its such a stressful thing to deal with and im 33

now

> > im wondering if im making too much out of a few crooked teeth I

> mean

> > I want them perfect again but guess im wondering if surgery is

> worth

> > the risk and stuff ? When I first looked into an orthodontist I

> > figured they would just make me wear braces and then a retainer

but

> > when I asked them they seemed like it wasnt an option and the

only

> > way they could improve on my smile was to have the surgery done

so

> > sounds to me like they wont even do the work if i dont do it .

> > Like a lot of people im really scared and not sure what to do or

> > where to turn and its so hard to find information on the net

mainly

> > all you get is adds from other orthodontists etc saying what they

> > offer etc but I wanted to hear from people who had the surgery

done

> > and went through the pain and the overall finished look and hear

> > what they said and if it was bad or worth it etc?

> > Sorry for writing so much I just wanted to give people a good

idea

> > of my situation so they can better give me some advice and help.

I

> > guess im feel like im at the dammed if you do dammed if you dont

> > stage and a bit discouraged really . Most people say your

teeth

> > are fine or they are not that bad etc but like i said earlier

they

> > are not nice and perfect like they use to be and im worried they

> are

> > just getting worse and so any advice would really be helpful and

> > would mean a lot to me because its a scary and really stressful

> > thing to have to think about and try to decide what to do. I saw

> > some adds of people looking forward to getting their operations

and

> > here i am thinking of how they basically cut out above your teeth

> > and gums what is your skeleton and then there is the chin do i

> > leave it or let them make it a bit more prenounced? any help

would

> > mean a lot and this site really is a great thing and nice that

> there

> > are people that care out there to share their thoughts and

feelings

> > and experiences

[Guest guest]

It's been a while since I was 32 -- or even 42. But back in those

dark ages, the age of 32 was sort of a key time about deciding to

have babies, my OB/GYN said. Of course, things may have changed

compeletely... Actually, that wasn't a problem for me.

Cammie

>

> Hi sachermn,

>

> I'm 28 and just got my braces put on (for the second time in my

> life) in preparation for the surgery. I'll be having upper and

> lower done in about 1 year, though on this message board we've

> reently asked about the time frames people have been given, and

they

> really range from 6 mos (braces to operation) to as much as 10

> years; but I would say the average seems to be 12-18 mos.

>

> I'm not thrilled about having braces at my age, but at the same

time

> I am really excited to finally get my face fixed, because my lower

> jaw is elongated on one side, which makes my face very

asymmetrical,

> and it protrudes as well, giving me a less-than-desirable profile.

> To me it's just a small price to pay in order to quit hiding from

> cameras and feel better about myself. I only wish I had done it

> sooner so that I'd look great at my high-school reunion this fall.

> Instead I'll show up in braces, hehe.

>

> I am in a similar situation as far as kids go; I don't have any yet

> but was hoping to maybe start trying this year. But when I asked

> for advice on this board, and since my surgery is about 1 year out,

> I was given an overwhelming opinion that I should wait until I've

> recovered to start trying for kids. If you were to have surgery 3

> years out, there's probably no reason why you couldn't have a baby

> in the meantime. But if it were 1 year away, you'd likely have the

> baby around the time you were ready for surgery, and you'd have to

> probably put the surgery off for 6 mos. or so until you recovered

> from that. The helpful folks here helped me decide that it's best

> for me to focus on me this year, and once I have recovered from my

> surgery I'll be better able to focus on having children and giving

> them all of my attention. But it's really up to you, your

> priorities, and what your doctors say.

>

> Anyway, I hope that was a little helpful. Every situation is

> different of course, but I've found it very comforting that there

> are all these people online who know what I'm going through and can

> relate more than my friends and family can. Good luck, and I hope

> you get the advice you're looking for.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks for the info. My husband just started a new job and sold our

restaurant. Right now we are concentrating on family and each other

versus poring money into a business. I now have the opportunity to

seriously deal with fixing my teeth/bite. I definitely want to do

this for the right reasons, but haven't totally made up my mind

yet.

I know what you mean about braces and events - like High School

reunions. Luckily my tenth reunion was in 2000 However my

college graduation reunion is coming up and if I do decide to do

this I will definitely have braces for that. That doesn't bother me

so much though. I am more nervous about surgery.

I too am glad that this support group is on-line. My family and

friends can't really relate - they support me, but they don't fully

understand.

Take care,

Amy

>

> Hi sachermn,

>

> I'm 28 and just got my braces put on (for the second time in my

> life) in preparation for the surgery. I'll be having upper and

> lower done in about 1 year, though on this message board we've

> reently asked about the time frames people have been given, and

they

> really range from 6 mos (braces to operation) to as much as 10

> years; but I would say the average seems to be 12-18 mos.

>

> I'm not thrilled about having braces at my age, but at the same

time

> I am really excited to finally get my face fixed, because my lower

> jaw is elongated on one side, which makes my face very

asymmetrical,

> and it protrudes as well, giving me a less-than-desirable

profile.

> To me it's just a small price to pay in order to quit hiding from

> cameras and feel better about myself. I only wish I had done it

> sooner so that I'd look great at my high-school reunion this

fall.

> Instead I'll show up in braces, hehe.

>

> I am in a similar situation as far as kids go; I don't have any

yet

> but was hoping to maybe start trying this year. But when I asked

> for advice on this board, and since my surgery is about 1 year

out,

> I was given an overwhelming opinion that I should wait until I've

> recovered to start trying for kids. If you were to have surgery 3

> years out, there's probably no reason why you couldn't have a baby

> in the meantime. But if it were 1 year away, you'd likely have

the

> baby around the time you were ready for surgery, and you'd have to

> probably put the surgery off for 6 mos. or so until you recovered

> from that. The helpful folks here helped me decide that it's best

> for me to focus on me this year, and once I have recovered from my

> surgery I'll be better able to focus on having children and giving

> them all of my attention. But it's really up to you, your

> priorities, and what your doctors say.

>

> Anyway, I hope that was a little helpful. Every situation is

> different of course, but I've found it very comforting that there

> are all these people online who know what I'm going through and

can

> relate more than my friends and family can. Good luck, and I hope

> you get the advice you're looking for.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm glad to see that there is an option to wait on the surgery. You

are considered high risk if you are over 35, but I'm not worried. I

just have put off having this done for 4 years while my husband ran

his own business-restaurant. Its a commitment, and I don't seem to

find too many alternatives.

Thanks,

Amy

> >

> > Hi sachermn,

> >

> > I'm 28 and just got my braces put on (for the second time in my

> > life) in preparation for the surgery. I'll be having upper and

> > lower done in about 1 year, though on this message board we've

> > reently asked about the time frames people have been given, and

> they

> > really range from 6 mos (braces to operation) to as much as 10

> > years; but I would say the average seems to be 12-18 mos.

> >

> > I'm not thrilled about having braces at my age, but at the same

> time

> > I am really excited to finally get my face fixed, because my

lower

> > jaw is elongated on one side, which makes my face very

> asymmetrical,

> > and it protrudes as well, giving me a less-than-desirable

profile.

> > To me it's just a small price to pay in order to quit hiding

from

> > cameras and feel better about myself. I only wish I had done it

> > sooner so that I'd look great at my high-school reunion this

fall.

> > Instead I'll show up in braces, hehe.

> >

> > I am in a similar situation as far as kids go; I don't have any

yet

> > but was hoping to maybe start trying this year. But when I

asked

> > for advice on this board, and since my surgery is about 1 year

out,

> > I was given an overwhelming opinion that I should wait until

I've

> > recovered to start trying for kids. If you were to have surgery

3

> > years out, there's probably no reason why you couldn't have a

baby

> > in the meantime. But if it were 1 year away, you'd likely have

the

> > baby around the time you were ready for surgery, and you'd have

to

> > probably put the surgery off for 6 mos. or so until you

recovered

> > from that. The helpful folks here helped me decide that it's

best

> > for me to focus on me this year, and once I have recovered from

my

> > surgery I'll be better able to focus on having children and

giving

> > them all of my attention. But it's really up to you, your

> > priorities, and what your doctors say.

> >

> > Anyway, I hope that was a little helpful. Every situation is

> > different of course, but I've found it very comforting that

there

> > are all these people online who know what I'm going through and

can

> > relate more than my friends and family can. Good luck, and I

hope

> > you get the advice you're looking for.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hey crazyboy2000,

If you sit down and think about it (this is what I try

not to do given my imagination), it is a scary thing.

Heck, so are a lot of things in life if you take the

time to break them down. My story is - I'm 25, I've

had the braces-action going on for 16 mos and I'm 2.5

mos away from the surgery. I have experienced a

roller-coaster of emotions ranging from scared to

anxious to doubtful to excited. I've heard from

several people that the most stressful time is the

time leading up to the surgery, and that after its

done, you focus on healing and that its uphill from

there.

so if you think about it - having braces is not that

bad. It may be annoying at first, but you get used to

them. And its almost like, when you get your mind in

the positive mind-set that you're taking a very small

chunk of time in your life to generate great results

that will last you years and years, its almost like -

why not??!

Things for you to think about I think would be - what

alternatives, to surgery, are there? Will your

insurance cover the procedure? Can you afford the out

of pocket expenses that are left? Have you done your

research and do you know all the potential risks?

(every surgery has risks) Are you emotionally ready to

start the process? I only mention this because

although the end result is GREAT - it does takes

patience and tolerance.

Sorry to ramble but right now I can honestly say - I'm

stoked to get this done!! I've done the research, I

know the risks, and still, I know I made the right

decision. I'm tired of feeling funny about my profile

since I have some asymmetry. I think its great that

we have this option! I hope you make the right

decision - I know you will!

T

--- Lila wrote:

>

> Hello--

> I'm new here too and am finding all kinds of

> wonderful help from

> everyone. I'm almost 31 and I have had my braces on

> for 14 months

> now. I had both jaws done the end of December. I am

> at 5 weeks and

> everything is going wonderful!! I was freaked about

> what I was going

> to look like later--you know whats my nose gonna

> look like and my

> chin. I had the top jaw pulled up and forward and

> the bottom moved

> way to the left. I think the results are awesome!

> It's a freaky thing

> to try and decide--I don't think anyone can make

> that decision for

> you. I found that my imagination was my worst

> enemy:) As for myself

> I didn't have many side effects from the surgery.

> Everything went

> very smooth and I had no bruising and just a small

> amount of

> swelling. I have almost all of the feeling back in

> my face and whats

> still numb is getting better daily! I don't know if

> this makes you

> feel any better, but I thought I would put my 2

> cents worth in:)

>

>

> -- In orthognathicsurgerysupport ,

> " Crazyboy2000 "

> <crazyboy2000@y...> wrote:

> >

> > Hi guys im new here and never posted before and I

> just happend to

> be

> > doing jaw surgery searches and lucked out and

> found this place .

> > Basically when I was 15 I had braces for 3 years

> and when I was

> done

> > I had perfect teeth just a slight gummy smile but

> nothing really

> > major anyways I being in high school at the time

> never wanted to

> > wear the retainer feeling that I would talk funny

> in school etc so

> I

> > after getting my braces off I never picked up the

> retainer and went

> > on with life as usual enjoying my nice smile.

> About 7 or 8 years

> > later I started to notice a clicking sound in my

> jaw when I would

> > eat sometimes and it seemed like from that point

> on over the years

> I

> > started to notice my four front teeth shifting out

> a bit over time

> > and guess when you have had perfect teeth you

> really notice when

> > they start to go crooked . I always wanted to

> get they fixed

> again

> > because as a kid you get teased and stuff and so

> remembering that

> > you never want to go through that again etc and

> also you get use to

> > a nice smile so you dont want to see it get worse

> over time so

> > basically I finally went to see a couple

> orthodontists and after my

> > consultation they both said I needed to have upper

> jaw surgery to

> > get my bite right . My bite now feels normal and I

> can close all

> the

> > way but my jaw does click when I chew and the

> overbite I do have

> > seems to look mainly from the four front teeth

> moving out etc.

> > I also went to see a surgeon and hear him out and

> he said they

> > would move my upper jaw up higher and back in more

> on an angle down

> > a bit and maybe make my chin a bit more prenounced

> etc so this to

> me

> > sounded and sounds soooooooo scary I mean I read a

> lot of the posts

> > and still its a scary thing to deal with and I

> guess I have the

> same

> > fears as many that you will look different and not

> look like you

> > anymore and you hear some people say they lose

> feeling in their

> face

> > and lips etc for a long time and I get worried

> what if it never

> > comes back or what if after the surgery you dont

> look as good or a

> > bit odd etc. Its such a stressful thing to deal

> with and im 33 now

> > im wondering if im making too much out of a few

> crooked teeth I

> mean

> > I want them perfect again but guess im wondering

> if surgery is

> worth

> > the risk and stuff ? When I first looked into an

> orthodontist I

> > figured they would just make me wear braces and

> then a retainer but

> > when I asked them they seemed like it wasnt an

> option and the only

> > way they could improve on my smile was to have the

> surgery done so

> > sounds to me like they wont even do the work if i

> dont do it .

> > Like a lot of people im really scared and not sure

> what to do or

> > where to turn and its so hard to find information

> on the net mainly

> > all you get is adds from other orthodontists etc

> saying what they

> > offer etc but I wanted to hear from people who had

> the surgery done

> > and went through the pain and the overall finished

> look and hear

> > what they said and if it was bad or worth it etc?

> > Sorry for writing so much I just wanted to give

> people a good idea

> > of my situation so they can better give me some

> advice and help. I

> > guess im feel like im at the dammed if you do

> dammed if you dont

> > stage and a bit discouraged really . Most

> people say your teeth

> > are fine or they are not that bad etc but like i

> said earlier they

> > are not nice and perfect like they use to be and

> im worried they

> are

> > just getting worse and so any advice would really

> be helpful and

> > would mean a lot to me because its a scary and

> really stressful

> > thing to have to think about and try to decide

> what to do. I saw

> > some adds of people looking forward to getting

> their operations and

> > here i am thinking of how they basically cut out

> above your teeth

> > and gums what is your skeleton and then there

> is the chin do i

> > leave it or let them make it a bit more

> prenounced? any help would

> > mean a lot and this site really is a great thing

> and nice that

> there

> > are people that care out there to share their

> thoughts and feelings

> > and experiences

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

> >

> > Hi guys im new here and never posted before and I just happend

to

> be

> > doing jaw surgery searches and lucked out and found this

place .

> > Basically when I was 15 I had braces for 3 years and when I was

> done

> > I had perfect teeth just a slight gummy smile but nothing really

> > major anyways I being in high school at the time never wanted to

> > wear the retainer feeling that I would talk funny in school etc

so

> I

> > after getting my braces off I never picked up the retainer and

went

> > on with life as usual enjoying my nice smile. About 7 or 8 years

> > later I started to notice a clicking sound in my jaw when I

would

> > eat sometimes and it seemed like from that point on over the

years

> I

> > started to notice my four front teeth shifting out a bit over

time

> > and guess when you have had perfect teeth you really notice when

> > they start to go crooked . I always wanted to get they fixed

> again

> > because as a kid you get teased and stuff and so remembering

that

> > you never want to go through that again etc and also you get use

to

> > a nice smile so you dont want to see it get worse over time so

> > basically I finally went to see a couple orthodontists and after

my

> > consultation they both said I needed to have upper jaw surgery

to

> > get my bite right . My bite now feels normal and I can close all

> the

> > way but my jaw does click when I chew and the overbite I do have

> > seems to look mainly from the four front teeth moving out etc.

> > I also went to see a surgeon and hear him out and he said they

> > would move my upper jaw up higher and back in more on an angle

down

> > a bit and maybe make my chin a bit more prenounced etc so this

to

> me

> > sounded and sounds soooooooo scary I mean I read a lot of the

posts

> > and still its a scary thing to deal with and I guess I have the

> same

> > fears as many that you will look different and not look like you

> > anymore and you hear some people say they lose feeling in their

> face

> > and lips etc for a long time and I get worried what if it never

> > comes back or what if after the surgery you dont look as good or

a

> > bit odd etc. Its such a stressful thing to deal with and im 33

now

> > im wondering if im making too much out of a few crooked teeth I

> mean

> > I want them perfect again but guess im wondering if surgery is

> worth

> > the risk and stuff ? When I first looked into an orthodontist I

> > figured they would just make me wear braces and then a retainer

but

> > when I asked them they seemed like it wasnt an option and the

only

> > way they could improve on my smile was to have the surgery done

so

> > sounds to me like they wont even do the work if i dont do it .

> > Like a lot of people im really scared and not sure what to do or

> > where to turn and its so hard to find information on the net

mainly

> > all you get is adds from other orthodontists etc saying what

they

> > offer etc but I wanted to hear from people who had the surgery

done

> > and went through the pain and the overall finished look and hear

> > what they said and if it was bad or worth it etc?

> > Sorry for writing so much I just wanted to give people a good

idea

> > of my situation so they can better give me some advice and help.

I

> > guess im feel like im at the dammed if you do dammed if you dont

> > stage and a bit discouraged really . Most people say your

teeth

> > are fine or they are not that bad etc but like i said earlier

they

> > are not nice and perfect like they use to be and im worried they

> are

> > just getting worse and so any advice would really be helpful and

> > would mean a lot to me because its a scary and really stressful

> > thing to have to think about and try to decide what to do. I saw

> > some adds of people looking forward to getting their operations

and

> > here i am thinking of how they basically cut out above your

teeth

> > and gums what is your skeleton and then there is the chin do

i

> > leave it or let them make it a bit more prenounced? any help

would

> > mean a lot and this site really is a great thing and nice that

> there

> > are people that care out there to share their thoughts and

feelings

> > and experiences

Hi everyone thanks a lot for the responses , they all help a bit in

different ways and I appreciate others taking the time to tell their

stories and their opinions it really is nice to know your not alone

kind of thing and that others are dealing with or have gone through

the same thing .

As for the one long chunck of story hehe sorry about that got

rapped up in the trying to say what I had to say and before I knew

it I was a secretary in an office typing like a machine gun hehe .

For a while there I thought I was the only moron that screwed up

braces the first time and needed it again, and lets face it in some

ways its easier mentally to wear braces when your older because your

doing it because you want it and unlike high school your not quite

as concerned with trying to fit in or fit a ceratain image etc.

It's a hard process and one im sure everyone has a tough time with

like trying to decided if you are going to have the surgery and if

you are how do you know who is the best surgeon for the job etc

because nobody really tells you and unless you happy to be lucky and

know somebody else who has had it done then you dont really have

anything to compare with to make a decision on.

For those of you who are having jaw pain or have unbalanced

features due to jaw problems etc I totally think surgery is a good

option and although im sure its not always an easy one to come to as

I know all too well , you pretty much know that it can only get

better. With my situation when I asked the surgeon if I will look

better if I have the surgery he was like well thats a personal

preference and so I was thinking to myself oh man if you cant even

tell me it's going to improve my look then why am I having it done?

I mean the whole reason I am even thinking of having it done is

cosmetic and if thats what it takes to get my teeth perfect again

and keep them like that then its something I will strongly consider

but just he didnt make me feel to confident about getting it done

and maybe they are worried about people taking legal action if not

happy or something but im not sure.

Anyone else ever find themselves like looking in the mirror at

every different angle trying to see " is my chin ok like this or

would it be better out? " or do you find yourself like I do really

taking notice of people on tv and what their jaw line looks like and

how far it sticks out etc? hehe man I feel like im noticing things

that I never thought twice about before and now its always on my

mind. I guess nobody wants to do something and regret it and lets

face it society makes looks so important and so you dont want to do

something that will make you look funny or not as attractive as

before.

Does anyone know if some people never get back sensations in their

face etc and always have problems, or do they all come back in time?

Just curious if anyone knows because it seems to vary but at the

same time im wondering if you hear only the worst case situations on

here being maybe most that turn out good or dont have a lot of pain

afterwards dont take the time to write and go on with life.

For me im semi commited to getting the upper done because it seems

like its the only way to get anything done to making my teeth

perfect straight again and keeping it that way but with the making

the chin more prenounced i'm looking at it like thats only going to

add to the recovery and increase the chances of more problems or

lack of feeling or swelling etc just all that stuff so its really

hard to decide what to do. I think if everyone here knew it would

make they look so nice and no problems then we all would get it done

and not think twice but you hear all the horror stories and even

plastic surgery jobs gone wrong and makes you that much more scared

and unsure.

Im just really happy to be able to talk on here and share thoughts

and information, it really does help the situation and is comforting

to know it happens to others and they can tell you what they were

thinking or what they thought after etc so thanks to everyone who

takes the time to answer on here it does help a lot of people and

makes a big difference in somebody's life

I can type another two novels for you but I think your eyes are

probably burning by now hehe thanks again though, my email is

crazyboy2000@... as it already says but if anyone wants to

keep in touch who having the operation done I would love to hear

your thoughts and opions on what you are doing and what you had done

etc but either way thanks for the replies and caring

Rick

[Guest guest]

Rick,

It might be helpful to get a few other opinions from oral surgeons in

your area. It's important to feel comfortable with your doctor, and

right now it doesn't sound like you are. You might want want to ask

people on this site if they could recommend an OS that lives in your

area.

Also, I don't know if this is true for all jaw surgery cases, but

genioplasty seems to be necessary for the majority of patients.

Without genioplasty, your appearance would probaly look much worse

after getting upper jaw surgery. It's possible that the recuperation

period is longer, but I really don't know, since I haven't had surgery

yet.

Kate

[Guest guest]

Cammie, you mentioned sensitivity of the teeth post surgery. I am

experiencing just that (11 weeks post-op from upper surgery)and was

beginning to worry that perhaps I needed to see my dentist although

he just performed a cleaning at 8 weeks post-op. Kind of feels like

my teeth usually do after an OD adjustment appointment. I also have

a molar on either side that tends to hurt when I brush which seems

wierd because most everything is still numb up there.

From your experience, personally as well as posts from this site, do

you know how long this typically lasts. I don't have another OS or

OD appointment for a couple of weeks but will definately ask them at

that time.

> >

> > Hi guys im new here and never posted before and I just happend to

> be

> > doing jaw surgery searches and lucked out and found this

place .

> > Basically when I was 15 I had braces for 3 years and when I was

> done

> > I had perfect teeth just a slight gummy smile but nothing really

> > major anyways I being in high school at the time never wanted to

> > wear the retainer feeling that I would talk funny in school etc

so

> I

> > after getting my braces off I never picked up the retainer and

went

> > on with life as usual enjoying my nice smile. About 7 or 8 years

> > later I started to notice a clicking sound in my jaw when I would

> > eat sometimes and it seemed like from that point on over the

years

> I

> > started to notice my four front teeth shifting out a bit over

time

> > and guess when you have had perfect teeth you really notice when

> > they start to go crooked . I always wanted to get they fixed

> again

> > because as a kid you get teased and stuff and so remembering that

> > you never want to go through that again etc and also you get use

to

> > a nice smile so you dont want to see it get worse over time so

> > basically I finally went to see a couple orthodontists and after

my

> > consultation they both said I needed to have upper jaw surgery to

> > get my bite right . My bite now feels normal and I can close all

> the

> > way but my jaw does click when I chew and the overbite I do have

> > seems to look mainly from the four front teeth moving out etc.

> > I also went to see a surgeon and hear him out and he said they

> > would move my upper jaw up higher and back in more on an angle

down

> > a bit and maybe make my chin a bit more prenounced etc so this to

> me

> > sounded and sounds soooooooo scary I mean I read a lot of the

posts

> > and still its a scary thing to deal with and I guess I have the

> same

> > fears as many that you will look different and not look like you

> > anymore and you hear some people say they lose feeling in their

> face

> > and lips etc for a long time and I get worried what if it never

> > comes back or what if after the surgery you dont look as good or

a

> > bit odd etc. Its such a stressful thing to deal with and im 33

now

> > im wondering if im making too much out of a few crooked teeth I

> mean

> > I want them perfect again but guess im wondering if surgery is

> worth

> > the risk and stuff ? When I first looked into an orthodontist I

> > figured they would just make me wear braces and then a retainer

but

> > when I asked them they seemed like it wasnt an option and the

only

> > way they could improve on my smile was to have the surgery done

so

> > sounds to me like they wont even do the work if i dont do it .

> > Like a lot of people im really scared and not sure what to do or

> > where to turn and its so hard to find information on the net

mainly

> > all you get is adds from other orthodontists etc saying what they

> > offer etc but I wanted to hear from people who had the surgery

done

> > and went through the pain and the overall finished look and hear

> > what they said and if it was bad or worth it etc?

> > Sorry for writing so much I just wanted to give people a good

idea

> > of my situation so they can better give me some advice and help.

I

> > guess im feel like im at the dammed if you do dammed if you dont

> > stage and a bit discouraged really . Most people say your

teeth

> > are fine or they are not that bad etc but like i said earlier

they

> > are not nice and perfect like they use to be and im worried they

> are

> > just getting worse and so any advice would really be helpful and

> > would mean a lot to me because its a scary and really stressful

> > thing to have to think about and try to decide what to do. I saw

> > some adds of people looking forward to getting their operations

and

> > here i am thinking of how they basically cut out above your teeth

> > and gums what is your skeleton and then there is the chin do i

> > leave it or let them make it a bit more prenounced? any help

would

> > mean a lot and this site really is a great thing and nice that

> there

> > are people that care out there to share their thoughts and

feelings

> > and experiences

[Guest guest]

> Rick,

>

> It might be helpful to get a few other opinions from oral surgeons

in

> your area. It's important to feel comfortable with your doctor,

and

> right now it doesn't sound like you are. You might want want to

ask

> people on this site if they could recommend an OS that lives in

your

> area.

>

> Also, I don't know if this is true for all jaw surgery cases, but

> genioplasty seems to be necessary for the majority of patients.

> Without genioplasty, your appearance would probaly look much worse

> after getting upper jaw surgery. It's possible that the

recuperation

> period is longer, but I really don't know, since I haven't had

surgery

> yet.

>

> Kate

>

>

[Guest guest]

ashley,

thanks for reassuring words -- i live in california & would love to

hear more of your details --- send me an email?

aussiesarah78@...

thanks,

sarah