Re: What am I gonna look like?

[Guest guest]

Hi Luna,

I totally understand your dilemma. I'm now 3 weeks post op and I

still don't quite know what I look like. I had upper/lower/genio in

which the upper & lower were moved forward, tilted, twisted, and

lined up center. My chin was also very pronounced, added with my

jaws somewhat recessed this made my chin and already big nose appear

even bigger. I don't know how much my os removed from my chin, I

just know it was a lot. But what I can tell so far with what I feel

is a lot of swelling is that I have a much more " normal " profile. I

don't feel my nose looks as big and I think, no, I know, I will be

able to eat corn on the cob (someday) without my nose and chin

getting in the way!

I was also somewhat concerned that I would be changing the face that

my parents gave me, and would that change who I really am. But, I'm

happy to say that I have been very pleased with the results so far,

and even with the hassle/pain of recovery I'm glad I did it. You may

want to check with your os too to see if they can do the imaging.

I will try to find some before and after pics and post them here.

Janet

>

> I posted about a week ago and didn't get any responses, so I guess

my

> question was unanswerable. But in light of Dwilzen's thread, I

still

> think it's a relevant question. Here we are, spending major money,

> time and energy to change our FACE, and we don't even know what

we're

> going to look like when we're done.

>

> Well, I guess some orthodontists offer digital imaging to project

the

> outcome, but mine doesn't.

>

> I have a very distinctive chin, and while I don't like it, I'm

> starting to get nervous about the Great Unknown that lies ahead.

What

> if I don't like how I look after the surgery? This feels a bit like

> buying a car sight unseen -- except this isn't a car, this is my

FACE.

>

> Suddenly getting very nervous,

> Luna

>

> ***

> Braces on 10/6/04

> Lower advancement surgery next Dec/Jan

[Guest guest]

,

Thank you for your very thoughtful post. I did look at your pictures,

and although I wonder what you looked like before your first surgery,

I can see why you wanted the second one. What a dramatic difference!

Do you feel that people treat you differently now?

Although I have very real functional reasons for the braces and

surgery, my primary motive is looks. I have a " receded chin

camouflaged by a prominent chin bump, " according to the orthodontist.

Basically, my chin is sort of pointy and witchy looking. I initially

went to the orthdontist because I wanted straight teeth -- my top two

front teeth were tilted back quite a bit. I was initially shocked at

the notion of surgery. But I consulted with five orthodontists who all

said the same thing. And when I realized that the profile I have

always hated was connected to my crooked teeth, I decided to go for it.

I'm not sure how much they're planning to move my lower jaw forward,

but I know they also plan to tilt it somewhat to achieve a good bite.

(I have a " deep bite " along with an underbite.) They tell me this will

elongate my face and give me better facial proportions. Sounds good.

In theory. In reality, I have no clue what I'm going to look like!

Part of the problem, I think, is that I have seen so few people with a

chin like mine, and no before/after pictures to give me an idea what

to expect. Up till now, I have just been trusting that my ortho and

surgeon know what they're doing (I chose them carefully), and assuming

that whatever I end up with, it's gotta be better than what I have

now. But lately this attitude feels a bit lackadaisical and my control

issues are rearing up! :-#

Thanks again,

Luna

> >

> > I posted about a week ago and didn't get any responses, so I

> guess my

> > question was unanswerable. But in light of Dwilzen's thread, I

> still

> > think it's a relevant question. Here we are, spending major

> money,

> > time and energy to change our FACE, and we don't even know

> what we're

> > going to look like when we're done.

> >

> > Well, I guess some orthodontists offer digital imaging to

> project the

> > outcome, but mine doesn't.

> >

> > I have a very distinctive chin, and while I don't like it, I'm

> > starting to get nervous about the Great Unknown that lies

> ahead. What

> > if I don't like how I look after the surgery? This feels a bit like

> > buying a car sight unseen -- except this isn't a car, this is my

> FACE.

> >

> > Suddenly getting very nervous,

> > Luna

> >

> > ***

> > Braces on 10/6/04

> > Lower advancement surgery next Dec/Jan

[Guest guest]

Kate,

Gee, thanks for the cheerful post! Unfortunately, I'm an atheist.

Thanks anyway,

Luna

> Luna,

>

> Nothing in life is a guarantee, there are always risks, particularly

> with surgery. Some people don't even wake up from anaesthesia. I

> recommend praying about your situation, and if surgery's meant to

> happen for you then God will provide.

>

> Good luck with your decision.

>

> Kate

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sherri,

Yes, my lower jaw is being moved forward, but it's also being tilted

forward, which they say will lengthen my face. You're right about the

celebs with prominent chins, I think. I've also noticed they often

have very prominent teeth -- some even almost buck teeth! (

, etc.)

I guess I have to trust that when my bite is perfect, my facial

features will look good, too?

Thanks,

Luna

> Hi Luna,

>

> I'm nervous about my face too, because it looks fine now. But isn't

the

> surgery going to correct alignment of your teeth and jaws? I feel

that if

> the surgery corrects my bite, it will be a happy day (this is by far

the

> most important reason for me). It's my understanding that my

profile should

> look very natural with the jaw in it's proper position. I don't

know if

> this helps, but if you look at pictures of celebrities, lots of them

have

> very prominent chins. Are you having your lower moved forward?

>

> Sherri

> What am I gonna look like?

>

>

> >

> >

> > I posted about a week ago and didn't get any responses, so I guess my

> > question was unanswerable. But in light of Dwilzen's thread, I still

> > think it's a relevant question. Here we are, spending major money,

> > time and energy to change our FACE, and we don't even know what we're

> > going to look like when we're done.

> >

> > Well, I guess some orthodontists offer digital imaging to project the

> > outcome, but mine doesn't.

> >

> > I have a very distinctive chin, and while I don't like it, I'm

> > starting to get nervous about the Great Unknown that lies ahead. What

> > if I don't like how I look after the surgery? This feels a bit like

> > buying a car sight unseen -- except this isn't a car, this is my FACE.

> >

> > Suddenly getting very nervous,

> > Luna

> >

> > ***

> > Braces on 10/6/04

> > Lower advancement surgery next Dec/Jan

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Janet, thanks for writing. I would like to see your pics. That must be

sooo frustrating to have had the surgery three weeks ago and still not

really know what you're going to look like!

That is an interesting issue, about changing the face your parents

gave you. I have Jewish friends who've had nose jobs who now say they

regret it because it took away part of their heritage. Personally, I

sort of feel I got the worst features of both parents -- my father's

receded jaw and big nose, my mother's pointy chin and pointy nose. Why

couldn't I have gotten the good features? (Well, I do have excellent

eyesight.) I wish I looked more like my maternal grandmother -- she

was so beautiful, but my mother's father was NOT attractive and

unfortunately I got his chin. Considering neither I nor my mother ever

met him, I feel fine about getting rid of it!

Luna

> >

> > I posted about a week ago and didn't get any responses, so I guess

> my

> > question was unanswerable. But in light of Dwilzen's thread, I

> still

> > think it's a relevant question. Here we are, spending major money,

> > time and energy to change our FACE, and we don't even know what

> we're

> > going to look like when we're done.

> >

> > Well, I guess some orthodontists offer digital imaging to project

> the

> > outcome, but mine doesn't.

> >

> > I have a very distinctive chin, and while I don't like it, I'm

> > starting to get nervous about the Great Unknown that lies ahead.

> What

> > if I don't like how I look after the surgery? This feels a bit like

> > buying a car sight unseen -- except this isn't a car, this is my

> FACE.

> >

> > Suddenly getting very nervous,

> > Luna

> >

> > ***

> > Braces on 10/6/04

> > Lower advancement surgery next Dec/Jan