Re: Considering Ortho Surgery

[Guest guest]

Cary -

You came to the right place...there are many people here who can help

you along your journey. I am 27, had an underbite in addition to a

cleft palate. I had surgery June 9th and am doing pretty good. I'll

try to answer some of your questions...but I'm sure you'll get more

info as time goes on. Keep in mind that each case is very

different...so what applies to me may not apply to you. That said...

> 1. I have straight teeth already, but am I going to end up with a

> mouth full of braces in for quite some time before and after the

> surgery?

I thought my teeth were pretty straight...but actually some were

tilted this way and that...things I couldn't see. I had full braces

for longer than most I think, because of my cleft they couldn't put

much pressure. I think some people on this board didn't have braces

but I think that's rare.

>

> 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't have

> to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do people

> view and treat you?

>

No biggie. I thought it would be terrible...I had already had braces

twice before and as a teenager it was such a big deal. As an

adult...not so much. The people I work would commiserate when I got

adjustments (oh-I remember how much it hurt) and it was almost like

they were reliving their childhood. Most people didn't even notice (I

had clear ones). It's no where near as bad as you would think - and

once you get them on you'll notice how many other adults also have them!

> 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and jaw

> feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow full

> of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

>

Directly after surgery, I've been drooling all the time. But I have

the brackets, the hooks, the splint, and my upper lip is still a

little numb. I expect it to be much easier to eat after and it has

drastically improved the way I can breathe out of my nose.

> 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

>

It's really not that painful. I've had many surgeries due to my

cleft...and I thought this would be the worst. It's uncomfortable and

a pain to be on a restricted diet. And it takes much longer to heal

than say having your nose done. But that was way more painful for me.

I only had morphine for the first night, and I didn't even feel like

I needed it, and have been on tylenol since. I actually stopped

taking that as well two days ago.

> 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

>

At 34, you are relatively young on this site. One of the things I

considered was how much worse things would be in the future if my bite

continued to not match up. It can cause undue pressure on your roots

and lead to early decay. It can also lead to headaches and joint

problems. I think being " young " adults mean we have a lot more life

to live...and I'd rather live that life with a good bite!

If you have any more questions - feel free to email me or post them.

This experience is at times long and hard - but nothing you can't take

in stride and I think the end result is way worth it.

Good luck )

-becky

[Guest guest]

Becky,

Wow! Thank you for your insight. I'm very impressed and very

thankful for your response.

My stomach is churning and I'm very nervous about doing this. I

have my appointment tomorrow (Friday) with my dentist and I'm

hoping we can expedite things before I change my mind. I hate

the thought of being in braces, but if they can get rid of the jaw

pain, the wear on my back teeth, the breathing while sleeping

problems and, of course, an improved appearance, I'll be very

happy. Plus, I could probably get my noticeable bi-cuspids

(fangs) fixed at the same time which I just realized this morning.

I know I have a vampire look to my teeth and maybe I can have

that solved.

Thanks once again and I'll keep you informed on how it goes.

Cary

> Cary -

>

> You came to the right place...there are many people here who

can help

> you along your journey. I am 27, had an underbite in addition

to a

> cleft palate. I had surgery June 9th and am doing pretty good.

I'll

> try to answer some of your questions...but I'm sure you'll get

more

> info as time goes on. Keep in mind that each case is very

> different...so what applies to me may not apply to you. That

said...

>

> > 1. I have straight teeth already, but am I going to end up with

a

> > mouth full of braces in for quite some time before and after

the

> > surgery?

>

> I thought my teeth were pretty straight...but actually some were

> tilted this way and that...things I couldn't see. I had full braces

> for longer than most I think, because of my cleft they couldn't

put

> much pressure. I think some people on this board didn't have

braces

> but I think that's rare.

> >

> > 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't

have

> > to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do

people

> > view and treat you?

> >

> No biggie. I thought it would be terrible...I had already had

braces

> twice before and as a teenager it was such a big deal. As an

> adult...not so much. The people I work would commiserate

when I got

> adjustments (oh-I remember how much it hurt) and it was

almost like

> they were reliving their childhood. Most people didn't even

notice (I

> had clear ones). It's no where near as bad as you would think

- and

> once you get them on you'll notice how many other adults also

have them!

>

> > 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and

jaw

> > feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> > mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow

full

> > of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

> >

> Directly after surgery, I've been drooling all the time. But I have

> the brackets, the hooks, the splint, and my upper lip is still a

> little numb. I expect it to be much easier to eat after and it has

> drastically improved the way I can breathe out of my nose.

>

> > 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

> >

> It's really not that painful. I've had many surgeries due to my

> cleft...and I thought this would be the worst. It's uncomfortable

and

> a pain to be on a restricted diet. And it takes much longer to

heal

> than say having your nose done. But that was way more

painful for me.

> I only had morphine for the first night, and I didn't even feel like

> I needed it, and have been on tylenol since. I actually stopped

> taking that as well two days ago.

>

> > 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

> >

> At 34, you are relatively young on this site. One of the things I

> considered was how much worse things would be in the future

if my bite

> continued to not match up. It can cause undue pressure on

your roots

> and lead to early decay. It can also lead to headaches and

joint

> problems. I think being " young " adults mean we have a lot

more life

> to live...and I'd rather live that life with a good bite!

>

> If you have any more questions - feel free to email me or post

them.

> This experience is at times long and hard - but nothing you

can't take

> in stride and I think the end result is way worth it.

>

> Good luck )

>

> -becky

[Guest guest]

Hi Cary,

Good luck with your decision on the surgery. It is a personal

decision and a very difficult one to make. I recently turned 47,

and have been in braces for 16 months. My ortho has much older

patients who are only wanting a better smile. It's not that

unusual. I have only had positive feedback from others concerning

my braces. My teeth were straight,(so I thought) but the braces are

usually required prior to surgery. I recommend reading as many

post as you can, also check out orthognathic surgery support site

2. There is a link to this site in links.

Cathy

> Hello everyone,

>

> I apologize first of all if some of you have read this on other

> support forums. I'm considering ortho surgery so I'm looking for

> as much info and help as possible.

> ---

> I'm a 34 year old male living in a suburb of Vancouver, BC with a

> moderate underbite and an anterior (front) open bite. I've

> obviously lived with this for most of my life as my underbite is

an

> heredity trait and have been self concious of it as well. I had no

> idea I had an open bite until a visit to the dentist about a year

> ago. Up until that time, I thought I had a normal bite except for

the

> underbite. She asked me if I had difficulty eating sandwiches

> and pizza at all. I had never really thought about it up until

then,

> but I have really noticed since then. Plus, she pointed out that

my

> molars are wearing more than normal due to my back teeth

> touching without my front teeth coming together. Nobody had

> even pointed this out to me when I was younger as my teeth

> came in straight thanks to my big mouth and larger lower jaw. At

> the time, she explained that surgery would be the only thing to

> correct it. I of course said " No thanks! " and decided to live with

it

> like I have been for all of my life.

>

> Now that time has passed, I have realized that my jaw, open bite

> and under bite cause more problems than I thought. After doing

> some research I have found that the jaw joint soreness I get,

> head aches that begin at the back of my jaw, difficulty breathing

> while sleeping unless my mouth is open, and sleep apnea can

> all be contributed to this. Plus, I've never been happy with my

> profile, the way my bottom lip comes together with my top lip and

> the difficult of keeping my lips closed (no, I don't talk a lot!)

and

> my tongue in my mouth can be attributed to this as well.

>

> Now, with all of this said, I've made an appointment with my

> dentist on Friday, June 24 to see what I can do about it.

> Needless to say, I'm very nervous about it all and wondering if

> the surgery is worthwhile. In fact, I'm sweating and shaking just

> typing this. I'm hoping some of you can help me with some

> questions I have before visiting my dentist. I know she will be

> able to answer them all, but I'd like to have some of my nerves

> calmed. Anyways, here are my questions:

>

> 1. I have straight teeth already, but am I going to end up with a

> mouth full of braces in for quite some time before and after the

> surgery?

>

> 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't have

> to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do people

> view and treat you?

>

> 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and jaw

> feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow full

> of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

>

> 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

>

> 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

>

> Thanks very much to you all. I hope I can talk with you more as I

> consider and possibly progress with this.

>

> Cary

[Guest guest]

Hi Cary and welcome to the group. Most likely you will get braces for a bit

before and after, but your orthodontist can answer how long it should be.

Besides, braces are waaaaaay better than archbars! Being an adult wearing

braces is fine. Do you view people with braces worse than people with horrid

teeth? At least people in braces are *trying* to do something about it. Also,

I've heard being an adult means it can be a bit more sore than some kid at 12

having braces, since the 12 yr old's bones are still growing and more

moldable. Is moldable even a word? Well, you know what I mean. It's not

awful having braces and it's more discomfort than pain, like a mild headache

but in your mouth instead. It's easier to eat/sleep/etc. after surgery by far!

Surgery was not painful at all. Icepacks are a pain in the a$$, but that is

another story. IT IS TOTALLY WORTH IT FOR YOU TO CONSIDER THIS! GO

FOR IT! =D

Also, your dentist can refer you to an orthodontist who will be more able to

answer your questions. Once you are under the care of the ortho, then (s)he

will be running the show til surgery.

Let us know how it works out and what you decide.

Mia

[Guest guest]

Hello Cary and welcome to the group! I too have a Class 3 - an

underbite. I'm pre-ortho and pre-op. And, I'm 47. This is the third

time I've considered having the surgery. The first time was in the

early 1980's, and the second time was in 1997. I just wasn't ready to

do this either of those times. I had my OD treatment consult on

Tuesday; I'll be getting my ceramic brackets (upper and lower) and my

spacers in on July 26th, and the archwires and bands in on August

9th. I have my first of two Orthognathic Surgery consults on July

18th. My OMS (OS) is the best I could ever hope to have found and I

trust him completely. I originally went to him because I was referred

by my dentist to have an abscessed tooth extracted; I wasn't even

considering having yet another surgical work-up at the time of my

extraction consult. But, after meeting him and having a brief

discussion about my underbite, I felt completely at ease with him and

began thinking that I'd like to consider the possibility of a work-

up. I thought about it for the two weeks prior to my extraction.

Then, on extraction day, I told him I had decided to have

Orthognathic Surgery, asked him if he would do my surgery, and he

happily said yes. He then referred me to an Orthodontist, who is a

really nice guy. Both my OMS and my OD told me that I will have

braces for twelve months pre-op and up to six months post-op. My OMS

says I will definitely have a BSSO (mandibular set-back) and possibly

a LeFort I (maxillary advancement), but he will need to do the work-

up to give me a better idea of what to expect. My OD told me that I

have a 5mm jet which will be set back 7mm, and he thinks just the

BSSO will take care of the problem, so we'll see. I,like you, have

noticed some symptoms such as headaches and jaw pain, but mastication

and speech have become more problematic for me. // I know what a

tremendous decision this is to make and I hope my story helped even

in the smallest way. Just remember that you will not be going thru

this alone; this group of wonderful supportive people is here. The

info on this site is mind-boggling to say the least, and by the time

your surgery is here you will be so-o ready for it. Good luck! ~~

Diane

> Hello everyone,

>

> I apologize first of all if some of you have read this on other

> support forums. I'm considering ortho surgery so I'm looking for

> as much info and help as possible.

> ---

> I'm a 34 year old male living in a suburb of Vancouver, BC with a

> moderate underbite and an anterior (front) open bite. I've

> obviously lived with this for most of my life as my underbite is an

> heredity trait and have been self concious of it as well. I had no

> idea I had an open bite until a visit to the dentist about a year

> ago. Up until that time, I thought I had a normal bite except for

the

> underbite. She asked me if I had difficulty eating sandwiches

> and pizza at all. I had never really thought about it up until

then,

> but I have really noticed since then. Plus, she pointed out that my

> molars are wearing more than normal due to my back teeth

> touching without my front teeth coming together. Nobody had

> even pointed this out to me when I was younger as my teeth

> came in straight thanks to my big mouth and larger lower jaw. At

> the time, she explained that surgery would be the only thing to

> correct it. I of course said " No thanks! " and decided to live with

it

> like I have been for all of my life.

>

> Now that time has passed, I have realized that my jaw, open bite

> and under bite cause more problems than I thought. After doing

> some research I have found that the jaw joint soreness I get,

> head aches that begin at the back of my jaw, difficulty breathing

> while sleeping unless my mouth is open, and sleep apnea can

> all be contributed to this. Plus, I've never been happy with my

> profile, the way my bottom lip comes together with my top lip and

> the difficult of keeping my lips closed (no, I don't talk a lot!)

and

> my tongue in my mouth can be attributed to this as well.

>

> Now, with all of this said, I've made an appointment with my

> dentist on Friday, June 24 to see what I can do about it.

> Needless to say, I'm very nervous about it all and wondering if

> the surgery is worthwhile. In fact, I'm sweating and shaking just

> typing this. I'm hoping some of you can help me with some

> questions I have before visiting my dentist. I know she will be

> able to answer them all, but I'd like to have some of my nerves

> calmed. Anyways, here are my questions:

>

> 1. I have straight teeth already, but am I going to end up with a

> mouth full of braces in for quite some time before and after the

> surgery?

>

> 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't have

> to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do people

> view and treat you?

>

> 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and jaw

> feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow full

> of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

>

> 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

>

> 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

>

> Thanks very much to you all. I hope I can talk with you more as I

> consider and possibly progress with this.

>

> Cary

[Guest guest]

Hi Cary

I'm 17 going on 18 days post-op so I'll try to answer your questions

as best as possible. First a little background on me and my jaw

case. I'm 27 years old and had a severe open bite with an

underdeveloped lower jaw. From the time I was 7 to 17 years old I

wore braces in an effort to fix my open bite. When I finished my

orthodontics at 17 I was told that the only way I could guarantee

that my jaw would not relapse was by having surgery. At the time the

idea of surgery was out of the question for me. I'd had enough. As

the years progressed I got increasing headaches that would last

anywhere between 20 mins to a whole day. Eating and chewing were

also difficult and I realized that I was avoiding certain foods

including sandwhiches and meat because it was just too tiring for my

jaw to eat them. I also tended to favor one side of my mouth to chew

things on. In addition, although my teeth were still straight

(thanks to a permanent retainer I had on the top and bottom) my

smile was getting gummier as my open bite relapsed. When I turned 26

I decided that I needed to stop postponing the inevitable. It was

clear that things would only get worse for me and my quality of

living could seriously suffer from not going through with the

surgery. So I gathered my courage, went to see a 6th and 7th doctor,

chose the one I felt I had the best rapport with and also found a

wonderful orthodontist to work with and embarked on the orthognathic

journey. On June 6th I had surgery that consisted of an upper

leforte, 3 segments (my upper jaw was dissected into 3 sections), 2

upper bicuspids removed (my wisdom teeth will have to come out at a

later stage), my palate was expanded surgically by 4mm, my lower jaw

was brought up by 7mm and I had genioplasty to compensate for my

weak chin. I was tightly banded and splinted for the first 9 days

and then moved to less tight elastics that I could remove during

eating and brushing food. I have also managed to strike a bargain

with my surgeon to have the splint removed after 3 weeks rather than

4 weeks.

Now to your questions:

1. On braces before and after surgery: I was one of the lucky ones

because I only had braces on for 6 months pre-op. I was actually

ready for surgery after 4 months of braces but decided to postpone

for 2 months the surgery because I wanted to finish my master degree

first. My doctor's say that the reason I had to wear braces for so

little is because I had them on for so long when I was younger and

because of the permanent retainers. So, despite the fact that I

loathed having braces as younger they probably saved me a lot of

hassle during the present time. Post-op my doctors have calculated

that I will be wearing braces for about another 6 mths. I am keeping

my fingers crossed that it will be even less.

>

> 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't have

> to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do people

> view and treat you?

In all honesty Cary having braces as an adult has been 100% easier

then when I was younger. I was really upset about having to put

braces on again AND as an adult so my orthodontist decided to give

me ceramic brackets so that I would feel less conscious. I think I

was probably the one that was most aware about my braces than any

one else. Nobody ever made me like a loser or bad about having

braces. If anything I got a lot of compliments for the fact that I

was taking care of my teeth.

>

> 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and jaw

> feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow full

> of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

Prior to surgery I was a life time mouth breather. Immediately after

surgery I noticed that i was breathing A LOT better and with my

mouth closed DESPITE the fact that I have a deviated septum which I

decided not to get fixed for other reasons. I do tend to still sleep

with my mouth open but much less than before. I don't snore anymore,

I don't wake up with a dry sticky mouth and I don't drool anymore:-)

Opening my jaw is still tricky but it's early days still. i can open

it about as wide as my index finger at the moment. Enough to get

food in with a fork or a baby spoon. I expect it to get much better

over the next couple of months as the muscles of my jaw readjust to

their new position. It does feel very strange not having an open

bite anymore. Very nice!

> 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

The surgery for me was not painful AT ALL. The most painful part was

post-op when one of the 2 catherers I had in my arm administering my

IV started to really hurt. I was giving pain meds to take post-op

and used these for about the first week just at night to help me

sleep. My jaw joint on the left aches sometimes still but it's only

when I've been talking or eating a lot and I know it's normal

because the jaw is still readjusting. My rhinoplasty hurt a lot more

than this surgery did but the recovery for this surgery takes a lot

more patience than any other surgery I have ever had.

> 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

Absolutely! Think about it this way. How do you think your jaw and

associated problems will be 10 years down the line? Do you think you

could live with a potential deterioration of your jaw problems? If

the answer is NO then keep on doing research for orthognathic

surgery and seriously consider it.

My biggest advice is to find a team of doctors that you like and

trust and that you know to be very good. This to me was the deciding

factor in making the decision to go through with surgery.

Hope this helps Cary. Sorry about the long response. Feel free to

ask any more questions.

Sara

>

[Guest guest]

Sara,

Thank you for your wonderful reply. I'm visiting my dentist on Friday and I'm

hoping to go

through with this as fast as I can before i change my mind. I'll let you and

everyone else

know how it went and where I go from here.

Cary

> Hi Cary

>

> I'm 17 going on 18 days post-op so I'll try to answer your questions

> as best as possible. First a little background on me and my jaw

> case. I'm 27 years old and had a severe open bite with an

> underdeveloped lower jaw. From the time I was 7 to 17 years old I

> wore braces in an effort to fix my open bite. When I finished my

> orthodontics at 17 I was told that the only way I could guarantee

> that my jaw would not relapse was by having surgery. At the time the

> idea of surgery was out of the question for me. I'd had enough. As

> the years progressed I got increasing headaches that would last

> anywhere between 20 mins to a whole day. Eating and chewing were

> also difficult and I realized that I was avoiding certain foods

> including sandwhiches and meat because it was just too tiring for my

> jaw to eat them. I also tended to favor one side of my mouth to chew

> things on. In addition, although my teeth were still straight

> (thanks to a permanent retainer I had on the top and bottom) my

> smile was getting gummier as my open bite relapsed. When I turned 26

> I decided that I needed to stop postponing the inevitable. It was

> clear that things would only get worse for me and my quality of

> living could seriously suffer from not going through with the

> surgery. So I gathered my courage, went to see a 6th and 7th doctor,

> chose the one I felt I had the best rapport with and also found a

> wonderful orthodontist to work with and embarked on the orthognathic

> journey. On June 6th I had surgery that consisted of an upper

> leforte, 3 segments (my upper jaw was dissected into 3 sections), 2

> upper bicuspids removed (my wisdom teeth will have to come out at a

> later stage), my palate was expanded surgically by 4mm, my lower jaw

> was brought up by 7mm and I had genioplasty to compensate for my

> weak chin. I was tightly banded and splinted for the first 9 days

> and then moved to less tight elastics that I could remove during

> eating and brushing food. I have also managed to strike a bargain

> with my surgeon to have the splint removed after 3 weeks rather than

> 4 weeks.

>

> Now to your questions:

>

> 1. On braces before and after surgery: I was one of the lucky ones

> because I only had braces on for 6 months pre-op. I was actually

> ready for surgery after 4 months of braces but decided to postpone

> for 2 months the surgery because I wanted to finish my master degree

> first. My doctor's say that the reason I had to wear braces for so

> little is because I had them on for so long when I was younger and

> because of the permanent retainers. So, despite the fact that I

> loathed having braces as younger they probably saved me a lot of

> hassle during the present time. Post-op my doctors have calculated

> that I will be wearing braces for about another 6 mths. I am keeping

> my fingers crossed that it will be even less.

> >

> > 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't have

> > to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do people

> > view and treat you?

> In all honesty Cary having braces as an adult has been 100% easier

> then when I was younger. I was really upset about having to put

> braces on again AND as an adult so my orthodontist decided to give

> me ceramic brackets so that I would feel less conscious. I think I

> was probably the one that was most aware about my braces than any

> one else. Nobody ever made me like a loser or bad about having

> braces. If anything I got a lot of compliments for the fact that I

> was taking care of my teeth.

> >

> > 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and jaw

> > feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> > mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow full

> > of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

> Prior to surgery I was a life time mouth breather. Immediately after

> surgery I noticed that i was breathing A LOT better and with my

> mouth closed DESPITE the fact that I have a deviated septum which I

> decided not to get fixed for other reasons. I do tend to still sleep

> with my mouth open but much less than before. I don't snore anymore,

> I don't wake up with a dry sticky mouth and I don't drool anymore:-)

> Opening my jaw is still tricky but it's early days still. i can open

> it about as wide as my index finger at the moment. Enough to get

> food in with a fork or a baby spoon. I expect it to get much better

> over the next couple of months as the muscles of my jaw readjust to

> their new position. It does feel very strange not having an open

> bite anymore. Very nice!

>

> > 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

> The surgery for me was not painful AT ALL. The most painful part was

> post-op when one of the 2 catherers I had in my arm administering my

> IV started to really hurt. I was giving pain meds to take post-op

> and used these for about the first week just at night to help me

> sleep. My jaw joint on the left aches sometimes still but it's only

> when I've been talking or eating a lot and I know it's normal

> because the jaw is still readjusting. My rhinoplasty hurt a lot more

> than this surgery did but the recovery for this surgery takes a lot

> more patience than any other surgery I have ever had.

>

> > 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

> Absolutely! Think about it this way. How do you think your jaw and

> associated problems will be 10 years down the line? Do you think you

> could live with a potential deterioration of your jaw problems? If

> the answer is NO then keep on doing research for orthognathic

> surgery and seriously consider it.

>

> My biggest advice is to find a team of doctors that you like and

> trust and that you know to be very good. This to me was the deciding

> factor in making the decision to go through with surgery.

>

> Hope this helps Cary. Sorry about the long response. Feel free to

> ask any more questions.

>

> Sara

> >

[Guest guest]

Diane,

Thank you for your reply. Everyone's help here has been tremendous. I'll give

you all an

update after I see my dentist on Friday afternoon. I'm sure I will have more

questions

then.

Cary

> > Hello everyone,

> >

> > I apologize first of all if some of you have read this on other

> > support forums. I'm considering ortho surgery so I'm looking for

> > as much info and help as possible.

> > ---

> > I'm a 34 year old male living in a suburb of Vancouver, BC with a

> > moderate underbite and an anterior (front) open bite. I've

> > obviously lived with this for most of my life as my underbite is an

> > heredity trait and have been self concious of it as well. I had no

> > idea I had an open bite until a visit to the dentist about a year

> > ago. Up until that time, I thought I had a normal bite except for

> the

> > underbite. She asked me if I had difficulty eating sandwiches

> > and pizza at all. I had never really thought about it up until

> then,

> > but I have really noticed since then. Plus, she pointed out that my

> > molars are wearing more than normal due to my back teeth

> > touching without my front teeth coming together. Nobody had

> > even pointed this out to me when I was younger as my teeth

> > came in straight thanks to my big mouth and larger lower jaw. At

> > the time, she explained that surgery would be the only thing to

> > correct it. I of course said " No thanks! " and decided to live with

> it

> > like I have been for all of my life.

> >

> > Now that time has passed, I have realized that my jaw, open bite

> > and under bite cause more problems than I thought. After doing

> > some research I have found that the jaw joint soreness I get,

> > head aches that begin at the back of my jaw, difficulty breathing

> > while sleeping unless my mouth is open, and sleep apnea can

> > all be contributed to this. Plus, I've never been happy with my

> > profile, the way my bottom lip comes together with my top lip and

> > the difficult of keeping my lips closed (no, I don't talk a lot!)

> and

> > my tongue in my mouth can be attributed to this as well.

> >

> > Now, with all of this said, I've made an appointment with my

> > dentist on Friday, June 24 to see what I can do about it.

> > Needless to say, I'm very nervous about it all and wondering if

> > the surgery is worthwhile. In fact, I'm sweating and shaking just

> > typing this. I'm hoping some of you can help me with some

> > questions I have before visiting my dentist. I know she will be

> > able to answer them all, but I'd like to have some of my nerves

> > calmed. Anyways, here are my questions:

> >

> > 1. I have straight teeth already, but am I going to end up with a

> > mouth full of braces in for quite some time before and after the

> > surgery?

> >

> > 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't have

> > to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do people

> > view and treat you?

> >

> > 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and jaw

> > feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> > mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow full

> > of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

> >

> > 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

> >

> > 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

> >

> > Thanks very much to you all. I hope I can talk with you more as I

> > consider and possibly progress with this.

> >

> > Cary

[Guest guest]

Cary,

It looks like a bunch of the group have already addressed your

questions. I just wanted to add that I'm 33 ... and I decided that I

would be 34 if I went through with it (braces & two surgeries) and if

I didn't. So, I might as well. I'm almost 8 weeks post-op and

still uncomfortable and dealing with the mental aspect of the whole

thing (which can be a bit daunting for some of us) but, if it ends up

the way it's " supposed " to ... then it will all have been worth it.

Reasearch, ask tons of questions, read the back posts here ... and

then go with your gut.

Best of luck,

Carol

> Hello everyone,

>

> I apologize first of all if some of you have read this on other

> support forums. I'm considering ortho surgery so I'm looking for

> as much info and help as possible.

> ---

> I'm a 34 year old male living in a suburb of Vancouver, BC with a

> moderate underbite and an anterior (front) open bite. I've

> obviously lived with this for most of my life as my underbite is an

> heredity trait and have been self concious of it as well. I had no

> idea I had an open bite until a visit to the dentist about a year

> ago. Up until that time, I thought I had a normal bite except for

the

> underbite. She asked me if I had difficulty eating sandwiches

> and pizza at all. I had never really thought about it up until

then,

> but I have really noticed since then. Plus, she pointed out that my

> molars are wearing more than normal due to my back teeth

> touching without my front teeth coming together. Nobody had

> even pointed this out to me when I was younger as my teeth

> came in straight thanks to my big mouth and larger lower jaw. At

> the time, she explained that surgery would be the only thing to

> correct it. I of course said " No thanks! " and decided to live with

it

> like I have been for all of my life.

>

> Now that time has passed, I have realized that my jaw, open bite

> and under bite cause more problems than I thought. After doing

> some research I have found that the jaw joint soreness I get,

> head aches that begin at the back of my jaw, difficulty breathing

> while sleeping unless my mouth is open, and sleep apnea can

> all be contributed to this. Plus, I've never been happy with my

> profile, the way my bottom lip comes together with my top lip and

> the difficult of keeping my lips closed (no, I don't talk a lot!)

and

> my tongue in my mouth can be attributed to this as well.

>

> Now, with all of this said, I've made an appointment with my

> dentist on Friday, June 24 to see what I can do about it.

> Needless to say, I'm very nervous about it all and wondering if

> the surgery is worthwhile. In fact, I'm sweating and shaking just

> typing this. I'm hoping some of you can help me with some

> questions I have before visiting my dentist. I know she will be

> able to answer them all, but I'd like to have some of my nerves

> calmed. Anyways, here are my questions:

>

> 1. I have straight teeth already, but am I going to end up with a

> mouth full of braces in for quite some time before and after the

> surgery?

>

> 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't have

> to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do people

> view and treat you?

>

> 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and jaw

> feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow full

> of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

>

> 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

>

> 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

>

> Thanks very much to you all. I hope I can talk with you more as I

> consider and possibly progress with this.

>

> Cary

[Guest guest]

Hi Cary, I know others have answered your questions, but thought I'd

jump in from the aspect of sleep apnea. Which why I had my surgery

done last Thursday, June 23rd.

> 1. I have straight teeth already, but am I going to end up with a

> mouth full of braces in for quite some time before and after the

> surgery?

The braces are to align up your teeth properly for the surgery.

This is very individual. The orthdontist you saw will indicate

what's needed. In my case I'd had braces as teenager, but still

needed them again to align the teeth. I needed about 18 mos. before

the surgery.

> 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't have

> to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do people

> view and treat you?

I had no problems with the braces. The adults actually didn't bat

an eye. And I had a young gal (about 11 yrs) tell me on the

elevator I looked " cool " . I actually have gold braces - I was given

the choice between silver or gold (same price). Because of my bite

problems I could not use the Invisalign type. At least the braces

now are much better than when I was 14 yrs.

> 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and jaw

> feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow full

> of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

Though I am just recovering, I can already see a difference in the

amount of air I can get in now. And once my nose heals, I should be

able to breath through my nose - something I haven't been able to do

well for years. I haven't had any drooling problems (but each case

is individual). I do keep a towel under my chin when I drink, just

in case I dribble some out. I feel as soon as the swelling goes

down I will be able to shut my mouth better, etc.

> 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

The surgery itself hasn't been very painful. And just to be able to

finally sleep on my back again with gagging for air is in itself

worth the surgery.

> 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

No, 34 yrs old is not too old. I just turned 62 in May. I just

wish this had been option earlier for me.

Good luck on making your decisions. If you have any other questions

give a hollar. (PS I was just up in BC a few weeks ago visiting

family in Abbotsford).

Shirley

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and informative answers,

Shirley.

I visited the Orthodontist I was referred to on Monday and, of

course the answer was as expected, I will need surgery. The

only thing I really didn't expect is that I will need both upper and

lower jaw surgery to correct my underbite and openbite. Plus, I

will most likely need all four wisdom teeth removed. The

Orthodonist has referred me to a Periodontist to check to see if

my gums are healthy enough to go through with all of this

(shouldn't be a problem) whom I have an appointment with

today. I've also been referred to an OMS whom I have an

appointment with on Thursday morning.

I have my evaluation with the Orthodontist on July 19. At that time

all the x-rays, photos, moulds and everything else will be done.

Thank you once again. It's nice to see that it's not too late for a

34 year old to get this fixed once and for all. It was interesting to

see that you were relatively nearby recently. Abbotsford is only

about 40 minutes from where I live.

Cary

> Hi Cary, I know others have answered your questions, but

thought I'd

> jump in from the aspect of sleep apnea. Which why I had my

surgery

> done last Thursday, June 23rd.

>

> > 1. I have straight teeth already, but am I going to end up with

a

> > mouth full of braces in for quite some time before and after

the

> > surgery?

>

> The braces are to align up your teeth properly for the surgery.

> This is very individual. The orthdontist you saw will indicate

> what's needed. In my case I'd had braces as teenager, but still

> needed them again to align the teeth. I needed about 18 mos.

before

> the surgery.

>

> > 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't

have

> > to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do

people

> > view and treat you?

>

> I had no problems with the braces. The adults actually didn't

bat

> an eye. And I had a young gal (about 11 yrs) tell me on the

> elevator I looked " cool " . I actually have gold braces - I was

given

> the choice between silver or gold (same price). Because of my

bite

> problems I could not use the Invisalign type. At least the

braces

> now are much better than when I was 14 yrs.

>

> > 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and

jaw

> > feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep your

> > mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow

full

> > of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

>

> Though I am just recovering, I can already see a difference in

the

> amount of air I can get in now. And once my nose heals, I

should be

> able to breath through my nose - something I haven't been

able to do

> well for years. I haven't had any drooling problems (but each

case

> is individual). I do keep a towel under my chin when I drink,

just

> in case I dribble some out. I feel as soon as the swelling goes

> down I will be able to shut my mouth better, etc.

>

> > 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

>

> The surgery itself hasn't been very painful. And just to be able

to

> finally sleep on my back again with gagging for air is in itself

> worth the surgery.

>

> > 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider this?

>

> No, 34 yrs old is not too old. I just turned 62 in May. I just

> wish this had been option earlier for me.

>

> Good luck on making your decisions. If you have any other

questions

> give a hollar. (PS I was just up in BC a few weeks ago visiting

> family in Abbotsford).

>

> Shirley

[Guest guest]

Well, Cary, looks like you are beginning your Orthognathic Journey.

Congratulations on your decision to join the rest of us who have gone

or are going thru all of this. I get my ceramic brackets and spacers

on in four weeks and two weeks later will be getting my archwires and

bands. My OMS appointment for my Orthognathic Surgery work-up is

still on for July 18th, although I wish I could get in sooner (hoping

for a cancellation). Keep us posted on how things progress at your

OMS appointment on Thursday morning. ~~ Diane

> > Hi Cary, I know others have answered your questions, but

> thought I'd

> > jump in from the aspect of sleep apnea. Which why I had my

> surgery

> > done last Thursday, June 23rd.

> >

> > > 1. I have straight teeth already, but am I going to end up with

> a

> > > mouth full of braces in for quite some time before and after

> the

> > > surgery?

> >

> > The braces are to align up your teeth properly for the surgery.

> > This is very individual. The orthdontist you saw will indicate

> > what's needed. In my case I'd had braces as teenager, but still

> > needed them again to align the teeth. I needed about 18 mos.

> before

> > the surgery.

> >

> > > 2. If I do end up with braces (which I sincerely hope I don't

> have

> > > to), what is it like to be an adult wearing braces? How do

> people

> > > view and treat you?

> >

> > I had no problems with the braces. The adults actually didn't

> bat

> > an eye. And I had a young gal (about 11 yrs) tell me on the

> > elevator I looked " cool " . I actually have gold braces - I was

> given

> > the choice between silver or gold (same price). Because of my

> bite

> > problems I could not use the Invisalign type. At least the

> braces

> > now are much better than when I was 14 yrs.

> >

> > > 3. Is there a significant difference in the way your mouth and

> jaw

> > > feel after the surgery? Is it easier to eat, sleep and keep

your

> > > mouth closed? (It would be nice to wake up without a pillow

> full

> > > of drool in the morning. Sorry if I grossed you out.)

> >

> > Though I am just recovering, I can already see a difference in

> the

> > amount of air I can get in now. And once my nose heals, I

> should be

> > able to breath through my nose - something I haven't been

> able to do

> > well for years. I haven't had any drooling problems (but each

> case

> > is individual). I do keep a towel under my chin when I drink,

> just

> > in case I dribble some out. I feel as soon as the swelling goes

> > down I will be able to shut my mouth better, etc.

> >

> > > 4. How painful is the surgery and is the surgery worthwhile?

> >

> > The surgery itself hasn't been very painful. And just to be able

> to

> > finally sleep on my back again with gagging for air is in itself

> > worth the surgery.

> >

> > > 5. Lastly, is it worth it for a 34 year old to even consider

this?

> >

> > No, 34 yrs old is not too old. I just turned 62 in May. I just

> > wish this had been option earlier for me.

> >

> > Good luck on making your decisions. If you have any other

> questions

> > give a hollar. (PS I was just up in BC a few weeks ago visiting

> > family in Abbotsford).

> >

> > Shirley