Guest guest Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Hi B, I think you have made an excellent point about getting references prior to chosing a surgeon or OD. I completely agree. There are many reasons we select the professionals we choose to work with, but at the very least, we need to know specifically what kind of outcomes they have had with similar sitations. This is a big process involving a part of us that is exposed 100% of the time we are with people. It should be a big enough deal to do an interview with other patients, the surgeon, the dentist, the OD etc etc. It really matters!! Have you been informed what doing the braces only with your midline situation will do? I mean, will that correct it long term, but just take longer? I am curious about how this will impact you. But hey, congratulations on the new job!! It sounds like an exciting time in your life, and I can totally understand why you wouldn't want to put all of that on hold for another surgery, and more importantly, another recovery. I hope all goes well for you in the new job, and again CONGRATULATIONS! Hugs, Fran > Here I am at 9 months and a few weeks (Oct 5th I had surgery -- > upper and lower). > > I still have swelling in my right cheek -- I thought for sure this > would have been done by now. My lower lips still tingles but I have > most of my feeling back but my chin is super sensitive so I have to > wear a goatee b/c when I shave, it hurts too much. Also, when they > put my upper teeth back together (I had a 3-piece done) they didn't > line up my midline, so now it looks off. But rather than go through > that whole procedure over again, I'm just going to finish up my > braces and move on with my life. I AM SO SICK OF THESE BRACES!!! I > was scheduled for a second surgery tog et my midlines fixed, and > ins. would have paid, but then I got a kick-a$$ job offer (doubled > my salary) and said, forget it! > > So.... I wish this could have been done perfectly the first time... > > If I can make 1 suggestion -- GET REFERENCES!!! > > of couse, my OS said he's only had to re-do 3 in his entire life (he > just turned 50).. but I think that statistic is misleading... I > mean, he should have re-did mine, but I didn't have the time to go > through this all again... How many other ppl did he do that needed > a touch up that didn't go through it??? I'd expect there to be lots > of them.. > > -B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Is that permanent numbness? and is that 20% of HIS operations? If so that sounds high to me. My OS told me that approximately 5-7% of people suffer permanent numbness but that was based on a study of surgeries that have been conducted across the US. In terms of his patients for my kind of surgery he had never had any cases of permanent numbness. Sara > > > Here I am at 9 months and a few weeks (Oct 5th I had surgery -- > > > upper and lower). > > > > > > I still have swelling in my right cheek -- I thought for sure this > > > would have been done by now. My lower lips still tingles but I > >have > > > most of my feeling back but my chin is super sensitive so I have > >to > > > wear a goatee b/c when I shave, it hurts too much. Also, when they > > > put my upper teeth back together (I had a 3-piece done) they > >didn't > > > line up my midline, so now it looks off. But rather than go > >through > > > that whole procedure over again, I'm just going to finish up my > > > braces and move on with my life. I AM SO SICK OF THESE BRACES!!! > >I > > > was scheduled for a second surgery tog et my midlines fixed, and > > > ins. would have paid, but then I got a kick-a$$ job offer (doubled > > > my salary) and said, forget it! > > > > > > So.... I wish this could have been done perfectly the first > >time... > > > > > > If I can make 1 suggestion -- GET REFERENCES!!! > > > > > > of couse, my OS said he's only had to re-do 3 in his entire life > >(he > > > just turned 50).. but I think that statistic is misleading... I > > > mean, he should have re-did mine, but I didn't have the time to go > > > through this all again... How many other ppl did he do that > >needed > > > a touch up that didn't go through it??? I'd expect there to be > >lots > > > of them.. > > > > > > -B > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 I'd want to know more about what he means when he says his rate of numbness is 20 percent. If he means that 20 percent of his patients who have the surgery have some temporary numbness, even a little; or if he means that 20 percent of his patients have considerable permanent numbness. And is he talking about upper, lower, both? If it's 20 percent experience some temporary numbness, that wouldn't worry me. If it's 20 percent experience extensive and permanent numbness, I think I'd be looking for another doc. Although numbness is definitely a risk in these procedures. Cammie > > > Here I am at 9 months and a few weeks (Oct 5th I had surgery -- > > > upper and lower). > > > > > > I still have swelling in my right cheek -- I thought for sure this > > > would have been done by now. My lower lips still tingles but I > >have > > > most of my feeling back but my chin is super sensitive so I have > >to > > > wear a goatee b/c when I shave, it hurts too much. Also, when they > > > put my upper teeth back together (I had a 3-piece done) they > >didn't > > > line up my midline, so now it looks off. But rather than go > >through > > > that whole procedure over again, I'm just going to finish up my > > > braces and move on with my life. I AM SO SICK OF THESE BRACES!!! > >I > > > was scheduled for a second surgery tog et my midlines fixed, and > > > ins. would have paid, but then I got a kick-a$$ job offer (doubled > > > my salary) and said, forget it! > > > > > > So.... I wish this could have been done perfectly the first > >time... > > > > > > If I can make 1 suggestion -- GET REFERENCES!!! > > > > > > of couse, my OS said he's only had to re-do 3 in his entire life > >(he > > > just turned 50).. but I think that statistic is misleading... I > > > mean, he should have re-did mine, but I didn't have the time to go > > > through this all again... How many other ppl did he do that > >needed > > > a touch up that didn't go through it??? I'd expect there to be > >lots > > > of them.. > > > > > > -B > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 One other suggestion: Perhaps if you ask for an appointment with your orthodontist just to discuss your treatment plan, and tell him that you do not understand what he's doing, the sequence, nor what to expect, you'll get some conversation. That's what I did. I never got the separate appointment (at the first one, he just showed me the drawings, pointed out several angles that were way off, told me some numbers and shrugged and said, " It's just that everything is all off. " ) but I got lots of conversation from him at my next appointment, talk about what he was doing and why. Cammie > > > Here I am at 9 months and a few weeks (Oct 5th I had surgery -- > > > upper and lower). > > > > > > I still have swelling in my right cheek -- I thought for sure this > > > would have been done by now. My lower lips still tingles but I > >have > > > most of my feeling back but my chin is super sensitive so I have > >to > > > wear a goatee b/c when I shave, it hurts too much. Also, when they > > > put my upper teeth back together (I had a 3-piece done) they > >didn't > > > line up my midline, so now it looks off. But rather than go > >through > > > that whole procedure over again, I'm just going to finish up my > > > braces and move on with my life. I AM SO SICK OF THESE BRACES!!! > >I > > > was scheduled for a second surgery tog et my midlines fixed, and > > > ins. would have paid, but then I got a kick-a$$ job offer (doubled > > > my salary) and said, forget it! > > > > > > So.... I wish this could have been done perfectly the first > >time... > > > > > > If I can make 1 suggestion -- GET REFERENCES!!! > > > > > > of couse, my OS said he's only had to re-do 3 in his entire life > >(he > > > just turned 50).. but I think that statistic is misleading... I > > > mean, he should have re-did mine, but I didn't have the time to go > > > through this all again... How many other ppl did he do that > >needed > > > a touch up that didn't go through it??? I'd expect there to be > >lots > > > of them.. > > > > > > -B > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 Have you tried saying, " Dr. X, I'm interested in my treatment plan, and in what you're doing. It's not that I'm trying to rush you -- I'd rather be in braces twice as long and get it right than get them out too soon. But I just want to be a good patient and work with you, and I think I could do it better if I knew what's going on and how you're doing what you're doing... Could you explain it a bit and show me, please? " That is, if he'll let you get that many words out with him before he starts shushing you out of his office... That's frustrating. And he may honestly not know yet when you'll be ready for the surgery. My guy thought I'd be ready in May, so I made the appointment for May 7. As the date grew closer, I sensed that he was getting apprehensive about getting me there, so I asked whether he'd like to postpone it a month or more. I could see the relief as he said, " You really wouldn't mind? " I assured him that the right time was more important to me than any time we'd already set, and I had the surgery June 26, very successfully, I might add. (It did give me the willies, though, when the hospital called me May 6 to confirm that I'd be there for the surgery the next morning!) Cammie > > > > > Here I am at 9 months and a few weeks (Oct 5th I had surgery -- > > > > > upper and lower). > > > > > > > > > > I still have swelling in my right cheek -- I thought for sure > >this > > > > > would have been done by now. My lower lips still tingles but I > > > >have > > > > > most of my feeling back but my chin is super sensitive so I have > > > >to > > > > > wear a goatee b/c when I shave, it hurts too much. Also, when > >they > > > > > put my upper teeth back together (I had a 3-piece done) they > > > >didn't > > > > > line up my midline, so now it looks off. But rather than go > > > >through > > > > > that whole procedure over again, I'm just going to finish up my > > > > > braces and move on with my life. I AM SO SICK OF THESE BRACES!!! > > > >I > > > > > was scheduled for a second surgery tog et my midlines fixed, and > > > > > ins. would have paid, but then I got a kick-a$$ job offer > >(doubled > > > > > my salary) and said, forget it! > > > > > > > > > > So.... I wish this could have been done perfectly the first > > > >time... > > > > > > > > > > If I can make 1 suggestion -- GET REFERENCES!!! > > > > > > > > > > of couse, my OS said he's only had to re-do 3 in his entire life > > > >(he > > > > > just turned 50).. but I think that statistic is misleading... I > > > > > mean, he should have re-did mine, but I didn't have the time to > >go > > > > > through this all again... How many other ppl did he do that > > > >needed > > > > > a touch up that didn't go through it??? I'd expect there to be > > > >lots > > > > > of them.. > > > > > > > > > > -B > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 Hi Fran - My #1 outcome would have been to get this done right the first time. I was out of work for 5 weeks (which used up my sick time). I still had a month of vacation that I could have used to get this done again, but it was really only to fix up the midlines. My OS said that short of redoing the surgery or removing a tooth to slide the teeth over, I'll never have my midlines lined up well -- but then again, either does Tom Cruise --- so, I'm sticking with my new job, finishing up my braces (8 more months) and I think I look a lot better than I did before, so I'm sort of happy.... > > Here I am at 9 months and a few weeks (Oct 5th I had surgery -- > > upper and lower). > > > > I still have swelling in my right cheek -- I thought for sure this > > would have been done by now. My lower lips still tingles but I > have > > most of my feeling back but my chin is super sensitive so I have > to > > wear a goatee b/c when I shave, it hurts too much. Also, when they > > put my upper teeth back together (I had a 3-piece done) they > didn't > > line up my midline, so now it looks off. But rather than go > through > > that whole procedure over again, I'm just going to finish up my > > braces and move on with my life. I AM SO SICK OF THESE BRACES!!! > I > > was scheduled for a second surgery tog et my midlines fixed, and > > ins. would have paid, but then I got a kick-a$$ job offer (doubled > > my salary) and said, forget it! > > > > So.... I wish this could have been done perfectly the first > time... > > > > If I can make 1 suggestion -- GET REFERENCES!!! > > > > of couse, my OS said he's only had to re-do 3 in his entire life > (he > > just turned 50).. but I think that statistic is misleading... I > > mean, he should have re-did mine, but I didn't have the time to go > > through this all again... How many other ppl did he do that > needed > > a touch up that didn't go through it??? I'd expect there to be > lots > > of them.. > > > > -B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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