IS IT WORTH IT ???

[Guest guest]

Hi i'm sarah and 5 onths ago i found out that i had to have jaw

surgery on my lower jaw to move it forward but about 2 weeks ago i

found out that i am on a 2 year waiting list for braces, then i have

to wear the braces for 2 years before they can operate, so i'll be

like 20 - 21 before i am even healed from the surgery, i just wanted

to know if anyone can tell why i should go through with this and if

it's even worth it? thanks

[Guest guest]

For me, it was.

Sounds as though you might be dealing with the NHS in Britain, or

some other national public health service. And there are others on

these sites who know more about that than do I.

If you can manage the money part of it, you may be able to jump-

start the braces by going private, but be sure to ask a lot of

questions about how all this works.

And dear sarah, I was 56, nearly 57, when I heard, to my

astonishment, that I needed lower advancement. I was in braces for

16 months before the surgery, and for another four after. So you are

young yet, and have a long, long time to figure all this out.

Reasons to do it? For me, to save my teeth for the rest of my life.

I was destroying them, with my unbalanced bite. I was also beginning

to have some considerable pain in the temporomandibular joints --

the jaw hinges. That can become popping, migraines, pain, locking

and other unpleasant things.

You need more info, and more help, from your dental specialists

about all this. Is it possible for you to make an appointment just

to ask questions and increase your understanding of what it's all

about? If so, I urge you to do so.

Be aware, too, that all these timelines are estimates. Your teeth

may move more quickly, or more slowly, than expected. What I don't

know about is the availability of doctors and operating facilities

for you, and how long the scheduling takes. It can be quicker, I

think, in the United States, or even perhaps in Canada, but that

also may involve some private expenses that you wouldn't have in the

UK. And there may be a private route available to you, more quickly,

if you are in the UK. But I'm making too many guesses here.

Good wishes to you, new friend. You won't perish without the

surgery, but it may help prevent some painful and serious troubles

later on in life.

Cammie

> Hi i'm sarah and 5 onths ago i found out that i had to have jaw

> surgery on my lower jaw to move it forward but about 2 weeks ago i

> found out that i am on a 2 year waiting list for braces, then i

have

> to wear the braces for 2 years before they can operate, so i'll be

> like 20 - 21 before i am even healed from the surgery, i just

wanted

> to know if anyone can tell why i should go through with this and

if

> it's even worth it? thanks

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

You say you'll be put on a waiting list? Can I assume you must be

going through NHS?

I was on the waiting list for 5 years before they took me on, a year

of that was because i was unsure and they kept sending me away until i

was 100%!

I am now 33 and so far have been in braces for 14 months, my palate

widened by 9mm using a device which you twist everyday and its non

surgical and attached to your brace and I am waiting to have

upper/lower/genio surgery.

Is it worth it? Well that is a personal question and very different

for everyone. For me, having braces so old i found to be a little

overwhelming at first, now I don't even notice them. I now have nice

straight teeth which my friends are envious of!(and just two little

gaps that they have made for the surgery), my face is wider because of

the expander, so yes, so far i would say its worth it for me. I

can't wait to have the surgery done so i will finally be able to shut

my mouth on its own and be able to eat properly.

I don't think anyone can tell you why you should go through with it,

its your decision at the end of the day. I didn't know if i could

handle the whole process, thats why they kept sending me away until i

weighed up in my own head what to do and was 100% certain i wanted to

go through with it. Ask your OD what would happen if you didn't have

it done? For me my mouth would get worse, my buck teeth were

protruding more every year, I found it harder and harder to force my

mouth shut and to eat, my face was getting narrower as a

result......so i weighed it up and went for it.

Hope that helps a little.

B

x

> Hi i'm sarah and 5 onths ago i found out that i had to have jaw

> surgery on my lower jaw to move it forward but about 2 weeks ago i

> found out that i am on a 2 year waiting list for braces, then i have

> to wear the braces for 2 years before they can operate, so i'll be

> like 20 - 21 before i am even healed from the surgery, i just wanted

> to know if anyone can tell why i should go through with this and if

> it's even worth it? thanks

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I agree with the other posters about being sure you want the surgery.

But if you have already decided that you want the outcome of the

surgery, and are just wondering about the time aspect, I would give

you the same advice I have given my own sons who are about your age.

Anytime you have something you desire that has a long term commitment

involved to attain it - if you DO this, how old will you be when it is

accomplished - in your case 3 years? If you DON'T do this, how old

will you be in 3 years? You will be 3 years older regardless. The

point is, that if it is something you want, it makes no difference in

the long run how long it takes. You will be 20-21 with the dental

improvement or 20-21 without the dental improvements. It really is a

matter of deciding IF you want it done, not how long it will take.

Sorry if this sounds a little like a Mom speaking - but that is

exactly what I am! lol

I am 51 and talk to my OD about starting my braces on Monday! It will

take approximately 2 years in braces for me, another one year post op

in braces and then full mouth rehab and nasal septoplasty after that.

I am looking at 4 years, and I will be 55-56 by then! Is it worth

the wait to me? Yes!! I will be 55-56 in 4 years anyway, and I would

rather be that age with my jaw problem resolved which is causing

choking, eating from my cheeks rather than with food in my mouth,

broken teeth from the bite (my front teeth are less than half the

length of normal from the breakage) etc etc etc. So for me it is not

an issue of how long, it is just doing it.

That is the same decision we each have to make. Is the end result

what we are wanting? If so, try not to think about how long it will

take. Time has a habit of passing on its own, with or without us

doing something for ourselves. Good luck with your decision !

Fran

> Hi i'm sarah and 5 onths ago i found out that i had to have jaw

> surgery on my lower jaw to move it forward but about 2 weeks ago i

> found out that i am on a 2 year waiting list for braces, then i have

> to wear the braces for 2 years before they can operate, so i'll be

> like 20 - 21 before i am even healed from the surgery, i just wanted

> to know if anyone can tell why i should go through with this and if

> it's even worth it? thanks

[Guest guest]

Dear Cammie,

Thank you for your encouraging e-mail i never knew that jaw

surgery was such a popular and common operation for people, i know i am young

and have plenty of time to wait but i never thought it was going to be such a

big job i just thought i would have the braces on, wear them for a while and

then take them off, it never occured or bothered me until i was told i had to

have the jaw surgery or i wouldn't get the braces.But your e-mail really helped.

THANK YOU!

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[Guest guest]

Thank you for your e-mail it helped me i have desided to do the surgery but i

just never expected to be waiting 4 years for it, i hope your surgery goes well

hope to hear from you soon.

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[Guest guest]

Dear Fran,

Thank you for your e-mail it really helped me be more patient

with the process as everything you have said made absolute sence, i should be

more patient people have and do wait longer than i have to and they don't

complain, so thank you for all your information i helped alot! Hope to hear from

you soon and tell me about your process!

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[Guest guest]

Hi sarah,

You are more than welcome! I wish you luck with your decision.

Please let us know what you decide, or if you have more questions to

help you make that decision. I know you will make the best decision

for yourself!

Fran

> Dear Fran,

> Thank you for your e-mail it really helped me be

more patient with the process as everything you have said made

absolute sence, i should be more patient people have and do wait

longer than i have to and they don't complain, so thank you for all

your information i helped alot! Hope to hear from you soon and tell

me about your process!

>

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> How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps

for FREE with Yahoo! Photos. Get Yahoo! Photos

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