Question for Sara

[Guest guest]

Hi Sara,

First I wanted to say that I looked at your pictures - amazing - your

bite looks fabulous. I also have an open bite (almost identical to

yours), so I was excited to see what's possible! You must be just

thrilled.

I've been following some of the posts and you mentioned that you only

had a segmented upper. My doctors are unsure right now whether I will

need both. So far they have said that I will have a pallet expansion

surgery first (in Sept), then the segmented upper - move the back up

and move the section around my front 4 teeth up about a mm or 2 to

reduce the gummy smile. They have said that I could possibly have the

lower, but couldn't tell yet as it depends on how much my lower jaw

will swing up. When did they determine that you did not need the

lower? Is it determined by how much your teeth line up with braces?

Also you elected to get the genio. They mentioned that I may elect to

have that as well. I didn't think about getting it if I didn't need

lower jaw surgery, but wanted to know from others if its worth it for

the end results. I have always hated my profile, because of my chin

(or lack there of one.) What helped make that decision?

I know I am early in all of this, but like to know what to expect in

all possible scenarios. Its great to see that you have had such a

positive experience.

Amy

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy,

My doctor wasn't really able to determine whether I would need lower

or not until about two weeks pre-op which is when he did the second

and final practice op (or mock-op) on my molds. Your OS will also do

this closer to the time. My OS was also concerned that my bottom jaw

wouldn't swing exactly into the proper position. As luck would have

it, it did. To be honest I can't tell you why that is, as in if it

was due to how my teeth were alligned that helped. I do know that my

OS said that my OD did a fantastic job of realligning my teeth very

quickly and very well. Maybe if you ask your OS on what it will

depend he'll have a more accurate answer for you.

In terms of the genio I was also very hesitant to get it done too

because I thought it would add to the recovery time. My OS told me

that if I wanted to do it it would be better to get it all done at

once with the rest of the surgery. He felt that while simply doing

the jaw surgery would help my profile tremendously already, the genio

would make everything look that much more balanced. I didn't do the

surgery for cosmetic reasons but purely functional so I wasn't

convinced at first with this reasoning. My OS then showed me some

picture simulations of what I would look like with the genio and

without and I saw the difference it made and decided to go for it. I

wanted to avoid the possibility of doing the surgery and then not

being satisfied with the overall results and having to go in for a

second surgery. Now that I've done it all I have to say that my chin

is probably what healed the fastest and I'm very glad I did it. Doing

the genio enabled my OS to shorten my face by a further 2 mm (the

lower jaw swinging up shortened it by 7mm). I never liked my profile

from the nose down. Now I really like it. I have a real proper chin

that I can throw up like a real princess when I want to be haughty or

when I want to pout it doesn't pucker up into holes as it used to.

JK. But the part about it not puckering up into holes anymore is very

true and that was one thing that had I not done the genio and just

the jaw part could not be guaranteed to go away.

I hope this helps!! I really am VERY satisfied with the results. Now

it's just a question of being patient and waiting to recover

completely which really means being able to eat all foods, having all

the swelling go down and being able to exercise again. All small

prices to pay in exchange for having a good smile and bite and no

joint pain or headaches!!

Good luck and feel free to ask any more questions you may happen to

have.

Sara

[Guest guest]

Thanks Sara for getting back to me, this really does help. It sounds

like alot is determined in the last couple weeks so I should probably

be prepared for upper,lower and the genio and hope for the best. You

bring up a good point about the genio and not needing another

surgery. Plus having a great profile and a haughty " princess " chin

I didn't like my teeth shifting and my open bite was becoming more

prominent. I didn't know with age that your teeth move forward. My

smile since 18 to 32 has changed quite a bit. After meeting with my

2nd OD (the 1st one was too busy and cold) he explained everything

that was going on and also noticed other things - wearing of joints,

teeth, etc. That's when I became aware of the functional need to get

this done. And now it totally makes sense to do the surgery. Now

that I am more aware I notice things, like how my tongue feels big in

my mouth or how I don't seem to have a resting place for my teeth. I

now notice how much I clench my jaw. When I tell people I am having

this done, they don't understand that this isn't plastic surgery -

there are cosmetic changes but I keep explaining I have some really

big issues going on in my mouth.

Its great to hear your really happy with the results. It gives me

confidence to go through this. I have started running again and when

I have the pallet expansion (and wisdom teeth out) in September I

will have to lay off running for a week or 2. That will be hard, but

like you say its a small price to pay. I am sure that I won't feel

much like running anyway, just sleeping and complaining. I love to

eat, but I think I can deal with the food issue. My husband is a

chef so I am challenging him to come up with some tasty recipes that

are soft foods. My 4 year old daughter told me she's going to make

mommy ice cream soup so I think I'll be in good hands.

Thanks again for sharing the info and your great new smile. Wishes

that your recovery keeps going well.

Amy

> Hi Amy,

>

> My doctor wasn't really able to determine whether I would need

lower

> or not until about two weeks pre-op which is when he did the second

> and final practice op (or mock-op) on my molds. Your OS will also

do

> this closer to the time. My OS was also concerned that my bottom

jaw

> wouldn't swing exactly into the proper position. As luck would have

> it, it did. To be honest I can't tell you why that is, as in if it

> was due to how my teeth were alligned that helped. I do know that

my

> OS said that my OD did a fantastic job of realligning my teeth very

> quickly and very well. Maybe if you ask your OS on what it will

> depend he'll have a more accurate answer for you.

>

> In terms of the genio I was also very hesitant to get it done too

> because I thought it would add to the recovery time. My OS told me

> that if I wanted to do it it would be better to get it all done at

> once with the rest of the surgery. He felt that while simply doing

> the jaw surgery would help my profile tremendously already, the

genio

> would make everything look that much more balanced. I didn't do the

> surgery for cosmetic reasons but purely functional so I wasn't

> convinced at first with this reasoning. My OS then showed me some

> picture simulations of what I would look like with the genio and

> without and I saw the difference it made and decided to go for it.

I

> wanted to avoid the possibility of doing the surgery and then not

> being satisfied with the overall results and having to go in for a

> second surgery. Now that I've done it all I have to say that my

chin

> is probably what healed the fastest and I'm very glad I did it.

Doing

> the genio enabled my OS to shorten my face by a further 2 mm (the

> lower jaw swinging up shortened it by 7mm). I never liked my

profile

> from the nose down. Now I really like it. I have a real proper chin

> that I can throw up like a real princess when I want to be haughty

or

> when I want to pout it doesn't pucker up into holes as it used to.

> JK. But the part about it not puckering up into holes anymore is

very

> true and that was one thing that had I not done the genio and just

> the jaw part could not be guaranteed to go away.

>

> I hope this helps!! I really am VERY satisfied with the results.

Now

> it's just a question of being patient and waiting to recover

> completely which really means being able to eat all foods, having

all

> the swelling go down and being able to exercise again. All small

> prices to pay in exchange for having a good smile and bite and no

> joint pain or headaches!!

>

> Good luck and feel free to ask any more questions you may happen to

> have.

>

> Sara