Surgery keeps getting delayed!

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I was actually supposed to have my surgery august 8th, and it keeps getting

pushed back. My surgeon looked at me 10 days before surgery and said that my

roots were still too close together (3 piece lefort ... or something...).

Anyway, so he said that I should be ready for surgery on the 15th, a week

later. Sure enough, he still thinks the roots are too close together, and

doesnt think that they'll be ready for the 22nd either, 2 weeks after my

original date. I am a student in my last year of school, and I set aside a

full 3 weeks to have this surgery, and now the entire 3 weeks are blown. The

surgeon had given me no warning about the possibility that this surgery

would not happen on the date I wanted it back in January, on Aug. 8th.

Anyway, I am so completely frustrated, and now I will have to take a week

off of school in addition to my October break to have this surgery, if even

then he decides I am ready. My orthodontist is also a little annoyed, and

has said that my surgeon has done this to other people in the past, as he

tends to be a perfectionist. I am on an extremely tight time budget for

this, and the thought of having braces through my last 2 years in college

really makes me upset, as I still feel unnecessairly self-conscious about

them. The roots of my teeth appear " too close " only to the surgeon, not the

orthodontist. The surgery is not completely necessary, and I'm almost

inclined to just call it all off and have my braces off by December. And

besides making 2 incisions for a 3-piece cut, does anyone know another way

this could be done? Like, what if my roots NEVER get far apart enough for

the surgeon? We have been trying to get them apart since May. Anyone ever

have a similar situation??

Sorry about the long email... Clearly very frustrated by the entire

experience!!

Thanks, and hopefully my original early-August surgery buddies are on their

way to a speedy recovery w/o me!

Clare

[Guest guest]

Clare,

I am very sorry to hear about your delayed surgery on a repeated

basis and consequent frustrations. I can only imagine how bad this

whole process must be making you feel. I'd be super angry. However,

as someone who has had a 3 piece Le Forte I cannot stress enough how

important it is that you roots indeed be separate enough from each

other. Since a 3 piece le forte requires incisions it also requires

some delicate cutting around the roots area. If any of the roots get

accidentally cut during the procedure well then you can say good bye

to reacquiring any sensation post-op. In other words you'll suffer

from permanent nerve and root damage which I can assure you is

painful as hell.

Second on orthodontists opinions versus oral surgeons. I had an

episode where my ortho criticized something my oral surgeon had done

and it upset me to no end because i truly respect my orthodontists

opinion. having said this i also really respect my oral surgeon's

opinion. i chose my orthdontist because he was the best ortho i could

find for someone undergoing my type of procedure and had even

assisted during orthognathic surgeries in the past. But I chose my

oral surgeon because he was the best one around performing the actual

surgery. I guess what I'm trying to say is that maybe from your

ortho's point of view your roots are separate enough from each other

but as he isn't the one performing the actual surgery but your oral

surgeon then i would only feel confident in doing the surgery once

your oral surgeon is confident to do it. presumably if you chose him

in the first place it's because you felt he was the best person

around to do your surgery. Perhaps getting a second consultation with

another oral surgeon would help ease your worries. I did that and it

certainly helped clarify a lot of things for me. And it is understood

in the medical profession that a 2nd opinion is just that, a 2nd

opinion and in no way are you obliged to then go with the second

doctor.

Third - on being tempted to cancel the whole surgery and get your

braces off by Dec. You say that the surgery is not all that

necessary. Can I ask you a question? Then why did you decide to go

through with it in the first place? Try to think over what was your

thinking going into this whole procedure and ask yourself whether you

can live with those problems or defects that brought you to consider

surgery in the first place. My guess is that if you have braces on in

preparation for the surgery, chances are that by Dec your teeth will

not look as perfect as they would be after surgery, reason being that

pre-surgery your teeth are realligned so that they fit in the right

position once your jaw is moved and not pre-surgery. Then again you

ortho might do such a fantastic job that you won't need the surgery

if it's not all that necessary.

I know it's frustrating to go through all of this, especially during

your last year at school. I had the same experience during my 2nd and

final year of my master degree. But try to take a step back and look

at things with some perspective. Most of all, don't give up hope.

You've come this far and that's an achievement in itself.

Sara

Surgery June 6th, 2005

Upper jaw 3 piece leforte, moved up and back, 4mm palet expansion, 2

upper bicupsids removed, lower jaw brought up and genio

> Hi all,

> I was actually supposed to have my surgery august 8th, and it

keeps getting

> pushed back. My surgeon looked at me 10 days before surgery and

said that my

> roots were still too close together (3 piece lefort ... or

something...).

> Anyway, so he said that I should be ready for surgery on the 15th,

a week

> later. Sure enough, he still thinks the roots are too close

together, and

> doesnt think that they'll be ready for the 22nd either, 2 weeks

after my

> original date. I am a student in my last year of school, and I set

aside a

> full 3 weeks to have this surgery, and now the entire 3 weeks are

blown. The

> surgeon had given me no warning about the possibility that this

surgery

> would not happen on the date I wanted it back in January, on Aug.

8th.

> Anyway, I am so completely frustrated, and now I will have to take

a week

> off of school in addition to my October break to have this surgery,

if even

> then he decides I am ready. My orthodontist is also a little

annoyed, and

> has said that my surgeon has done this to other people in the past,

as he

> tends to be a perfectionist. I am on an extremely tight time budget

for

> this, and the thought of having braces through my last 2 years in

college

> really makes me upset, as I still feel unnecessairly self-conscious

about

> them. The roots of my teeth appear " too close " only to the surgeon,

not the

> orthodontist. The surgery is not completely necessary, and I'm

almost

> inclined to just call it all off and have my braces off by

December. And

> besides making 2 incisions for a 3-piece cut, does anyone know

another way

> this could be done? Like, what if my roots NEVER get far apart

enough for

> the surgeon? We have been trying to get them apart since May.

Anyone ever

> have a similar situation??

> Sorry about the long email... Clearly very frustrated by the

entire

> experience!!

> Thanks, and hopefully my original early-August surgery buddies are

on their

> way to a speedy recovery w/o me!

> Clare

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I agree with everything Sara said... And yes, you are not the first

who's had this happen.

Orthodontia in particular, and oral surgery as well, are procedures

that are almost notorious for changes in what needs doing and

changes in time frames. (Another patient who sees my general

dentist, but not my orthodontist, waited patiently through six

months of braces before she -- or her doc -- saw any movement at

all! I'd have been ready to kill, either myself or my docs!)

About the school: Does that time that you've prescheduled really

have to be a total blank out from the academics? I'd talk with my

advisor or dean, and explain what's happened, and ask whether, since

you're an advanced student, there's not some individual study

project or paper you could take on for credit, to make up for some

of the post-op time you'll be down and out. Any sane academic would

be willing to work with you on that one, I'd think.

Of course, who said all academics are sane, either?

Best,

Cammie

And P. S.: If I ever wanted a perfectionist for anything, it's in my

docs, and most particular in my oral surgeon!

C.

> > Hi all,

> > I was actually supposed to have my surgery august 8th, and it

> keeps getting

> > pushed back. My surgeon looked at me 10 days before surgery and

> said that my

> > roots were still too close together (3 piece lefort ... or

> something...).

> > Anyway, so he said that I should be ready for surgery on the

15th,

> a week

> > later. Sure enough, he still thinks the roots are too close

> together, and

> > doesnt think that they'll be ready for the 22nd either, 2 weeks

> after my

> > original date. I am a student in my last year of school, and I

set

> aside a

> > full 3 weeks to have this surgery, and now the entire 3 weeks

are

> blown. The

> > surgeon had given me no warning about the possibility that this

> surgery

> > would not happen on the date I wanted it back in January, on

Aug.

> 8th.

> > Anyway, I am so completely frustrated, and now I will have to

take

> a week

> > off of school in addition to my October break to have this

surgery,

> if even

> > then he decides I am ready. My orthodontist is also a little

> annoyed, and

> > has said that my surgeon has done this to other people in the

past,

> as he

> > tends to be a perfectionist. I am on an extremely tight time

budget

> for

> > this, and the thought of having braces through my last 2 years

in

> college

> > really makes me upset, as I still feel unnecessairly self-

conscious

> about

> > them. The roots of my teeth appear " too close " only to the

surgeon,

> not the

> > orthodontist. The surgery is not completely necessary, and I'm

> almost

> > inclined to just call it all off and have my braces off by

> December. And

> > besides making 2 incisions for a 3-piece cut, does anyone know

> another way

> > this could be done? Like, what if my roots NEVER get far apart

> enough for

> > the surgeon? We have been trying to get them apart since May.

> Anyone ever

> > have a similar situation??

> > Sorry about the long email... Clearly very frustrated by the

> entire

> > experience!!

> > Thanks, and hopefully my original early-August surgery buddies

are

> on their

> > way to a speedy recovery w/o me!

> > Clare

> >

> >

> >