For those considering orthognathic surgery

[Guest guest]

This forum is great. I am about ten weeks post-op from upper and

lower jaw surgeries. I remember four years ago deciding to get my

teeth fixed for the rest of my life (I'm 42 now). What started out as

a " free " consulation with a dentist has turned into a total overhaul

with about $35,000 spent. About $25,000 of that was covered by

insurance.

Anyway, about the dilemma. At first I was horrified by the suggestion

of jaw surgery (especially upper jaw). But, after consulting with all

three docs over the next year and a half, I decided to bite the

bullet. I had developed a serious case of sleep apnea, which didn't

affect me much at 20, but by 40, my energy level was decreasing and I

always wanted to nod off during the day. I've never had a chin and

didn't like that profile, plus my mouth was always dry because my

lips didn't meet and my nasal cavity was restricted so I was a mouth

breather. Plus, I was chewing only on my back molars and my dentist

said I was in danger of losing my teeth early if I didn't fix my

bite. I was a decent looking fellow pre-op, so for me, the surgery

was mostly functional.

I got to the point where I decided that even if I ended up looking

worse, if my apnea was cured and my bite fixed, it would be worth it.

I'm still recovering, but it's getting better every day. My apnea has

been reduced, if not eliminated and I'm not as tired. I've gotten

favorable responses about my new look also, although I'm not happy

about the off-axis look my teeth have (see other post). Also, I

wouldn't mind if my upper teeth showed a little more like they used

to.

I must warn you that the results can be emotionally traumatic. You

get used to seeing yourself one way and develop some personality

traits based on how people respond to your looks. When your looks

change, people react differently to you, which can almost feel like

you are in someone else's body. also, the surgeon will remake you in

the light of his perception of attractiveness, which may not agree

with yours. I would suggest you impress on him numerous times the

traits that you like and don't want changed. Hopefully, you will get

closer to that during surgery.

My surgeon gave me the names and numbers of two of his patients. I

met with one and he looked normal, and spoke with both and asked a

lot of questions. You should be very ready and comfortable when you

decided to do it.

One thing I would suggest is tell the surgeon to err on the side of

less modification rather than more. My result is satisfactory. In

fact I just felt the first touch in my numb lip section a minute ago.

I was told it takes about 12 weeks before most of the numbness wears

off.

If you have minor imperfections and are doing this surgery to try to

get closer to perfection, I would say " don't do it " . It is risky and

as you have probably read, some people have to go back for more

surgeries or have complications. But, if you hate the way you look

and are too self-conscious to enjoy life anyway, or have severe apnea

and the surgery will move your lower jaw forward, thus opening your

airway, I'd say it's worth the risk, because you already have a poor

quality of life.

The healing process is very long and challenging. If you are prepared

for the recovery and have a good attitude about it, it can be a great

decision.

Good luck. And wait until you're ready.

Tarzan

[Guest guest]

Hey Tarzan,

Your posting here is such a great help to me - thank you for sharing

all of this information!

- S.

>

> This forum is great. I am about ten weeks post-op from upper and

> lower jaw surgeries. I remember four years ago deciding to get my

> teeth fixed for the rest of my life (I'm 42 now). What started out as

> a " free " consulation with a dentist has turned into a total overhaul

> with about $35,000 spent. About $25,000 of that was covered by

> insurance.

>

> Anyway, about the dilemma. At first I was horrified by the suggestion

> of jaw surgery (especially upper jaw). But, after consulting with all

> three docs over the next year and a half, I decided to bite the

> bullet. I had developed a serious case of sleep apnea, which didn't

> affect me much at 20, but by 40, my energy level was decreasing and I

> always wanted to nod off during the day. I've never had a chin and

> didn't like that profile, plus my mouth was always dry because my

> lips didn't meet and my nasal cavity was restricted so I was a mouth

> breather. Plus, I was chewing only on my back molars and my dentist

> said I was in danger of losing my teeth early if I didn't fix my

> bite. I was a decent looking fellow pre-op, so for me, the surgery

> was mostly functional.

>

> I got to the point where I decided that even if I ended up looking

> worse, if my apnea was cured and my bite fixed, it would be worth it.

> I'm still recovering, but it's getting better every day. My apnea has

> been reduced, if not eliminated and I'm not as tired. I've gotten

> favorable responses about my new look also, although I'm not happy

> about the off-axis look my teeth have (see other post). Also, I

> wouldn't mind if my upper teeth showed a little more like they used

> to.

>

> I must warn you that the results can be emotionally traumatic. You

> get used to seeing yourself one way and develop some personality

> traits based on how people respond to your looks. When your looks

> change, people react differently to you, which can almost feel like

> you are in someone else's body. also, the surgeon will remake you in

> the light of his perception of attractiveness, which may not agree

> with yours. I would suggest you impress on him numerous times the

> traits that you like and don't want changed. Hopefully, you will get

> closer to that during surgery.

>

> My surgeon gave me the names and numbers of two of his patients. I

> met with one and he looked normal, and spoke with both and asked a

> lot of questions. You should be very ready and comfortable when you

> decided to do it.

>

> One thing I would suggest is tell the surgeon to err on the side of

> less modification rather than more. My result is satisfactory. In

> fact I just felt the first touch in my numb lip section a minute ago.

> I was told it takes about 12 weeks before most of the numbness wears

> off.

>

> If you have minor imperfections and are doing this surgery to try to

> get closer to perfection, I would say " don't do it " . It is risky and

> as you have probably read, some people have to go back for more

> surgeries or have complications. But, if you hate the way you look

> and are too self-conscious to enjoy life anyway, or have severe apnea

> and the surgery will move your lower jaw forward, thus opening your

> airway, I'd say it's worth the risk, because you already have a poor

> quality of life.

>

> The healing process is very long and challenging. If you are prepared

> for the recovery and have a good attitude about it, it can be a great

> decision.

>

> Good luck. And wait until you're ready.

> Tarzan

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tarzan,

It is always great to get a post op perspective, especially when

someone is recent to the event, like you are. And it really helps

to have an overview when you are still in the waiting part of the

process. There are things we can do now to impact our outcome.

That is always worth being reminded of. Thank you!

Hugs,

Fran

>

> This forum is great. I am about ten weeks post-op from upper and

> lower jaw surgeries. I remember four years ago deciding to get my

> teeth fixed for the rest of my life (I'm 42 now). What started out

as

> a " free " consulation with a dentist has turned into a total

overhaul

> with about $35,000 spent. About $25,000 of that was covered by

> insurance.

>

> Anyway, about the dilemma. At first I was horrified by the

suggestion

> of jaw surgery (especially upper jaw). But, after consulting with

all

> three docs over the next year and a half, I decided to bite the

> bullet. I had developed a serious case of sleep apnea, which

didn't

> affect me much at 20, but by 40, my energy level was decreasing

and I

> always wanted to nod off during the day. I've never had a chin and

> didn't like that profile, plus my mouth was always dry because my

> lips didn't meet and my nasal cavity was restricted so I was a

mouth

> breather. Plus, I was chewing only on my back molars and my

dentist

> said I was in danger of losing my teeth early if I didn't fix my

> bite. I was a decent looking fellow pre-op, so for me, the surgery

> was mostly functional.

>

> I got to the point where I decided that even if I ended up looking

> worse, if my apnea was cured and my bite fixed, it would be worth

it.

> I'm still recovering, but it's getting better every day. My apnea

has

> been reduced, if not eliminated and I'm not as tired. I've gotten

> favorable responses about my new look also, although I'm not happy

> about the off-axis look my teeth have (see other post). Also, I

> wouldn't mind if my upper teeth showed a little more like they

used

> to.

>

> I must warn you that the results can be emotionally traumatic. You

> get used to seeing yourself one way and develop some personality

> traits based on how people respond to your looks. When your looks

> change, people react differently to you, which can almost feel

like

> you are in someone else's body. also, the surgeon will remake you

in

> the light of his perception of attractiveness, which may not agree

> with yours. I would suggest you impress on him numerous times the

> traits that you like and don't want changed. Hopefully, you will

get

> closer to that during surgery.

>

> My surgeon gave me the names and numbers of two of his patients. I

> met with one and he looked normal, and spoke with both and asked a

> lot of questions. You should be very ready and comfortable when

you

> decided to do it.

>

> One thing I would suggest is tell the surgeon to err on the side

of

> less modification rather than more. My result is satisfactory. In

> fact I just felt the first touch in my numb lip section a minute

ago.

> I was told it takes about 12 weeks before most of the numbness

wears

> off.

>

> If you have minor imperfections and are doing this surgery to try

to

> get closer to perfection, I would say " don't do it " . It is risky

and

> as you have probably read, some people have to go back for more

> surgeries or have complications. But, if you hate the way you look

> and are too self-conscious to enjoy life anyway, or have severe

apnea

> and the surgery will move your lower jaw forward, thus opening

your

> airway, I'd say it's worth the risk, because you already have a

poor

> quality of life.

>

> The healing process is very long and challenging. If you are

prepared

> for the recovery and have a good attitude about it, it can be a

great

> decision.

>

> Good luck. And wait until you're ready.

> Tarzan

>