Help! (1st post)

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

This is the first time I will post a message in here,

and I'm really glad I found this group. Hopefully someone with the

wisdom of experience will be able to help me with my present

situation.

I am 17, from Madrid, Spain, and next month I will start

studying Architecture at university. This summer I began seeking

orthodontic treatment in order to finish aligning my teeth (I had

braces for almost 3 years startng when I was 11 to align my teeth

and was told I would have to put them on again when I was around

18). However, the dentists I've seen so far have paid more attention

to the underbite I have than to my actual teeth. I've been aware and

told that I had an underbite for many years, but up until now

dentists didn't consider it too serious an issue. The problem is

that now they suggest that I may probably need orthognatic surgery

to correct it.

While my underbite is considerable, aesthetically it is barely

noticeable. In fact, I have never been unhappy with my facial

appereance with regards to this issue. So I'm not worried about

that, and if I got surgery it wouldn't be for cosmetic reasons.

However, doctors have warned me of the possible repercussions on a

functional level that this might have on me in the future (TMJ, bad

chewing and digestion, etc.) if I leave it untreated. Dentists say

that orthodontics might help solve the problem enough (though not

completely) so that I can avoid surgery, so they are trying to

determine if this could be a solution.

I've been informed about the details of surgery and to be

completely honest, it scares the living hell out of me. The last

dentist I saw, I came back from his clinic terrified. I'm really

worried about the situation. Knowing that there exists a possibility

that I may have to undergo such a procedure, I would really really

appreciate it if anyone who has had this operation would tell me a

little bit about what the period after operation was like, whether

it was worth it for them, etc. I know that I might have to make a

decision on this matter at some point in the near future, so I'd

like to be better informed about what I'm up against. HELP! And

Thank you so much.

Juack