Cosmetic Orthognathic Surgery?

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#1 Post by **dayeangphurr** » Fri May 08, 2009 3:08 pm

Hi, have anyone underwent orthognathic surgery(jaw surgery) for purely cosmetic reasons? I've had braces before and wore a head gear to fix my overbite problem when I was younger. However, now(at 20 years old), I am discontent with my bottom jaw and feel like it can be pushed forward some more. My orthodontist said my bite was fine and is not severe enough for him to suggest the surgery. He did suggest a genioplasty though, but I'd rather undergo jaw surgery.

Please share with me your experiences as I would greatly appreciate it

#2 Post by **knockuout7788** » Fri May 08, 2009 5:27 pm

i know everyone says it should not be for cosmetic reasons but thats one of the reasons why i am really doing it, i think fiixing my jaw would not only correct thiings but def. make my face look better then it does now..........

#3 Post by **TinaAH** » Fri May 08, 2009 6:05 pm

Cosmetic reasons are perfectly fine. I had mine done for medical reasons, but the cosmetic difference was a huge bonus for me!

The only downside is that insurance generally won't pay unless its medically necessary.

--Tina

#4 Post by **teylix** » Fri May 08, 2009 8:38 pm

tbh no way in hell would i undergo jaw surgery again for cosmetic reasons.

i did this because i had class 3 underbite and there were functional issues.

i dont mean to scare you but you could have permanent numbness, imperfect results, damage your finances, etc.

it's hard to say without seeing you, but i think if your ortho advised against it, he mustve thought it wasnt worth it and had a good reason. we all have our cosmetic nuisances =]

hope you really do weigh the advantages vs risks.

#5 Post by **brendan** » Sat May 09, 2009 8:03 am

Just make sure you know what you are in for and if its worth it.

All negatives are encompassed here [from my opinion of surgery, 5 weeks out]

1. Braces for a good amount of time before and after surgery. This sucks because they are annoying, and make you look like a kid.

2. The week after surgery is not fun at all. During this week you will most likely say inside your head a few times "I shouldnt have done this". You will be extremely swollen, nauseous, and in some cases, in pain

3. After surgery, you will be eating liquid for a good time, and won't be eating most foods. This sucks because - not only can you not party with friends, but you can't even go out to a restaurant with them unless you want to just sip soup.

4. Numbness in Chin/Lower Lip. This is going to happen, the degree of it will vary, but you will surely be very numb for a long time and potentially forever. This dosnt really bother me much though

Essentially, its just a long journey, so be sure the cosmetic results are worth all the sesame

AND MAKE SURE you go with a good surgeon, because without that, you could end up with negative results!!

#6 Post by **brendan** » Sat May 09, 2009 8:04 am

Oh, and surgery is expensive as flower!!!!

#7 Post by **fromjersey** » Sat May 09, 2009 10:32 am

Rightly or wrongly, and it's definitely wrong, but our society judges our character, degree of criminality, job aptitude and a myriad of other traits by our looks. Do the research on this subject and it's truly disgusting. Also, we too often judge ourselves by our looks. And rarely is anything 100% cosmetic. Often there are breathing, speaking or chewing problems that go along with the facial imbalance. I'm all for making corrections, and this is from sometime who should have had my deformities corrected over 70 years ago.
Helen

#8 Post by **OzzysMom** » Sat May 09, 2009 1:59 pm

Great answers from both Brendan and Helen!

One thing I'd like to add is that often the medical/functional problems that result from this don't really manifest themselves until one gets older. I started having almost constant tension/migraine headaches when I was 42. I had my surgery last October at age 48 and have been headache-free since. I also am finally able to breathe through my nose for the first time ever. It's improved a lot of other issues as well.

When I was 20, yes I was unhappy with the way my jaw looked.......gummy smile, couldn't close my mouth and it just looked awful. I had no idea that it would later cause functional problems.

One Dr told me that younger patients usually do it for cosmetic reasons while older ones do it for functional reasons. If I could go back and do it when I was 20.....you betcha I would!

#9 Post by **ReoSity** » Sat May 09, 2009 8:52 pm

I originally had a sliding genioplasty and even though the results were great, I'm having jaw surgery to completely correct my upper/lower jaw issues. It's definitely just for cosmetic reasons, I hate the fact that my lips don't meet naturally and my lower lip droops if I'm not consciously paying attention. I'm also going to a career which looks play a huge role.

Could I live a happy, productive life without additional surgery? Yes but the psychological pain and potentially career limiting factor make it a necessity.

#10 Post by **fromjersey** » Sun May 10, 2009 9:02 am

Also, I don' think cosmetic reasons alone are reason enough to dismiss surgery. Some of us are very fussy about things like balance and proportion and I don't think it's a sin to want to do something about it. I'll never regret being born with an artist's eye.
At the same time I think humans like Joan Rivers and other celebrities look grotesque after messing up their faces time and time again. I think all the plumped-up lips and fake-looking noses are a far cry from our pretty-much health-based jaw and teeth deformities. We need to be able to separate these very different groups of people. I think sometimes maybe parents or friends try to confuse the two groups in our minds.
Helen

#11 Post by **brendan** » Sun May 10, 2009 11:56 am

fromjersey wrote:Also, I don' think cosmetic reasons alone are reason enough to dismiss surgery. Some of us are very fussy about things like balance and proportion and I don't think it's a sin to want to do something about it. I'll never regret being born with an artist's eye.
At the same time I think humans like Joan Rivers and other celebrities look grotesque after messing up their faces time and time again. I think all the plumped-up lips and fake-looking noses are a far cry from our pretty-much health-based jaw and teeth deformities. We need to be able to separate these very different groups of people. I think sometimes maybe parents or friends try to confuse the two groups in our minds.
Helen

Good post.. especially on the artists eye. I test at 20/10 - 20/15 vision and in some cases it almost seems like the vision can be a burden, primarily when noticing non-symetry or blemishes etc on face, but the benefits surely outweigh the negatives! Anyway, your second paragraph is on point.. shouldnt confuse people who correct an imbalance in their jaw/face with celebs who have multiple makeovers and constant botox injections etc

#12 Post by **knockuout7788** » Sun May 10, 2009 6:15 pm

teylix wrote: i dont mean to scare you but you could have permanent numbness, imperfect results, damage your finances, etc.

.................

while that is very true, i try not to think about that so much, i guess i am very optimistic about everything is because i havent seen the worst of anyone yet, most of the outcomes i have seen were very dramatic and great, they looked so different then before. it really inspired me to do this. i am not an ugly person but i do think i could look better without an unbalance face and overbite...i say its def. worth it to me..its worth the risk...............

the only thing that worries me is that i could probably have a relaspe....etc

..........

#13 Post by **dayeangphurr** » Mon May 11, 2009 10:55 pm

I want to thank everyone for sharing all of your wonderful insights with me.

As I am currently twenty(almost twenty one), I have wasted a lot of my youth years isolating myself away from the social world. And all because of my appearance which caused me to fall into depression for years now. I have suffered enough and I refuse to let melancholic lifestyle continue on for the rest of my life. I have no social life. I withdraw from social situations and am afraid of building friendships and being open to new people because of my insecurities and low self-esteem. Just the thought about me almost turning twenty one really saddens me. I haven't experienced much. I'd be lying if I'd say looks doesn't matter to me, because it truly does. However, looks are not everything of course and I know that. "Don't judge a book by it's cover" as the saying goes, however, life and people are always judging. I just want to feel attractive for once in my life and not be scared to look in the mirror every damn time I see my reflection. I want to be able to interact with others without being self conscious about the way I look. I'm so sick and tired of having to push my jaws out every time I talk.

Well, I apologize for all of this pity talk >.< Had to let it out. lol

Once again, thank you everyone!

#14 Post by **tazzle** » Tue May 12, 2009 3:10 pm

I really feel sad you are so affected by what you think about your face and that you cut yourself off form the best part of youth , your friends and social interaction.

I feel however that if you have this reaction to a face that the ortho says has a functioning bite meaning your jaws are indeed in alightment and you are not in any was "deformed" ( in the medical sense) then maybe what will help you most is not surgery. You might either find the surgery unsatisfactory or not be able to cope with anything less than what is in your eyes "perfect" / sde effects like numbness etc.

This might sound really blunt and I do not mean in any way to be un sympathetic but I would rather you be prompted to find the help you need to feel good about yourself ...... but have you considered that you might in some way have a different view of yourself than other see ...... a little like someone with anorexia sees a fat lump in the mirror where others see as waif . Of course this is conjecture because we cannot see your face and I am going on the bit where you say that your bite is a good one !

eg I have a severe deep / over bite that causes functional problems so bad I will loose more teeth soon if I do not get it fixed.... yet neither I nor anyone I know would have noticed much apart from maybe a shorter lower face ( it is disproportionate !) ..... most people I tell as surprised I need the operation so badly.

Is there someone you can talk to about why you feel this way .... as you say you have been depressed and this does indeed alter ones perception ........ perhaps some cognitive behavioural therapy or NLP would be of benefit ?

#15 Post by **dayeangphurr** » Tue May 12, 2009 5:33 pm

Hi Tazzle, thank you for your response. I don't want people to have an impression that I believe surgery will fix all of my problems and will go away because I am well-aware that is very unrealistic. I see the surgery as more of an enhancement and a boost to help me come out of this shell that I have been held captive in. In addition, my decisions for undergoing the surgery is not only because of cosmetic reasons, but for functional purposes as well.

Thank you for concern

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Cosmetic Orthognathic Surgery?

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