Considering upper and lower jaw surgery

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#1 Post by **ColoradoGirl** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:21 am

Hi everyone,

Great board you have here. I've been reading it for the last couple of days, and decided to register right away (usually a total lurker, hehe). So, hi.

Here's my story: I've been dissatisfied with my facial appearance (class 2 malocclusion) for a long time, and my TMJ pain has been increasing over the years. My dentist was surprised by the number of bite problems I have, and suspected I had condylar reabsorbtion from looking at my x-ray. He sent me to Arnett & Gunson. I put it off for almost a year, but finally went in for a surgery consult this week with Dr. Gunson. I'm equal parts excited and really freaking scared at what I learned: I do have reabsorption / arthritic joints, and the jaws themselves are both too small, so I'd need upper and lower jaw surgery. On the upside, my joints would be stabalized, airway increased, and then of course there'd be the improvement in appearance.

Clearly this is a big deal, not a simple cosmetic procedure, but I'm struggling with the feeling that I'm being shallow to consider it because appearance plays such a big role in my desire for the surgery and in its results. Add the fact that I'm probably not going to get much $$ from insurance (though they should cover the hospital, and maybe part of the surgery), to the fears of surgery and recovery, and I'm feeling very conflicted.

So, just thought I'd put that out there. It's been really helpful to see y'all's stories and experiences.

#2 Post by **HokieTay** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:29 am

Most of us would be lying if we said the improvement to our appearance from the surgery didn't matter. It's a nice bonus and totally understandable. Just think, if your jaws had grown correctly and weren't misaligned you'd look different. So what's wrong with fixing it?

Now that's just the appearance part. The functionality part is way bigger than that and makes a HUGE difference! I cannot tell you how much better I can breathe out of my nose now. Before the surgery I didn't know anything different than a stuffy nose. I guess I thought that was normal. Then comes the chewing, which is so much easier. And I could go on and on.

Sometimes I catch myself obsessing over my new bite, smile, profile, etc and I think I'm being vain, but it's just getting used to the improved me. Just don't change who you are on the inside and you'll be fine!

#3 Post by **chicago29** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:43 am

I know exactly what you are feeling and I respect you for admitting it and paying attention to it. I think many of us have these feelings, and sometimes I would say it is almost a "guilty" feeling as if you've turned into Joan Rivers (or some other plastic surgery obsessed celebrity) or something.

The bottom line is this...A vast majority of people have jaw surgery to improve their functional bite and or TMJ. There are serious medical consequences for not having those things be "normal". Getting those things in order is very important, and should be the driving factor for undergoing such procedures.

There just so happens to be a nice side effect that jaw surgery improves people's appearance in 99% of cases.

We concentrate on those aesthetic items because that is what we (and others) more easily recognize. For example, you or others may notice your more defined cheek bones or jaw line, but they're not going to say "Wow, what a nice bite you have".

What you are feeling is TOTALLY normal. Don't let it stop you. If you feel that there is a medical need for surgery and that you'll get health benefits from it, by all means go for it!

Best of luck in your decision...

-Chicago29

#4 Post by **ColoradoGirl** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 5:26 pm

Thanks, both of you. You don't know what a relief it is to find some people who know what the heck I'm talking about and can sympathize--I don't know anyone with any kind of jaw/TMJ condition, so I've sometimes felt like I was making the whole thing up (pain and all!).

And chicago29: hehe, I'm going to start commenting on people's excellent bites.

#5 Post by **Marisama** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:02 am

Hey there, I'm in the exact same situation you are in! I am planning on having surgery with Dr. Gunson sometime in the next year. I'm going in for TMJ problems along with asymmetry. I will need both jaws moved forward with counter clockwise rotation. Check out the post titled "Double Jaw Surgery - Excited" A fellow Gunson patient has been blogging about her surgery and recovery and I bet you'd find it very helpful. Keep in touch.

Ryan

#6 Post by **ColoradoGirl** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:17 pm

Thanks, RYANV. Mine'll be a counterclockwise rotation too. Good luck with your progress! Do you have an idea when your surgery might be, or is it up in the air?

I've decided to do it...calling an ortho tomorrow to place braces (ugh; thought I was done with that at 16!) and then moving forward from there. I really do think it's the best thing for me, especially on the TMJ pain & deterioration fronts. I'm not particularly looking forward to any of this except the gaining 15 pounds part

--and of course being done. With any luck I can have the surgery in August.

#7 Post by **queenofoverbite** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:37 pm

Don't yet your fears hold you back.
Ultimately, it is your jaw pain, not your vanity, pushing you towards this.

And even if you feel more excited about looking better than biting better- so what? Its your life, your health, your jaw.

Go for it!
You shouldnt have to live with constant jaw pain.

#8 Post by **margan** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:50 pm

The pain is all too real. I have horrible TMJ--to the point I'm afraid to fall asleep at night. I've posted my frustrations on Discouraging Consultation. I have a very deep overbite and overjet as well as asymetrical jaw. I am at the beginning of my quest and not getting much support for surgery; that may be my fault for stressing the TMJ problems more than the aesthetic. I'm told that there is not neccessarily a correlation between the two. I have weird ear problems, speech problems, etc.

And I want this surgery very much for aesthetic reasons. My face looks sort of squished, lips don't come together right. Yes, this very much impacts quality of life issue. The anxiety of knowing these structural disorders get worse over time is overwhelming. This is not vanity. It's a desire to be as confident and comfortable as possible so that having a face is not such an effort.

#9 Post by **ColoradoGirl** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:39 pm

Thanks for the outpouring of support. I wish I'd had this site years ago when I first started having pain & self-consciousness.

Margan--LOVE your formulation: "It's a desire to be as confident and comfortable as possible so that having a face is not such an effort." Having a face is not necessarily that much of an effort for most people--but oh boy is it for some of us!

#10 Post by **annepanne** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:08 am

merewena; So you have arthritis in your jaws? What does reabsorbtion mean? (maybe it's a dumb question, but I'm norwegian) I have arthritis from I was little. in my joints. and also in my jaw. And when I was consulting a surgeon at 17, he said I looked fine, and it would be to risky to do surgery because of my arthritis. Later on, when I was 26 I did a genioplasty instead. But now I feel I need to do the jaw surgery as well. But I thought that arthritis was a reason NOT to do it and not a good reason to do it. It seems like the surgeons I have met don't dear to do anything to me, cause of the arthritis. they're afraid that the arthritis will be active again, or that it will make my jaw just slide back again. i don't know.

Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:05 pm

Hi Merewena, I feel bad I never checked your post before! I had double jaw surgery with Dr.Gunson in Nov. and all of what you've said about your jaw experience is so much like me it's crazy! It has been a long road for me, but at 4mo post-op I am feeling great. I have a blog with my progress starting a few weeks before surgery... http://asmileconnectsus.blogspot.com

#12 Post by **ColoradoGirl** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:38 pm

annepane: My docs have put me on a number of meds to stabalize the arthritis in my jaw joint (2 anti-inflammatories, fish oil, a number of vitamins); once the inflammatory/arthritis response is under control (and my teeth are in place through ortho), they'll do surgery. My jaw is so badly seated that I have to pop it out of joint in order to chew (rubbing the edge of my jaw joint on my cheekbone), which contributes to the inflammation problems that in turn contribute to my arthritis. So, once things are stable and the joint's in the right place, future arthritic deterioration will be less likely.

As I understand it, "condylar reabsorbtion" is a fancy term for erosion of the joints through various kinds of wear and arthritis; the bone is reabsorbed into the system as it's chipped away. But I might be missing the finer points on this one.

asmile: thanks! I've been reading your blog, actually.

It's super helpful and informative--and very encouraging to hear such positive reviews of Drs. Gunson and Arnett. Glad your recovery is going so well!

#13 Post by **annepanne** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:37 pm

Merewena; thank you for your reply! I'm also on medication for the arthritis. anti-inflammatories. I guess it seems very logical that the surgery will make it better (not worse). And yes, now I understand what reabsorbtion is -that's what happens with all joints if the arthrithis is active for a long time.

I can also relate to your feeling of being shallow. Me too. but at the end of the day it's about wanting to get a better life quality. And it's nothing wrong with wanting that.

Anne

#14 Post by **Marisama** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 10:31 pm

Do you have any asymmetry? Just wondering because I plan on having surgery with Dr. Gunson in the future and would like to know how your surgery and TMJ pain levels turn out. Good luck with everything. It's rare to find people who understand TMJ and jaw problems to the extent that we do.