No time and space for braces, but surgery necessary

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#1 Post by **Stephany** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 5:07 pm

Hi everyone!

this is my first post, so i'm going to describe my rather difficult situation, and hope to get feedback from you.

the main problem with my jaw is, that the right side kept on growing, while the left side had stopped long time ago. now my jaw and face is asymmetrical, i can't bite properly, and the work from braces that i had on 6 years ago, is falling apart, because the improperly distributed pressure on my teeth disarrange them.

i read about cases, where one side of the jaw never stopped growing, so im really scared now, the same could happen to me!!! last time we checked, right side was still growing (i'm 19 now), while none of my other bones of my whole body grew anymore. going to make a test for it in january, hope it finally stopped growing!!!

often my jaw and ear hurt, i hear beeping in my left ear and my vocal cords dont close completly because my throat is kind of twisted too, because of my jaw. this is also an important aspect, because i earn my daily bread with singing...

of course beside of those physical problems, it gives me some social problems too... i know not everyone can notice the asymmetry right away, but because i deal with this problem everyday, my jaw seams more and more completely distorted to me. i know it sounds extreme, especially to people who didnt experiance this problem on their own, but it kind of is in my mind from morning until evening, i just cant help it. although aside from the jaw problem, i feel rather confident about my body and my character, so im sure its not a collective selfconfidence problem, projected at my jaw...
nearly always i feel really ashamed to laugh or smile infront of people, or even to talk.
i think its such a pity, because laughing and feeling well and free in an everyday life is one of the most important things...

can you relate with those problems, or do you see it less dramatic?

now the problem is, that im always travelling from one place to the other, i never stay at one place for a long time, so i couldnt be changing insurances, surgeons and orthodontists all the time, its just not possible...

i would have two month from now on, have an appointment in the beginning of january to check out the possibilties.
i know, i should have braces for months or years before surgery, but i dont see any other possibilities, then doing the surgery first, and then accomodate the teeth. i dont know if it will be possible, but what else could i do, when i often wake up at night because of the pain in my jaw?
the other problems could be bearable, but this one...

my teeth are moving slowly but surely out of their place, but now theyre still quite straight.. so i guess most will think its not possible without braces first, but i dont know what else could be done at this moment... i'll know more after the examens in january, so ill keep you informed!;)

excuse me for my spelling mistakes, english is not my first language!!

greetings, Stephany

#2 Post by **Arvensis** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 9:11 pm

My teeth were very straight before surgery (I had braces 10+ years ago) so I got braces in August and had surgery in December. I got braces I think like August 13th, and surgery December 17th, so total 4 months in braces before surgery. If everything else stays on schedule, I will hopefully be out of braces by March sometime, which means team total 7 months between braces on, surgery, and braces off. But that's still subject to change, obviously.

Of course my ortho was very very very accommodating, worked with me quite a bit and some of my adjustments were pushing it just a little bit (for instance they started with the 2nd up wire with the braces instead of the first normally thinner wire). Also I was very specific when I went in stating that I wanted to do this ASAP and had a limited time frame to work in (I said I needed to start braces after my summer employment at Big Law ended in Mid August, have surgery sometime Jan-Feb, March at the latest, and be out of braces before I start working full time for Big Law the following September 1st.) They originally gave me an estimate of 6 months for the braces rushing it, which turned out to be super conservative since everything was rather aligned, so by mid October we were scheduling my surgery date for December.

My ortho and my surgeon - whom I picked separately based on my research going into this - happened to be close working companions, which probably helped greatly speed things along too since the Ortho knew what the Surgeon would be looking for and vise versa, and they were always chatting with one another. Apparently my surgeon enjoys hanging out in the ortho's office to watch him work because he's impressed with ortho, but whatever.

I should say that I did ask whether i could do some portion of the braces work after the surgery so that I could for sure have surgery before I started preparing for the bar exam (May) or finals (April-May) worse case scenario. The answer was a flat no. I was lucky things were so well in order from 10 years ago (because I certainly didn't keep up with retainers after that first year or so - retainers were so not cool in college and I was living first year at 17 in a co-ed dorm

) but that was that.

I understand your desire to do this as quickly as possible, but I think you need a more realistic time frame than 2 months. I had given my OS and ortho about a total of 12 months, with the concession that I would agree to get braces on earlier during Big Law job last summer if they thought based on molds that I needed longer in braces. They did in fact want me to get braces on two-three weeks earlier but I took a chance and waited and it worked out fortunately.

If the locations you are going to and fro aren't too far apart or expensive to fly between, just consider finding a good ortho/os in the same city where you can make appts and fly in or commute. I live in Houston part time and Austin part time, and drive back and forth between the two when needed.

#3 Post by **Arvensis** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 9:19 pm

My teeth were very straight before surgery (I had braces 10+ years ago) so I got braces in August and had surgery in December. I got braces I think like August 13th, and surgery December 17th, so total 4 months in braces before surgery. If everything else stays on schedule, I will hopefully be out of braces by March sometime, which means team total 7 months between braces on, surgery, and braces off. But that's still subject to change, obviously.

Of course my ortho was very very very accommodating, worked with me quite a bit and some of my adjustments were pushing it just a little bit (for instance they started with the 2nd up wire with the braces instead of the first normally thinner wire). Also I was very specific when I went in stating that I wanted to do this ASAP and had a limited time frame to work in (I said I needed to start braces after my summer employment at Big Law ended in Mid August, have surgery sometime Jan-Feb, March at the latest, and be out of braces before I start working full time for Big Law the following September 1st.) They originally gave me an estimate of 6 months for the braces rushing it, which turned out to be super conservative since everything was rather aligned, so by mid October we were scheduling my surgery date for December.

My ortho and my surgeon - whom I picked separately based on my research going into this - happened to be close working companions, which probably helped greatly speed things along too since the Ortho knew what the Surgeon would be looking for and vise versa, and they were always chatting with one another. Apparently my surgeon enjoys hanging out in the ortho's office to watch him work because he's impressed with ortho, but whatever.

I should say that I did ask whether i could do some portion of the braces work after the surgery so that I could for sure have surgery before I started preparing for the bar exam (May) or finals (April-May) worse case scenario. The answer was a flat no. I was lucky things were so well in order from 10 years ago (because I certainly didn't keep up with retainers after that first year or so - retainers were so not cool in college and I was living first year at 17 in a co-ed dorm

) but that was that.

I understand your desire to do this as quickly as possible, but I think you need a more realistic time frame than 2 months. I had given my OS and ortho about a total of 12 months, with the concession that I would agree to get braces on earlier during Big Law job last summer if they thought based on molds that I needed longer in braces. They did in fact want me to get braces on two-three weeks earlier but I took a chance and waited and it worked out fortunately.

If the locations you are going to and fro aren't too far apart or expensive to fly between, just consider finding a good ortho/os in the same city where you can make appts and fly in or commute. I live in Houston part time and Austin part time, and drive back and forth between the two when needed.

#4 Post by **Stephany** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 5:45 am

Arvensis, lucky to hear, that in your case it was possible to do the process even faster then you thought...

Meryaten, of course i will wear braces after the surgery, guess i didnt mention it above!!;) of course thats necessary afterwords, otherwise i would get problems with my teeth after a time.
but that wouldnt be a problem, i could go on with the bracing process in other countries too. the main problem is the surgery itself, also because of the cost, and the planning, because i have no ensurance at the place i will be in two month, and cant predict, how long i will stay there. even if i would get an ensurance, i couldnt do it there, because i couldnt get vacation from work for surgery and recovery, and wouldn't be allowed to wear an outer brace. fortunately here i would have the possibility to get inner braces...

im obligated to leave my current place in two month, and it will be an other continent then now, so i won't be able to switch between the places, dont even know if ill ever come back for longer then a few weeks.

i really know its gonna be difficult, but something has to be done, i cant go on with life in pain, alongside with the other problems, and my only option is to get a procedure in those two month i have...

i think it would be worse to leave it like it is and get worse...

greetings, Stephany

#5 Post by **Arvensis** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:55 am

by outer and inner braces, do you mean lingual as inner (the kind that go on the inside of your teeth but work like traditional braces?)

As far as I know (and I asked, believe me) you have to have outer braces for surgery. They gave me the option of having inner first then switching to outer for surgery, but that was a whole lot more expensive!!!

#6 Post by **Stephany** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:23 pm

yes, i mean the same braces like they put outside normally, just that theyre put on the inside.

i was thinking about it too, how that could be possible, especially when they have to fix your mouth, so you cant open it for a while after surgery(although i dont know yet if that should be done in my case).
but on the last appointment they said it could be done with the inner braces, i just couldnt do the procedure at that point because i was already travelling all the time from one country to the other, and my jaw was still growing on the right side.

greetings, stephany

#7 Post by **sweetpea** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 3:49 pm

Hello Stephany

I had the same problem as you, the right side of my jaw kept growing and the dentist noticed it in my early 20s. However I didn't have anything done as I was moving around too much, like you.

Then I didn't do anything because I had small children and was bringing them up alone and didn't have anyone to look after them while I had an operation.

Then, in my late 30s, one side was 4cm longer than the other! All my bottom teeth were falling over, and something had to be done.

I've had the surgery and all has gone extremely well and my only regret is that I didn't get it done sooner.

I'm not sure how you can resolve your logistical problems, but I really think you must try and get it sorted sooner rather than later.

#8 Post by **Stephany** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:24 pm

Hi sweetpea!

wow, so your right jaw kept on growing and growing?? i'm reeeally scared right now...

i'll know if mine is too in january...

so it seems youre very pleased with the results. and has your jaw stopped growing now after your surgery, or is it possible that its still growing and maybe youll need an other surgery?

i really pray for it, that i can somehow make the surgery, if they say no, i cant imagine how my life yould go on like this...

greetings, Stephany

#9 Post by **lionfish** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 5:02 pm

by outer and inner braces, do you mean lingual as inner (the kind that go on the inside of your teeth but work like traditional braces?)

As far as I know (and I asked, believe me) you have to have outer braces for surgery. They gave me the option of having inner first then switching to outer for surgery, but that was a whole lot more expensive!!!

You can have surgery with linguals; I know someone who had it with upper linguals/lower labial braces. It would have been available to me as well with the same configuration (surgery was discussed early on in the piece).

#10 Post by **freerideuk** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 7:19 pm

hey i know how you feel about it not being practical or a good time but beleave me ad get it while your only 19 i am 18 and it really did not fit into my plans of being a snowboard instructor or doing a sports course in college but i put everything off for a year and now work in a reastrant cause it was better to take a year out of my life and get everything sorted than always be trying to look for a time when it would be a good time which i really doubt there ever is a good time to have jaw surgery

soo my advice would be maybe just stay in the one place for a while get it all sorted and done with then move on with your life =]

xxxxxxx

#11 Post by **Stephany** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 2:32 am

Meryaten, I know how important it is to have braces before.
the problem is, i have a job waiting for me over there in an other country, if i dont take it, its gone. now i'm a singer, its not that its prohibited to wear braces, but when i go introduce myself, they would just simply not engage me. its sad, but its just like that, imagine yourself in an elegant place, restaurant, they just couldnt let someone sing with outer braces, it just wouldnt happen. with inner braces i dont know how much it would interfere the pronouncing.
and then i need the other job which is waiting there first, because i dont know how many singing jobs i will get at first, i have to stabilize that first, then i can leave that other job.

and if i dont go? i have no money for surgery, for living, for nothing... not for a year... the country im in now, if id work hear, id not even earn enough money for eating, its not easy here at the moment.

if i dont go there now, the job is gone, and with it my chance, i cant let that happen.

im nearly obligated from my point of view to go there, but i also have to have the surgery, i cant go on with that pain, and other problems..

so i totally agree with you, thats why im so worried, i never heard of a surgery beeing possible without longer period of braces before...

but i cant do other thing than explain them whats going on, and pray that there is a solution...

greetings, Stephany

#12 Post by **murrdock311** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 2:46 am

I have the exact same problem. I have TMJ pain and slight facial asymmetry. The right side of my face is 4mm longer than the left. My discrepancy isn't nearly as bad as some victims of asymmetry but it's still enough to notice and cause pain and discomfort in my bite and TMJ's. I am planning of having surgery sometime this year to correct the canted asymmetry by Dr. Arnett in Santa Barbara, CA. I hear he is one of the best in the business along with Dr. Wolford in Austin, TX. If anyone has had surgery to fix an asymmetry and also had TMJ issues, please respond with your insights. Also, if there is anyone who has had surgery performed by Dr. Arnett, I would love to hear about your experience and how you are post op.

Thanks, Ryan

#13 Post by **WhiteLurcher** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 4:46 am

Hi

I had a lot of pain and locking in my jaws until about 4 1/2 years ago and after various tests and scans was eventually diagnosed with Condylar Hyperplasia, mines was on my right side. I had surgery, called a High condylar shave, where they remove part of the condylar bone. This is done when tests show the bone is still growing and should stop the growth. I then had to wait a year to see if it had worked.
Now pre-chop my bite was slightly open, though it didn't effect me enough to notice it, apart from the pain that had developed over a couple of years. I was 30 at the time of my first chop. After that operation my open bite increased dramatically and I now had a good size overbite to boot! So after the year I agreed to don braces and follow the Orthognatic surgery route to hopefully gain a pain-free functional bite. Now aged 34 and 7 months post-chop, I am pain-free and my bite has improved. All in all for me it has been 7 years so far and mostly it has flown by. At least for me it has all been free on the good old NHS.

But basically NHS or not I'm sorry but there is no quick fix for this condition, although some folks on here have skipped the first operation and had an all-in-one surgery to fix both bite and asymmetry. I't still takes much longer than 2 months.

Good luck what ever you decide!

#14 Post by **Stephany** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 5:05 am

sweetpea, and everyone else who had a similar problem:

one of the orthodontists said, that i could CHOOSE, if i wanted the right side to be shortened, or the left side to be lengthened.
how was it in your case?

what exactly did they do on surgery?

does anybody know, if its possible with the same operation, also to advance upper and lower jaw forward?

i beleave they are underdeveloped, looking from the side, i have a receding chin, but couldnt move forward only my lower jaw, because my teeth do "match" now. my jaw has stopped growing with at least 12, i think thats a little early, and then only my right jaw kept on growing.

is this last one a very complicated surgery, to advance both upper and lower jaw?

greetings, Stephany, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!;)

#15 Post by **Stephany** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:56 am

oh and i forgot about that one:

i've read a lot about SARPE here in this forum. its always done on the upper jaw, right?

because i have the problem, that my teeth dont match in the back, because my lower jaw is narrower then the upper.

does anybody know if this especific problem can be corrected also by braces only, pushing them out, or is there a surgery for this too?

or will it maybe be resolved by lengthening the shorter side of my jaw?

i know there arent general answer to those questions, and im gonna know a lot more about all this when ill see the surgeon.
but im just so curious about all this, and also other cases with similar problems...
before finding this forum i was scared to death about all this, of not waking up from surgery, and especially about the "necrosis"-part!!!

but now that i've read a lot of stories, it seems its not THAT horrible, and if others survived, i will too!

greetings, Stephany