Surgery on NHS - With Pics

Message

#1 Post by **Clairey Fairey** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:37 pm

Sorry if this has been posted before but I really haven't got the time to search (slow connection, it takes ages and I gotta be up early tomoz)

Anyway my ortho says I'm a 'prime candidate' for Jaw surgery. To have the upper jaw moved upwards to correct pertruding jaw and gummy smile, and to push the lower jaw forwards to correct a 'small chin' profile.

BUT I've just forked out Â£3000 for braces, treatment has practically finished and now I get told this!!!!!! I can't afford any more, not if I want to get a mortgage and get married by the time I'm thirty and I can't spend all our house savings on it.

Only problem is I really, really want the surgery, I believe quality for life will be better for me (confidence wise). I have no confidence due to the way I look, I know you'll all say I should just get on with it. But I can't help how I feel about myself.

I will never have the perfect smile i thought i was going to achieve with braces coz the jaw pattern isn't right.

Do anyone know what the circumstances have to be to quality for surgery on the NHS????

Thanks

Claire

#2 Post by **Happysmiler** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:04 am

Hi there,

I am in the UK and am having my surgery next week on 8th July in London.
All of my treatment has been funded by the NHS as I have an underbite, which meant that my teeth did not line up correctly - bottom teeth go infront of top) To be honest, eating has never really been a problem, but I suppose I don't chew food as much as I should due to this problem.

I think the main thing is whether or not you have a functional bite, or how much your appearance worries you. I would never say get on with it, because our faces, more so now than ever are so important and if you aren't happy with something that can be fixed then why not.

If you have had your treatment and your bite still isn't correct, then you may qualify for sugery on the NHS, you need to either get your Orthodontist to point you in the right direction , or ask you dentist to refer you to a specialist Maxillofacial Surgeon.
The trouble is - although I don't know if this is applicable in your case or not, but to prepare teeth for surgery, the orthodontist usually has to exagerate the problem, ie for an underbite they bring the bottom teeth forward more, or for an overbite (which this sounds like your problem) they pull the top teeth forward more. This sounds crazy, but they have to get the teeth into the perfect position for when the jaws are moved. Whether or not this means, your orthodontic work would have to be changed to allow for this I don't know?

I am really surprised that your orthodontist has told you this now that your treatment has almost finished, I would have thought they could have seen that in the beginnning?

If you want to PM me please feel free, but bare in mind from Monday I will not be around for a few days.

Hope this helps
Happysmiler

#3 Post by **loulou123** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:43 am

Hey

I agree with Happysmiler (good luck for monday by the way) that it will all depend on whether it is a cosmetic issue or a function one, as the nhs will not perform cosmetic surgery of this sort.

Also in my experiance surgery on the nhs is not a quick option, i had to wait nearly 5 years from being told i needed the op to it going ahead. (tho in fairness 20months of this was in braces, which youd obviously not need)

Read my blog if you want more info, or feel free to PM me.

#4 Post by **Clairey Fairey** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 11:01 am

Hey Thank you so much for your replies.

I am gutted that my ortho didn't point this out in the beginning. I didn't know a thing about orthodontics before and just assumed that braces would fix everything!! Once my teeth improved I realised that my gummy smile was actully getting worse!! The ortho then pushed my teeth up into my gums in an attempt to improve it but all this did was make my teeth fan out more.

I always knew I had an 'under developled' bottom jaw which caused crowding (one tooth even grew behind the others because it couldn't fit in line with the others)! And it also caused my chin to appear further back. I knew that only surgery could fix this, but decided to put up with it.

My main problem is my top jaw;when I smile properly my top jaw actully looks like my teeth are falling out of my mouth because the top jaw is slow low. I have to fix an un-natural smile on my face constantly otherwise I show more gum than teeth (I honestly thought braces would fix this, i just wish my ortho woud have explained the facts).
The bite itself is ok, it was more of an overjet that I had rather than an overbite, which is probably why surgery was never suggested before. So yeah the bite is more or less correct, but its the appearance that can't be fixed, it doesn't cause any health problems, i just hate the way i look, my entire smile needs moving up a bit!!

The brace is coming off this Thursday, I'm not happy with the results but I can't keep it on forever. I just can't afford private surgery so if I do ever get surgery on the NHS, I'll probably have to have a brace again.

Anyways thanks for your replies, I'm gonna carry on looking into it.

Good luck with your surgery Happy Smiler, let us know how it goes

#5 Post by **Clairey Fairey** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:20 pm

Heres some pics to show what I mean, personally I think this looks servere enough, look how much gum shows (bear in mind i am smiling properly which is something i rarely do!!)

This is the 'under developed jaw' - Before braces!!

This was my overjet before braces

Brcaes have improved the overjet and straightened out the teeth.[/img]

#6 Post by **Kerry** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:45 am

ask your ortho to refer you to the hospital or self refer yourself, I think you would qualify for surgery however you may need to have another batch of braces as now your teeth still might not be in the correct position so you must prepare yourself for that.

i have an overjet / anterior open bite i think it was about 6-7mm I have an underdeveloped lower jaw and may need my top jaw tilted down and lower jaw advanced(wont know untill nearer the time.

#7 Post by **Happysmiler** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 1:31 am

Hi Clairey Fairey

I think the first thing you need to do is to get a consultation with a Maxillofacial Surgeon - these are based at most hospitals, but not all so you may need to travel to see one.

They should be able to tell you straight away (pre xrays, casts etc) as to whether or not they can improve your bite.

Have a look at these links - the First one is for the British Association of Maxillofacial Surgeons website home page and the second is for a list of hospitals in the Country with Maxfax departments with contact details - I'm sure if you called one of them near to you they would tell you how you need to get a Consultation sorted out.

http://www.baoms.org.uk/

http://www.baoms.org.uk/downloaddoc.asp?id=215

Good Luck
Happysmiler