A Surgery Wimp

Message

#1 Post by **PuppySmiles** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:15 pm

Having decided (after many consultations and much soul-searching) against the orthognathic surgery that would correct my bite, I have worked with my orthodontist to come up with a simpler compromise.

It won't correct my bite, but having braces on the top teeth only will straighten my smile. Which is plenty to make me happy for right now. (Perhaps at some later stage in life, we can revisit the bite/jaw situation.)

However, she wants my wisdoms out. I have all 4, and she's ordered the removal of 3 of those. And now I'm reading that, while a perfectly common procedure for youngsters and persons in their early 20's, the extraction of wisdom teeth becomes more fraught with peril the older the patient is.

I'm 32 and have strong bones. Should I worry about nerve damage or perforation of the sinus? Should I refuse all treatment because I'm petrified of needles/pain/sawing and crunching noises in my mouth? Or do we all have to steel ourselves, bite the proverbial bullet -but not the literal one- take a deep breath and be brave?

(It's tough!)

#2 Post by **ema27** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:46 am

Hi i was dreading getting braces and dreading the surgery that i knew would be on the cards.I was 27 when i started my treatment and by the time im 30 i will be done and dusted....(well i hope so..)
I think you do have to bite the bullet and be brave-its amazing how brave you can be when you have to-

I Had 2 Wisdoms out and honestly no fuss ,minimal pain mild discomfort..Everything gets a little more high risk the older we get.....it doesnt mean it will happen...Good luck and for what it is worth i thought i would be happy with just straight teeth -but found later on through treatment that i wanted a better bite.now im glad i have got it all out the way...

#3 Post by **iBorg** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:00 pm

When I started my second round of braces, my ortho suggested I consider surgery to get the result I desired. I wanted a better bite due to TMJ issues, less grinding and more visible teeth. She told me that I'd have less severe TMJ issues and would not continue to damage my teeth as badly with braces alone. About six months into treatment we revisited the more visible teeth portion. She asked me to again consider surgery. After seeing the positive results of just braces alone I gave it careful consideration. While I'm not thrilled to be facing surgery, or more exactly the recovery process, I am looking forward to the hoped for results.

I was a coward when I started this. I still am. If I want the result I desire, surgery is part of the process to achieve it. I could wait longer, although fifty is old enough. My surgeon says there's four ages of people who have this surgery; those under twenty, those between twenty and thirty, those between thirty and forty and those over forty. Each older age group faces greater risk for long term nerve damage and a harder recovery.

After tolerating a smile I hid for twenty five years, even after three years of braces as a young adult, I've waited long enough to have a smile I'm not ashamed of. Its amazing how much more self confident I feel even with wires and brackets than I did prior to the orthodontic journey. Its a journey not without challenges but it is a journey I'm glad I've embarked on. There's many things more scary than braces, dating, marriage and or kids.

Mike

#4 Post by **loulou123** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:52 pm

Had all fpur of my wisdoms out this year, 3 under general aneasethic and 1 with a local. It all went fine for me and im nearly 29.

It isnt the nicest feeling in the world, but for me the one where i was awake was over in seconds and didnt hurt at all.

#5 Post by **PuppySmiles** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:01 pm

Very well, then.
SALLY FORTH and TALLY HO and things of that nature.

"We have nothing to feah, but feah itself!" (crowd goes wild)

Onward and upward, to increasingly healthy and attractive dental arrangements. I will go for it. Damn the torpedoes and also the third molars.

Thanks for the encouraging remarks, everybody!

Think there are any dentists that offer whiskey shots?

#6 Post by **iBorg** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:13 pm

I'll take nitrous over whiskey any day of the week.

I'd also ask your ortho if you get six months into treatment and decide to consider surgery again how difficult would that treatment change be. Honestly once I realized that braces were not the end of my life and my ortho suggested surgery was the best option to get the smile I deserve as well as helping with the TMJ I did give it serious consideration. It was a struggle to accept the possibility of it. The insurance approval process was difficult. Now I have only two more steps to go; waiting for surgery and recovery.

Good luck with this stage of your treatment.

Mike

#7 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:24 am

Hi Puppysmiles,

I had all four wisdoms out under general anaesthetic. It was no big deal, really. And I am a wimp, most definitely, when it comes to pain or discomfort of any kind. But I was quite young at the time, so can't speak from an adult experience.

Also had upper and lower jaw surgery about a year and a half ago. It is really not so scary; I had only a few rough days. My ortho was really not keen on doing any sort of compromise treatment, as it would have been unstable. I guess I was 29 at the time, about the same age as you. I had no complications and bounced back pretty quick. You are right to consider all the risks - because they do exist - and make the best decision for yourself.

#8 Post by **PuppySmiles** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:31 pm

iBorg wrote:I'll take nitrous over whiskey any day of the week.

Mike - can I quote you on that? Lol!

I've just got off the phone with my dentist's office. I've agreed to do the 3 wisdom extractions in the office, under general anesthetic.

Such Bravery! I'm sure it will be fine.

Recalling eons ago, having four teeth extracted as a child, it wasn't that terrible. I just remember that having shots in the gums was distressing, and the numbness in my lower lip when I went home caused me to drool. Which, in turn, caused my little brother to laugh. Maybe I should call him; he'd probably still find it very entertaining!

#9 Post by **Court84** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:18 pm

You defintley have to do what's best for you! I just had Orthognathic surgery last Monday. I tried braces before when I was 13-15, but did not get the results I really wanted. I too wanted more visible teeth (top). Before my OS would do the Ortho surgery, I had to have my wisdom teeth out. I had never been put under, so I was scared, but bounced back in 4 days!

You'll do fine.

#10 Post by **socksy** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:47 pm

I too have opted not to have surgery to correct my bite - primarily because my health insurance won't cover any part of it. I've had my braces on for almost a month now - in hopes of achieving some kind of compromise solution. At the very least I'll finally have a straight smile which I'm very excited about!

I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed 3 years ago - when I was 31. They were all impacted and I had them removed by an oral surgeon in his office. I had twilight sleep anesthesia and the whole procedure was over before I even knew it. I actually did have a perforated sinus after, and that wasn't fun, but we dealt with it and now I'm so glad I don't have to worry about my wisdom teeth ever again.

You won't regret dealing with it. Good luck with your braces!