Found out today i need surgery...

[crookedsmile1]

I'm so glad I found this msg board. My name is Michelle and im 18 y.o. and I was told today by my orthodontist that I need to get lower jaw surgery. My first reaction was...to cry. lol It's really embarrassing but I cried right in front of my ortho!

Anyways I had braces for four years and had a PERFECT bite, my ortho even had my photos on his walls.

But suddenly once I turned 18 my lower jaw just "grew". I never had an underbite and I guess my question is this unusual?

My ortho told me that my profile and overall face structure is still great but I'm still worried that my jaw will continue to grow so I'm opting to get surgery reluctantly.... So I guess I'll keep you guys posted on my progress.

I would love to hear other people's first reaction when they were told they needed jaw surgery.

[rooney9995]

At first i felt like crying too (serious) but then I was pretty happy to know that there was something I could do to make me look better and make my bite better

[I want to smile!]

I was so freaked out I ignored the whole issue for about 6 years, and then got about five 'second opinions' in the desperate hope someone would wave a magic wand and fix my jaws. Not so. All I got were more and more reports about how it would only get worse. So now I'm in braces and wishing I'd had the guts to get it sorted out years ago. I'd just come to terms with it all when I discovered yesterday that I need general anaesthetic to have a cyst removed, which made me cry! Now I'm freaking out again because I'm worried that if I'm so scared by a tiny little op how on earth am I going to cope with double jaw surgery next year? Basically, I think it's perfectly normal to be completely terrified, but you just have to come to terms with the fact that sometimes these things are medically necessary.

I find it helps to break everything down into more manageable stages. First I'm concentrating on keeping my teeth healthy while braces are one; when surgery gets near I'll concentrate on getting prepared making soups etc; when I get in hospital that's when I'll deal with the fear and start asking for sedatives to calm me down; then it's only a day or two til I can concentrate on recovery. You need time to get used to the idea, but then it's important to try to put it out your mind (even though it's not easy) before it exhausts you. You can't stay terrified for months on end! Keep busy and keep reminding yourself how great the results will be.

[schwin]

I'm so glad I found this msg board. My name is Michelle and im 18 y.o. and I was told today by my orthodontist that I need to get lower jaw surgery. My first reaction was...to cry. lol It's really embarrassing but I cried right in front of my ortho!

Anyways I had braces for four years and had a PERFECT bite, my ortho even had my photos on his walls.

But suddenly once I turned 18 my lower jaw just "grew". I never had an underbite and I guess my question is this unusual?

My ortho told me that my profile and overall face structure is still great but I'm still worried that my jaw will continue to grow so I'm opting to get surgery reluctantly.... So I guess I'll keep you guys posted on my progress.

I would love to hear other people's first reaction when they were told they needed jaw surgery.

Had the exact same problem, never had braces either but around age 18 was when it started! I started my journey in June 2010 and getting models in 10 days to see if I'm ready. Luckily most of my teeth were already straight but they would not do it without putting on braces.

[vincejawsurgery]

I remember I was unwilling to accept that I needed braces and jaw surgery.

I wanted to skip braces and just do the jaw surgery but I found out it was not possible to do so. I hate my braces but I have somehow gotten used to them.

My lower jaw got worse and worse during the later stage of my puberty. I did not know my upper jaw was messed up but after getting X-rays and consulting a few doctors, they all said my upper jaw was underdeveloped.

Hang in there! You'll be fine.