Hello everyone, I am new!

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#1 Post by **IWantNewSmile** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 10:03 am

Hi guys I am 19 years old. I am going to get the braces either in December or by next month and then after 2 to 3 years I will get jaw surgery. I am so happy that I told my dentist about my large gum that has been one of the causes of my low self esteem. I don't know about anyone else but I been teased by family members and classmates to the point that when I came home from school I cried my eyes out. My classmates made horse noises because my gums are so big that they stick out so much, that it looks like a horse's mouth. My teeth were very crooked but I had braces when I was 10-11 but even till this day they are not completely straight and I have an overbite. When I close my mouth you can kind see how it looks like my upper jaw is sticking out and it also looks like I need chin implant because I have no chin definition.

I was so desperate that I finally did some research and found out that I can have this surgery. I know is pricey and hopefully my insurance can cover it up and if not I'll get a job and pay it. Oh and I would like to say that after all these years I thought I was alone and that no else had this problem.

#2 Post by **sarz** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 10:59 am

Hi, you are not alone! Good choice in having the surgery. I was bullied for most of my life, so much so that it has affected my life in major ways. (Hence, I am now studying later on in life, as when I finished school, I bolted after getting my qualifications). I believe those of us that have been bullied will be stronger and better people, and that we can help others that are going through similar experiences. Hope that all goes well with your treatment and that you are looking forward to a happier future!

#3 Post by **Emmauk** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:11 pm

Well done on making your decision. You and i may well be in similar time scales. I am being braced in 2 weeks then surgery will follow.

Good luck

#4 Post by **rainingfordays** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:59 pm

I'm glad you decided to go ahead with the surgery. It is truly life-changing!

#5 Post by **BracketRacket** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:06 pm

Have you seen a surgeon?

#6 Post by **ColoradoGirl** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:10 pm

Welcome! And boo for bullies.

#7 Post by **yvonner1991** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:13 pm

How come you have to have braces for so long? Are your teeth crooked as well? 3 years seems like a lot of prep for the surgery

#8 Post by **IWantNewSmile** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:04 pm

Thanks guys for welcoming me to the site.

Yes, I hate bullies.

I never noticed that my gums were so ugly and huge till people started to make mean jokes and stuff. It was horrible and so bad to the point that I developed Social Anxiety Disorder and depression and I wouldn't leave my house for days unless I had to go out to school.

And no I haven't seen my surgeon yet, I will be seeing my orthodontics next month. I had an appointment with my dentist like a week ago and that's when I asked her what could be done regarding my gums because I don't like it. She was thinking of laser but then she brought all the other dentists to see what they think, and they said that I guess because mine was kind of severe that upper jaw surgery was going to be needed.

Regarding the need of braces, my teeth are sort of straight but there is some space between my upper jaw and my lower jaw. So, let say it turns of biting it can be difficult because of the huge gap in between when I put my teeth together. And there are a few that need to get straighten. On my contract, it says that I will need braces for 24-36 month(It says estimated time). I can't wait to be able to have a normal smile and be able to smile without covering my mouth or feeling ashamed.

#9 Post by **James0099** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:55 pm

You ain't kidding this surgery is pricey. I have just been getting some bills from having it done in July. First off my surgeon bill was over 20 thousand dollars, my insurance covered most of that. Then I received the bill for the anesthiologist and it was a few thousand for that, I had to put it back through insurance since there was a mix up. I haven't received the hospital bill yet. Not to mention the money spent on braces.

Good luck, I hope insurance covers yours, I feel bad for the people that were denied coverage, must really suck. They should cover you if they deem it a health need, if cosmetic than they may not cover it from my understanding.

#10 Post by **IWantNewSmile** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:25 pm

James wow that sure is a lot of money. I sure hope that they can cover it, I swear my gums look like they are deformed. At least the gums in my upper jaw, it looks really bad. So I am hoping that my insurance pays everything, so far the braces with the xray is 3712 USD.

Oh and how did your surgery go? Did you like your results?

#11 Post by **sarahorsomeone** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 4:39 am

James0099 wrote:You ain't kidding this surgery is pricey. I have just been getting some bills from having it done in July. First off my surgeon bill was over 20 thousand dollars, my insurance covered most of that. Then I received the bill for the anesthiologist and it was a few thousand for that, I had to put it back through insurance since there was a mix up. I haven't received the hospital bill yet. Not to mention the money spent on braces.

Good luck, I hope insurance covers yours, I feel bad for the people that were denied coverage, must really suck. They should cover you if they deem it a health need, if cosmetic than they may not cover it from my understanding.

$20,000 just for the surgeon!!!! Yikes, it's amazing how much more it seems to cost in the US, compared to the UK. I had upper and lower jaw surgery with A-symmetry correction... thankfully I managed to get my braces on the NHS so they were free.*

I haven't received the final bill from the surgeon yet, but I know I was guaranteed it wouldn't come to anymore than £2000 for the whole surgical team including an anthaethetist specialising difficult airways (I have/had a bit of chronic inflammation in my nose, not ideal for nasal intubation!). The hospital bill was a bit dearer, at close to £4000 (More than £600 more than their "estimate"; seems they underestimated how much they could charge for titanium plates and screws

).

I don't know if that's a typical surgery price in the UK, or maybe my surgeon wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't really that interested in the money.

I don't have insurance and I don't know if I could have afforded it if it was that kind of money over here.

*I was supposed to be treated on the NHS, but my hospital lost it's only surgeon, couldn't find another one and managed to end up with an absolutely enormous backlog in the meantime (They still haven't got a surgeon now if you're wondering, and I'd allready waited over a year past my original estimated surgery time before I paid privately).