Heres My Story

[houseofcash]

Well i guess let me start by saying that im glad a site like this exist! its so nice to read people going through the same thing you are.

Im 28 years old,

Growing up was tough for me, i was teased a lot as a kid/teenager due to my teeth (buck teeth) my parents were not in the position to have my teeth fixed. im the oldest out of 3 children. i remember when i was 13 my dentist told my mother that there were some schools that would take on a selected few to practice on to fix there teeth. i was so excited!! but.... im case was to severe and they could not take me on.

when i got older and moved out and started my life, and started to see a different dentist is when i found out i did not just have Buck Teeth, that in fact my lower jaw stopped growing as a kid while my upper jaw continued to grow causing my bottom teeth to go directly behind my front teeth (which is why i had buck teeth) So my dentist recommened i see a orthodontist. so after my consulted he explain what would need to be done and $$$ take in mind i just started a job and got my own place, i was in no position to go through all of that at this point.

So i said i have lived my whole life like this whats a few more years! so 6 years has passed and my teeth wear getting worse!! my bottom teeth were now driving right into the roof of my mouth and my poor eye teeth where getting hammered (fractured one of them) so now being in a better position i contacted my orthodontist again and made another consult (this was over 3 months ago) so he explained everything again to me that i would need to wear braces for about a year and a half and then at that point i will need to get lower jaw surgery to bring my lower jaw forward.

at this point i was in a much better position and decided to go through with it, the thing i have wanted most in my entire life!! to finally correct this mouth of mine, so i got my moulds done and then went to see the surgeon for my consult. i took in alot of information on this visit and he really took his time to explain everything to me so i know what im getting myself into, he made me feel really comfortable, he has been doing this for over 30 years! so i felt like i was in good hands.

after this i made my appointment with my ortho so he could explain what steps the surgeon and ortho have decided, (they thought i would have to do upper and lower but it turned out i only needed lower YAY!!) so after this i booked a appointment to have my wisdom teeth removed (this was about a month and a half ago) and man ever since they it has been a roller coaster in my mouth, two weeks after my wisdom extraction i started to get my braces on (took 3 week step to get my braces on) i have been on soft food for over a month now since the extraction!

i was hoping someone could answer a few questions/concerns i have with the jaw advancement? This question is for males, when you had the surgery what did they do with your urine if you had to do pee? a diapers or did they have to insert a tube in your Penis? (sorry to be so blunt about this...but it is a concern of mine.)

Second question is, i was told i would be wired shut for 6 weeks afterward and i know from experience that when i wake up from sediation i feel sick, so what happens if you get sick when your mouth is wired shut?

and my last question, do they have to insert any type of breathing tubes/feeding tubes through your nose during this surgery?

just want to thank everyone in advance for reading and helping!!
HouseofCash

[Rodney008]

1. Catheter during surgery, should be removed by the time you wake up. May be removed in recovery but the pain is not that bad.

2. Don't worry about it....vomit will find a way to get out. If you're wired then they will give you cutters just in case. Most likely you'll be banded shut though, not wired.

3. Breathing tube will be inserted in surgery for general anesthesia. You'll never even know it was there.

Good luck!

[suzanna]

i was hoping someone could answer a few questions/concerns i have with the jaw advancement? This question is for males, when you had the surgery what did they do with your urine if you had to do pee? a diapers or did they have to insert a tube in your Penis? (sorry to be so blunt about this...but it is a concern of mine.)

Second question is, i was told i would be wired shut for 6 weeks afterward and i know from experience that when i wake up from sediation i feel sick, so what happens if you get sick when your mouth is wired shut?

and my last question, do they have to insert any type of breathing tubes/feeding tubes through your nose during this surgery?

just want to thank everyone in advance for reading and helping!!
HouseofCash

Hey congratulations with getting this whole process started! You'll be done you're surgery and recovering in no time!

I'm not a male, but I can answer you've first question since I'm a nurse. Depending on you're surgeon, you may have a catheter inserted into your penis. Sometimes the anesthesia and pain medication you receive post-op cause urinary retention so they insert a catheter after you've been put asleep in surgery. If you don't have a catheter and can't pee after surgery, you may have to have a single use catheter inserted to relieve you're bladder until you can pee on your own. Both can be pretty uncomfortable, it just depends on the person.

You shouldn't have a problem throwing up even being wired shut. If you're concerned about it, ask your nurse to set up a suction catheter at your bedside so that you can suction out your mouth. I did this only because I was drooling a lot and was getting annoyed from slobbering all over myself! Talk to your surgeon about your concerns too before the surgery. He can give you medication to prevent nausea before and after your surgery.

Lastly, you will have a breathing tube placed in your nose that goes down your throat. You won't remember this though because the anesthetist inserts it after you've gone to sleep and it's out before they wake you up from the anesthesia. You'll probably have a sore throat for a few days after surgery from the tube though, that's completely normal.

Good luck and keep us updated on you're process!

[Laundraholic]

Second question is, i was told i would be wired shut for 6 weeks afterward and i know from experience that when i wake up from sediation i feel sick, so what happens if you get sick when your mouth is wired shut?

and my last question, do they have to insert any type of breathing tubes/feeding tubes through your nose during this surgery?

I was not wired shut but did feel extremely nauseous after waking up. I told my husband by writing on a notepad -- he promptly notified the nurse and they put something in my IV to help with the nausea and I was fine.

The anaesthesiologist told me he would put a breathing tube in my nose. It was done after I was asleep and removed prior to my waking up. I never felt a thing.
My nose did bleed for a couple of days after the surgery (I had a Lefort 1 advancement). I heard this was because they cut your sinuses during the surgery. One nostril bled more than the other -- I have no idea if this was the nostril with the breathing tube or not.

[houseofcash]

Well first off just wanted to thank everything for there reply, its nice to talk and have support from people who have had this or are going through this. let me tell you this was not an easy decision to make. took me almost 5 years to finally say im going to do it!

im not going to lie i am scared about the surgery, i mean who wouldnt be! not to thrilled about the who Catheter thing

my best friend wore braces and i truly had no idea what he was going through in till now, im still getting use to all this metal in my mouth crowding it like a foo fighter concert! the insides of my lips are now tough and are not getting cut anymore (YAY) and my poor tongue has just healed (it got pretty banged up these past 2 weeks) but i have this one spot right on my top back molar where a peice of the wire keeps poking me!! but because my mouth is so small with my jaw being recessed that they are not able to get back there to be able to smooth it out!! (trust me they tried and ripped my lips right open ) so now i have had to cream my lips everyday for the last two weeks (almost healed!!)

getting use to the soft food, its not that bad, but man do i miss a steak or ribs!! any ideas on some soft food meals would be great if you have the time?

Another problem i face is flossing!! i have tried everything and just have such a hard time with it (my mouth being so small i cant reach the back teeth) i have tried the ones with the waxed tips... so i know my ortho would kill my but i have only been using my WaterPik (which i find much better then flossing anyways) i've tried flossing and then when i use my water pik right after theres still lots more food stuck in my teeth. my water pik is like a vacumm and work fantastic (though my ortho says i still need to floss!) but i splurged on the high end one that has all the ortho piks and i find it better then flossing. but i am open for suggestions?? just dont have time to spend 30mins a day flossing my teeth!! its bad enough from the brushing 4 times a day,the constent waxing,the creaming of the lips, and then my wife laughs at me because i spend about 30mins a night before i go to bed on my water pik, then ortho pik, then brushing, then floride rinse and then the creaming and waxing of my mouth...


okay back to the surgery, as i said i am scared! even though i dont even have a date set. but can i ask how they cut into your jaw from the inside of your mouth- better yet the surgon explained that they have to cut the inner and the outter lower jaw on an angle so they can slide the bone forward. so im guessing the have to cut the insides of your lips and pull it back? sound like a horror movie and when i talk to anyone about it they ask me why i would be such a thing? But they have no idea what people like us go through everyday with my terrible bites that cant even bite a apple, or our hideous smiles. by just having my braces on my confidence has gone up! so i can imagine once its done how i will feel, and i would give anything for that.

im am very lucky that i live in a country that will fully cover this surgery through the goverment!! (due to it being a health problem) in total i only have to pay the surgon 1400 CAD for moulds and pre Op thing required Whew!! i seen many people in the states had to pay over 60,000!!! OMG if that was the case for me i would be like this forever!

anyhow need to go wax some more and am getting carried away.....oh wait! one more thing

how do i go about adding that little thing at the bottom of my post that shows how long i have had braces on for? and how to i post pics? would like to post before pics.

Thanks again guys!!

[Rodney008]

I'm also lucky to live in a country that will fight and die for our freedom and that of others. Happy Memorial Day USA! We'll always remember those that fought and died for us.

[houseofcash]

[quote="Rodney008"]I'm also lucky to live in a country that will fight and die for our freedom and that of others. Happy Memorial Day USA! We'll always remember those that fought and died for us.[/quote]


Happy Memorial Day Neighbor!

[amandapanda]

okay back to the surgery, as i said i am scared! even though i dont even have a date set. but can i ask how they cut into your jaw from the inside of your mouth- better yet the surgon explained that they have to cut the inner and the outter lower jaw on an angle so they can slide the bone forward. so im guessing the have to cut the insides of your lips and pull it back? sound like a horror movie and when i talk to anyone about it they ask me why i would be such a thing? But they have no idea what people like us go through everyday with my terrible bites that cant even bite a apple, or our hideous smiles. by just having my braces on my confidence has gone up! so i can imagine once its done how i will feel, and i would give anything for that.

They cut everything from inside your mouth. I made sure this was the case because I have a big problem with scarring in my family (Dad had a scar on his chest and now it's turned into a massive keloid that covers his entire chest) As far as I know with my surgery, they don't cut your lips back. I've noticed I've got a lot of cuts on my gum line so I assume that's how they get into your jaw and stuff.

I know how you feel about having a horrible bite. Mine was really bad but I was never teased about it (Thank god!) I always thought not being able to breathe properly, close your lips or bite an apple, as you said, was normal :\ After having the surgery, I can thankfully say that I'm very glad I had it. My breathing has improved so much and so has my profile. You won't regret it, I promise.

[mkbannon]

Hi houseofcash - Wow - my story is very similar to yours. I had a severe overbite and because my lower jaw stopped growing so the orthodontist in my teens pulled teeth and moved all my front top teeth back - a lot. Caused me severe breathing and sleeping problems. Ended up with Severe OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) and have lived with it most of my life. I'm now 45 and going through braces for the 3rd time and finally I have gotten my double jaw surgery approved. Actually happening June 6, 2011. I'm excited and very nervous. Congrats on getting something done and going through with it!! Keep us posted on your progress.

[houseofcash]

[quote="mkbannon"]Hi houseofcash - Wow - my story is very similar to yours. I had a severe overbite and because my lower jaw stopped growing so the orthodontist in my teens pulled teeth and moved all my front top teeth back - a lot. Caused me severe breathing and sleeping problems. Ended up with Severe OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) and have lived with it most of my life. I'm now 45 and going through braces for the 3rd time and finally I have gotten my double jaw surgery approved. Actually happening June 6, 2011. I'm excited and very nervous. Congrats on getting something done and going through with it!! Keep us posted on your progress.[/quote]

I hope all goes well with your surgery! June,6th is just right around the corner!! i can beleave your ortho would remove teeth in order to set your teeth further back, i guess it helped with eating? but im sure it didnt solve the root of the problem. i wish you all the best and would love to here an update on how everything went!

House

[houseofcash]

Well, thought i would just vent/give an update on what has been happening and see if anyone else has experienced any of this...

Yesterday while i was at work and went to eat my lunch (Mac & Cheese) i noticed one of my teeth had become really loose!! my first reaction was to freak out! i mean here i am trying to save my teeth and now they feel like there falling out. so i called my ortho right away and talked to him and expressed my concerns...

He then told me it was normal to get loose teeth through this process and was actually a good thing because my teeth have moved. though he did seamed concerned about my tooth rocking back and forth aswell... so of to my orthodontist i went, he checked my out and put a bumper on the tooth and told me all was well....But i was also experiencing a lot of pain on my lower back molar where they put that ring over my tooth with the little pin with a hole on the side,

well this also happened to be the same location of my wisdom extraction (and remember only 2 weeks after my extraction they put my braces on) so it was bad enough my jaw is to small and that molar is right at the back of my jaw and i had impacted wisdoms (my poor jaw) so once they put that right on i noticed that little rod on the side with the hole in it was dug right into my cheeks, i didnt say much at the time because i thought this was normal, then again my my second visit i could see that it has buried its self right into my cheek and was really sore and bleeding, i also expressed my concern about not being able to brush back there and they gave me this tiny brush and told me to keep a eye on it and to use this brush.

So now on this visit yesterday i said enough is a enough and told my ortho that i cant take this any more and he looked and said yes that it wasnting agreeing with me and just snapped it off, he said we will worry about that after the surgery (what ever that means) so long story short my cheek feels MUCH better and there was a big hole from where that pin was jabbed into my cheeks... but feels much better now.

[I love my teeth]

Houseofcash.....
Reading your story is just like mine......lower jaw stopped growing.....went out on myown at 22, declined braces and surgery for years and years. This is where we differ.....for you it was only 6 years until you wised up, for me it was nearly 20. I just turned. 40 last month, and am 2 years into braces and 4months post bsso. Best thing i ever did, wished I would have done it in my 20's or30's. Should be getting my braces off within 6 months.

We just moved and I changed orthos, we were in Vancouver, bc, but relocated to Michigan USA. Best if luck to you!

Christine

[ferris572]

Thanks for your post it makes me hopeful that I can do start this process too.
Good luck!

[mkbannon]

Hi House- My teeth became very loose as well when I got braces on each time. Not much to worry about, but you should try to chew on the opposite side for a while so you teeth can tighten back up. I'm not sure if that's necessary, but that's what I did.

[LaLi01]

Hello houseofcash & everyone else,

This is my first-ever post. I can't believe it took me this long to come across this message board! Feels like I've found long-lost family.

Anyway, I won't get into my own story right now except to say that I'm exactly 3 weeks post-op with my lower jaw surgery and this is my second go-around with braces. I'm smack in the middle of all the eating-through-a-straw, waiting-for-the-numbness-to-go-away, can't-wait-for-the-swelling-to-be-gone, have-to-talk-through-clenched-teeth, am-I-ready-to-go-out-in-public nonsense.

But back to you, houseofcash -- I wanted to offer a suggestion regarding your fears of vomiting while not being able to open your mouth. I was very concerned about this, too, because it happened to me after my tonsillectomy a few years ago and again after my first jaw surgery a year and a half ago. Even though everyone will tell you to stay calm and that it's not dangerous, I still wanted to avoid this very unpleasant experience at all costs.

Turns out my anesthesiologist had a very simple yet brilliant solution: Just before my surgery, he placed a tiny anti-nausea patch behind my ear. He said to remove it no later than two days post-op (or it might start to have the opposite effect). And it totally worked!! I had no post-op nausea whatsoever! It was such a relief. So I would highly recommend asking your surgeon and/or anesthesiologist about this option.

Best of luck!
LaLi