Perception of 'non necessary' surgery

[yellowhat]

Hi all

I've had my first meeting with NHS consultant for treatment for incompetent lips and gummy/ toothy smile. There is a 12mm gap between lips when they are relaxed and this means my large teeth are always on show. I'm going back next month to go through timescale and look at predicted outcomes.I have not agreed to it yet, just exploring possibilities.

I have a bit of a battle with my conscious though- should I go through upper jaw (and possibly bottom) surgery for an issue that is not life threatening? I have never liked my smile or lips BUT I have managed for 28yrs without any real problems. I do lack self-esteem and feel that people judge me on my face. I hate my photo being taken.

I am excited by the though of having a 'normal' smile but am a little worried that people will think I'm vain and putting myself under a GA for a 'cosmetic' procedure.

Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

[35ksmile]

don't worry about what other people will think. do it for yourself. you'd be surprised the number of people that have had some sort of jaw surgery - be it expansion, lefort, bsso, whatever.

to be completely honest with you - people are selfish. they're not really going to care what you have done and why you did it. if they do it'll likely be transient, and most will be pleasantly surprised. the only people that would judge you for it are those who are uncomfortable with their own appearance and perhaps a tad jealous of your new smile.

if you want to do it, you should do it. you should never let the opinions of others dictate your life.

good luck!

[Bullfighter]

If you're comfortable with what the surgeon is telling you, then go ahead. Just know the risks and side effects. It is major surgery and does take some time to recover, and the nerve damage can persist.

If your appearance and lip function aren't normal, I would probably do it. While a bad bite and lip incompetence aren't life threatening, as you age they may lead to more complications.

I'm not a fan of cosmetic surgery on a whim -- lots of that here in the U.S. -- but if there are functional reasons to do it, and cosmetic benefits as well, that makes it an easier decision, IMHO.

[yellowhat]

Thank you for your opinions. Hopefully the people who matter will support me through the treatment.

Another thing is bothering me slightly; the time-scale. I have one little boy and was thinking of trying for number 2 in 2 years time. Obviously this will not be possible if I'm in the middle of treatment. Ah, another thing to ponder upon.....

[yellowhat]

Thank you for your opinions. Hopefully the people who matter will support me through the treatment.

Another thing is bothering me slightly; the time-scale. I have one little boy and was thinking of trying for number 2 in 2 years time. Obviously this will not be possible if I'm in the middle of treatment. Ah, another thing to ponder upon.....

[Bullfighter]

Thank you for your opinions. Hopefully the people who matter will support me through the treatment.

Another thing is bothering me slightly; the time-scale. I have one little boy and was thinking of trying for number 2 in 2 years time. Obviously this will not be possible if I'm in the middle of treatment. Ah, another thing to ponder upon.....

Sex with braces is entirely feasible, from what I hear.

[yellowhat]

Bullfighter wrote:
> Sex with braces is entirely feasible, from what I hear.

Phew... glad someone put me straight on that.

I was slightly more concerned about x-rays and how pregnancy affects your teeth and gums.

[dtdtdt]

Bullfighter -
I never got around to telling you how informative your posts are. Now I will just say you are hilarious. You must be a writer...
Keep them coming!

[Okra]

[quote="yellowhat"]Thank you for your opinions. Hopefully the people who matter will support me through the treatment.

Another thing is bothering me slightly; the time-scale. I have one little boy and was thinking of trying for number 2 in 2 years time. Obviously this will not be possible if I'm in the middle of treatment. Ah, another thing to ponder upon.....[/quote]

Hi, I'm new here and I'm in a similar situation. We have a little girl and were hoping to try for a second baby very soon which could delay things for me too since I haven't even had a consult yet (so no xrays etc). I also read somewhere that you shouldn't have a baby for at least a year after having jaw surgery to make sure everything heals correctly. I'm also 28 and understand what you are saying in your first post but I really don't think that you should feel bad about possibly getting this surgery. I'm looking into getting it for many reasons, including improving the pain associated with my jaw asymmetry and bite as well as to improve how I look. Don't worry about whatever anyone else thinks and do what you feel is best for you. I feel really fortunate to (hopefully!) have the opportunity for this life changing surgery.

[metal mouth fairy]

Okra Where did you read about not having a baby for a year after surgery? I am a bit worried about that now!
i wouldnt want to have the surgery and get pregannt and that mean I didnt heal properly?

I am waiting to have my jaw surgery next year, in braces now. I dont have any children yet but Me and my husband are keen to try for a baby asap. This is a concern I expressed to my orthodontist before starting the treatment. He suggested that we wait until after surgery, he said that there were lead aprons for xrays if necessary but best to avoid where possible, and also that my recovery from surgery would take about 2 months and would be very hard with a small baby. He advised that we wait until after the surgery and said that a couple of months after surgery we would be fine to start trying? I had lots of xrays at the start of treatmnet but since I have been in braces which is 7 months now I have had no more xrays etc.

I dont think anyone should worry about the reasons behind the surgery as long as your sure its the right thing for you whether that is cosmetic or not. I am having mine done for cosmetic reasons and because the dentist and surgeons have now made me worrried that if I dont I will get problems in later life from wearing my back teeth down. Good luck to everyone whatever you decide

[Okra]

Hi metal mouth fairy -

I read it here: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=33484&p=323980&hil ... nt#p323980

According to my surgeon females have to be careful with the way their hormones affect their joints. My surgeon strongly suggests waiting a year post surgery to get pregnant. He has seen a high number of female patients who have regression issues with their jaw if they do become pregnant before the 1 year mark. Obviously this is all up to you, I just want to be as careful as possible so I do not have any problems.

- asmileconnectsus (Dr. Gunson was her surgeon)

I'm hopefully going to see Dr. Gunson for a consult next month so I can ask more about it when I see him.

[yellowhat]

Interesting stuff!

I'll ask about the post-surgery wait when I go next Monday. I've got a whole list of questions to ask....

[survenant]

My situation is similar to yours. I have an underbite and long face syndrome. I'm looking forward to the surgery in order to improve my smile but also to improve my general apperance.

[ohshegoes]

same boat here. i just got my expanders put in today for my braces. im 27 and married and wanting to have a baby asap. im doing this mostly for cosmetic reasons. i have a very gummy smile which is uncontrollable when im laughing it up. i also have a weak chin. i was on the fence for a long time since it wasnt a necessity. i feel like after surgery i will be much more comfortable smiling and laughing and not trying to "fix" my face to look a certain way. i know no one else i know thinks its that big of a deal but honestly if they were in our shoes im sure they'd feel different about it. i wanted to have a baby while in braces but after hearing what your doctor said maybe i should wait

[yellowhat]

Hi. Had my appointment with ortho and surgeon and both said that pregnancy is fine whilst wearing braces or straight after surgery. They obviously wouldn't operate if you were pregnant but said there would be no problems if they had to stall for a while. All it would mean is wearing the braces for longer. Neither were aware of any medical evidence suggesting a year post surgery.

This has made me feel quite relieved....I've said 'YES' to start treatment. Molds and photos in October, braces by Christmas (hopefully) EEkkk.