Possibly undergoing double jaw surgery. Pics attached!

This forum is for discussions relating to oral surgery for orthodontics.

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lisab28
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:20 am

#16 Post by lisab28 »

jane, thank you so much for your support. im very happy with myself now. i know that im not perfect but im extremely happy with how i look and how i feel about myself. how is your daughter doing? i hope she's doing well! =) i agree that i dont have a psycoholical problem as i am happy with what i look like now. even if the chin after the genioplsaty was closer to the bottom lower lip, it didnt address the whole issue. my entire lower lip is farther back than my upper lip, since my lower jaw, not just chin, is smaller than my upper jaw. if i really wanted to fix the problem, id go through braces and jaw surgery. i dont have the $ to do this and im grateful with what ive got now, i feel good enough about myself to accept myself depsite the fact that im not perfect. ive seen how much worse it can get with how long the genioplsaty made my face look from the front, and how it made me feel like a man because my chin became too big for my face.

lisab28
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#17 Post by lisab28 »

also, from jersey- my chin is no longer recessed. detaching the chin bone and putting it back in place was only possible to do at a perfeclty straight angle, not an angle that would be backwards if you think about it mechanically. so its no longer recessed but a lot smaller and my face is no longer long like the genioplasty made it. its not advanced though, he completely reversed it at 0 by 0. but thats not the point, the point is that i think if this guy got surgery, even just a genio alone, he could have a similar experience to me and not like the results. plain and simple i dont think he needs it, especially NOT a genio since i think his face would look weird and long after that.

ReoSity
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Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:29 am

#18 Post by ReoSity »

Hey lisab28, when you close your lips do you have mentalis strain( chin dimpling) and does your lower lip hang when your lips are relaxed?

lebron85
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Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:58 am

hey

#19 Post by lebron85 »

Hey all,

First I want to say to lisab28 you do look very pretty as you are and in all honesty even though the surgery may have helped functionally somehow (someone may be able to correct me here) it did not do you justice aesthetically and was far from ideal. So to me, I understand exactly where you're coming from and I thoroughly appreciate all your advice and bravery for posting pics etc. cheers!!

Just wanted to mention (if you look at my thread topic). If I was going to have any work done it would be a double jaw surgical operation and definitely not genioplasty alone as my face is already high enough in the vertical plane. Anymore would not look natural at all.

Basically when I smile it is hard to see completes sets of upper and lower teeth mostly due to my recessed lower jaw. Note that my bite is ALMOST ideal but the lower jaw canting throws it off slightly. This is something that be addressed simultaneously with the advancement.

I hope this clear up any confusion. I will post more pics ASAP.
I have my second consultation tomorrow with the surgeon (so no big decisions have been made yet) and will keep you updated!

Thank you to all for your advice (especially lisab28!!), I've taken it all on-board and will continue to.

And just to clarify my lower lip does hang open when lips are relaxed.

Cheers.

lebron85
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Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:58 am

#20 Post by lebron85 »

And as a further reminder, I have been wearing braces for the last year and I am following a plan laid out by a professional and understanding orthodontist. As such, it is nearing the time where he wants to know whether I will choose to undertake jaw surgery or not so he can prepare for the new bite.

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fromjersey
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Location: San Diego

#21 Post by fromjersey »

Dear Jane and lisab28: My education and experience did not teach me to be "cruel and dangerous." How about settling down and quitting the name-calling? I find some of the arguments here to be negative emotional outbursts and scientifically unfounded. It's arrogant and uneducated to say "nothing wrong with lebron85 that surgery can improve." How about letting his doctors make that judgment? I don't want to continue this discussion unless somebody wants to e-mail me privately.
Helen
M.S. Psychology, 1965
Retired counselor, social worker, research psychologist

2bpositive
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 5:31 pm

#22 Post by 2bpositive »

I've always felt this message board was to share our stories, offer advice, be helpful, give our opinions, etc.... without being cruel or judgmental. Of course we all see things differently we are different people this is why this board is great we all share our opinions and stories.

fromjersey - I did not think you were cruel or dangerous. You have always been helpful. I can see why you will discontinue this topic but Please no not stop sharing your advice or thoughts on this board.

lisab28 - I glad to know your whole story now. I've always thought you had Jaw surgery and genio. Now I know you only had the Genio.

lisab28
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:20 am

#23 Post by lisab28 »

i have no chin ptosis but i do have more lip incompetance, by about a mm or two? (probaly like one and a half?), its not very noticable. i already had lip incopetancd to begin with. also, i cant close my mouth very easily anymore by force, whereas before i could. it looks extemely naural and very similar to how i did originally and im really happy with it--its the same size, just not slanted back or recessed anymore.

from jersey...i have nothing against you, and im sorry that my problems with an isolated genioplasty offended you since yours was a success, but please do not address me about what someone else said. if i dont think he needs surgery, im entitled to say so. thats his choice. i was only saying that if he just gets the genio, i think it would look bad on him because it would make his face look longer, and that doing a genio does make a big difference, and it doesnt address the whole bite issue in itself. i dont know if he could benefit from surgery or not, im not a doctor, but i was simply saying that i thought he looked good the way he was. whats wrong w/ that? why wouldnt i be entitled to tell someone that they look good and that i dont think that they need to go thru surgery?

i dont care what he does i was just saying that if he just does a genio, i would highly reccommend to NOT go that route. but as far as surgery, although i think he looks good now, i honestly have no clue if that could make matters worse or better. but i think its important for people to realize that their hopes sometimes overlook the fact that things might not turn out aesthetically, and if someone had told me that, i wouldnt have gone thru what i did. nobody once told me that getting surgery could possibly make me look a lot worse--all i heard about were possible medical problems in the future. its something we tend to overlook when we put so much hope into it, and its a good thing to know, especially if someone doesnt look like they need it to me, i think i should say something so that they dont possibly have to go thru what i did. but who knows, maybe he could use it. as i said i honestly have no idea.

lisab28
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:20 am

#24 Post by lisab28 »

ReoSity wrote:Hey lisab28, when you close your lips do you have mentalis strain( chin dimpling) and does your lower lip hang when your lips are relaxed?
it doesnt hang at all i just cant close my lips naturally, but they were already like that before any surgery. i do not have a chin dimpling when i close my lips by force, what do u mean by that?

sarpevictim
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#25 Post by sarpevictim »

Hi there!

I just wanted to drop by and say good call on not doing rhinoplasty. Sometimes noses do look big and ugly on a person. Yours doesn't at all, and it does add character: it makes you look different than everybody else, in a complimenting way.

I don't see anything wrong with your jaw either. It's only slightly recessed, I've seen worse (I have worse actually). But bringing the lower jaw forward would probably balance out the rest of your face. However, if I were you I wouldn't go through such a surgery for purely cosmetic reasons.

Anyway good luck with everything.

lebron85
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Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:58 am

#26 Post by lebron85 »

Hi all,

Thanks once again for all your advice and help.
Had a very informative discussion with the maxillofacial surgeon today. He basically recommended that I go for double jaw surgery or a genioplasty on its own. It came down to a compromise between an improved bite, with both jaws moved ever so slightly forward (talking 3-5mm), no need for a genioplasty and a fixed jaw cant that comes with a double jaw surgery (with a very slightly higher risk than a genioplasty)...

OR

genioplasty on its own without the correction of the jaw cant and without the improved bite and possible exaggeration of my chin (but only carrying risk of nerve damage in 2 places as opposed to 4 with double jaw surgery).

Needless to say, at this point in time I'm leaning towards the double jaw surgery which does not cost significantly more than the genioplasty on its own. I'll end up about $3800 AUD out of pocket for double jaw surgery.

The thing about the double jaw surgery that makes me keen is that it will improve my current bite (slightly crooked) as well as provide some aesthetic benefits which I favor (such as correcting my recessed chin).
At this point in time I haven't made a final decision but I'm definitely leaning towards the double jaw surgery option.

Any feedback would be great,
Cheers.

P.S. I have PM'd fromjersey in confidence regarding the minor conflicting views with lisa. I would like you both to know that I respect and have taken on board both your advice and sentiments. You have been extremely helpful in the process so far.

Also thanks to sarpevictim for your comments. Appreciate the help and compliment!!

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changes09
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#27 Post by changes09 »

i would do the same thing: double jaw surgery. that is what i am having done.
plus i think that you will have more of a medical benifit from jaw surgery, then from a genioplasty.
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Jane
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#28 Post by Jane »

I don't mean to continue this dialogue against the wishes of anyone. But I do want to explain to those reading why I expressed my views so strongly in my last post. As many of you will know my own daughter's first jaw surgery was a disaster. The distress this causes to an individual has to be experienced to be believed. We have had many kind words of encouragement and advice (all of which are enormously helpful and encouraging) but perhaps those that have been most encouraging and inspiring have come from people who have had similar negative and distressing experiences and who have gone on to find a resolution and are now happy. I can't express how much hope this has given to both me as a mother and to my daughter. I fully accept that this forum is set up to enable people to offer opinions and advice when asked for but in my view it was not appropriate to question or cast doubt on the judgement and indeed the outcome of someone who has gone through so much to obtain a result they are now happy and content with. I apologise if my post caused offence and I don't want to label anyone as cruel or dangerous - it was the comment I was referring to, not the person - but I do take that back, as it does sound very harsh and that's not what I intended. Life is far too short to have any bad feeling towards anyone and I hope this apology is accepted and that my views are understood. With all good wishes to all concerned. God bless Jane

lebron85
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yer

#29 Post by lebron85 »

Hi changes09.
I agree. The risks and benefits appear to favour the double jaw surgery over anything else. In this case its an all or nothing approach that would suit me best. I'm just quite worried about the possibility or nerve damage and/or complications (permanent numbness) as I know it can happen.

I have spoken to the surgeon a few times and he is very professional without trying. I guess it comes with experience. He is VERY realistic and does not exaggerate results. He explained to me that the changes will be subtle and others may not even notice at first. He does not use imagery software for that very reason as he believes its better not to possibly mislead the patient.

He now does quite a bit of pro-bono work at The University of Melbourne (premier university in Australia, roughly equivalent to Harvard in the U.S.). I guess that's reassuring because it means he's furthering his knowledge and not afraid to stand on the podium and voice his opinions. He has also held a number of high positions in a few Orthodontic/Surgical societies in Australia without publicly advertising it.

I guess the highest degree of satisfaction with surgeries occur when patients have an exaggerated view of what they believe will be the outcome in their mind. Its almost inevitable that they will be disappointed with images of perfect chiseled jawlines that have perfect oblique angles with nose and lips etc.

All in all, I guess I trust his judgment and I therefore expect reasonable and realistic results (as does he). He is conferring with my orthodontist about my new bite, then awaiting final word from me. At this point in time my mind is made up to go ahead with the double jaw surgery.

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changes09
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#30 Post by changes09 »

I think you made a good choice! :)
You sound like you have a really good oral surgeon. Honestly, what do you have if you can't trust your surgeon? I also trust my surgeon 100% My OS is always calling me! Asking me how my progress is going! Don't get me worn he talks to my ortho too, but he is really excited about his work, and in turn I get excited lol! Keep us updated!
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