My 15 year old daughter is recommended for jaw surgery

[rch1]

OK - a little unsure about this process. My daughter had braces on top to correct look, while the bottom jaw finished growing. In December I asked about treatment this year nad was told we would extract two teeth on bottom and put braces on again. I allowed $4,500.00 on my flex bens. Now in January I am told we need to do jaw surgery to correct placement, something about 4 - 5mm differnece between bottom and top teeth. I have no clue if insurance will cover this, but she is in 10th grade now. the treatment says pull 4 wisdom teeth from jaw, put braces on top and bottom for 18 months to get ready for surgery, have surgery, then braces another 6 months, then permanent retainers. I cannot have this kid miss school or be swollen in her senior year. Anyone gone through this that can enlighten me?

[Brandyleigh35]

I must add also that your daughter is very young so her recovery will most definetly be quicker than someone who is older. Meryten was fortunate that she had such an amazingly quick recovery, however, I'm sure your daughters recovery will be super fast also due mostly to the joy of youth.

My son and I are both in braces right now. I can tell you that adjustments for us are like night and day. He hardly feels anything and is rarely if ever sore. I however, get very achey for a couple of days. My son has had a lingual arch, a pendulum appliance (very similar to an expander) plus full braces and he has come through it all like a champ. If she follows the ortho's recomendations, by that I mean using the rubber bands if she is told to etc. She will have quite possibly faster treatment than 2 years in braces. My son has been in them for 10 months and is almost ready to have them removed. I too have had them for 10 months and I'm ready for my lower jaw surgery now too. It can go faster, and supposedly self ligating brackets can speed things up a bit. I wouldn't worry about it too much, I think she would be fine.

Brandy

[katemm06]

Just adding in my two cents:

If your daughter gets the surgery do it over the summer so that she has time to properly recover and not worry about school/activities. Everyone swells up like a balloon for a few weeks after jaw surgery. It is a normal reaction to the surgery although something no one wants to go through especially when you are a teenager. I bruised yellow/green all the way down my neck for a little over a week when I had mine done. If she gets numbness on her lip/chin/tongue (which is a risk) this can also affect the way she eats for quite a while and the quality of her life. It might be good for you and your daughter to read some of the stories on here (my link is below) so that both of you have an idea of what she may be faced with after the surgery. From my own recent experience it is not always easy to deal with all the issues that come up after surgery : up and down emotions, restricted diet, constant wearing of rubber bands so the jaw doesn't go back to its original place, lip and chin numbness, etc.

I hope that if you decide to go through with this your daughter is lucky enugh to have an easy recovery! But it is good to be prepared for the worst too because I definently wasn't.

[fromjersey]

dear katemm:
You mentioned "constant wearing of rubbr bands so the jaw doesn't go back to original place".
--how can jaw go back when it has screws in it to keep it together? Can you explain this a bit more?
Helen

[fromjersey]

Meryaten: any photos or drawings of these rubber bands (guiding elastics)? Do they hold two jaws together?

I haven't faintest idea of what they look like.
Helen

[Brandyleigh35]

ok...I haven't had these yet but I think I can answer this question for you. As I understand it these rubber bands are just regular orthodontic o rings. The same type they use for orthodontic work. Prior to surgery the patient goes to the ortho and has "surgical hooks" installed on their braces. These are little hooks that are strategically placed in order to support the rubber band configuration the doctor deems necessary post surgery, to hold the jaw in its proper alignment. They are called Kobayashi hooks. The rubberbands come in varying strengths that are usually represented by animals. For example I had very strong elastics to hold my jaw forward at night to prevent my apnea during part of my treatment. They came in a blue bag and were "Elephants" I think (they were the strongest ones), there are may other strengths though like eagles, sea lions, etc all varying in the amount of force they apply.

They are bascially just little tiny O shaped rubberbands that vary in their thickness depending on the strength you are using. Does that make sense?

The hooks are called kobayashi hooks and look like this. The O rings (rubberbands/guiding elastics) are below, as well as some pics to how they are attached.




Hope this helps!

Brandy

[HeatherLynn]

Hi!

I just wanted to add that when I was in my early teenage years (now pushing 36), my dentist and ortho suggested surgery. At the time I would have been wired shut for up to six months. My mom chose not to have it done. Back then I would have made the same decision. Now things are so much different. My oral surgeon said that lower jaw surgery is not much worse than getting wisdom teeth out. Now at 36 I am going to be getting braces on once again (after wearing them for 5 years as a teen) and having lower jaw advancement. One of my daughters appear to be taking after me with the set-back lower jaw. If they can not bring it forward with appliances and suggest jaw surgery - I would have it done no matter what stage of school she was in - so that she will not be in the position that I am in now.

[bbsadmin]

You guys are all so helpful! I'm so glad that you can offer such good advice on such a confusing and emotional topic!