Question: Pre-surgery meetings with OS
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Question: Pre-surgery meetings with OS
Happy Monday everyone! I was just wondering how much pre-meeting and pre-planning did everyone who has had a BSSO do with their OS? I know this varies greatly, depending on what you have done, but I am "supposed" to have my BSSO done in August and so far I have only had one meeting with my OS that was about a year ago now. My ortho is great, but she doesn't seem at all concerned about it, timing is a critical factor for me because of my job. I really am aiming to have this done in August/September, maybe, hopefully... It just seems like everyone here reported they met with their OS at least several times before the big day and some started on antibiotics weeks before the big day, yes? My teeth seem closest to the way Meryaten's were, and I went from wearing heavy rubber bands everyday to just wearing them at night to maintain how much my upper arch has moved foward, but my OS has yet to see anything. So I'm wondering if I need to be wearing them all the time to get them more in line with what he might want or what??? Am I being a worrywart for no reason??? Go ahead, tell me I am, I wish you would. Seriously.
Difficult to comment, as it's almost certainly different in the UK to the US, but I can report my experiences (BSSO and LeFort osteotomy)..
When my ortho decided my teeth were just about ready, he took new moulds and made an appointment for a month later with the team in the Joint Orthognathic Clinic, which is usually lined up 3 months before the surgery date.
I was seen (simultaneously) by the surgeon, two consultants, my ortho, the anaesthetist and a psychiatrist. I was then given 3 more appointments, each about 3 weeks apart - 1 adjustment, 1 to put in the surgery wires, and one try-in for the splint, plus a separate pre-admission hospital appointment which is scheduled 2 weeks before the surgery.
This is all on the NHS, though, so heavily in demand and thus you have to book well in advance.
Have you discussed this with your ortho? They would know the normal procedure better than any of us. If you need to have it done in a particular timeframe, and your teeth are nearly there, it can't hurt to ask what she thinks, and when she thinks the surgery will happen, can it?
When my ortho decided my teeth were just about ready, he took new moulds and made an appointment for a month later with the team in the Joint Orthognathic Clinic, which is usually lined up 3 months before the surgery date.
I was seen (simultaneously) by the surgeon, two consultants, my ortho, the anaesthetist and a psychiatrist. I was then given 3 more appointments, each about 3 weeks apart - 1 adjustment, 1 to put in the surgery wires, and one try-in for the splint, plus a separate pre-admission hospital appointment which is scheduled 2 weeks before the surgery.
This is all on the NHS, though, so heavily in demand and thus you have to book well in advance.
Have you discussed this with your ortho? They would know the normal procedure better than any of us. If you need to have it done in a particular timeframe, and your teeth are nearly there, it can't hurt to ask what she thinks, and when she thinks the surgery will happen, can it?
Dubnobass, thank you so much for taking time to reply, it helps to know how other people moved along the route. Yes, my ortho said she "thinks" the OS can do it in August, but she really has no idea since she doesn't book his schedule, I just wondered if she has me meeting with him in August - then how many more times will I probably need to see him before the actual surgery date? No one can really answer this except his office. I was just trying to see how long it took others from the initial meeting to the time they were on the operating table. Whenever I ask at the ortho they're vague, and I was just grasping to try and get a better guestimation. Thanks again!
jjames,
I asked my Ortho last December how close I was to BSSO and he told me probably 4 months and to see my OS. I had new impressions done by the OS' office in Jan and then again in May to see how close I was. I was scheduled for June 30 last month and had a panoramic x-ray done last week. My next appt. with the OS is the week of surgery (3 days before!) to get my prescriptions filled pre-op, do bloodwork, and fill out hospital info.
My Ortho and OS meet together behind the scenes and discuss these outcomes about me, without me. I was supposed to have an informational appt. with my OS last week, but he cancelled due to an emergency. Now, I will see him just 3 days before surgery to ask him questions! I do know what my diagnosis is and the type of surgery (lower jaw only), because I asked the office for a copy of my pre-authorization request. It is nerve-wracking, as I now have to wait to talk to the OS only 3 days prior to surgery.
It's a good thing my schedule is flexible!
As I see it, my doctors have their own timelines and checklists for doing these things. However, I did have to ask a few times about when my surgery would be and request an approximate date, as I am going out of the country on vacation the end of August and wanted to be mainly healed by then. If I hadn't asked my Ortho, no telling when they would have planned my surgery!
So, I will have seen my OS three times, for short periods, before my surgery.
I hope this helps!
Lo
I asked my Ortho last December how close I was to BSSO and he told me probably 4 months and to see my OS. I had new impressions done by the OS' office in Jan and then again in May to see how close I was. I was scheduled for June 30 last month and had a panoramic x-ray done last week. My next appt. with the OS is the week of surgery (3 days before!) to get my prescriptions filled pre-op, do bloodwork, and fill out hospital info.
My Ortho and OS meet together behind the scenes and discuss these outcomes about me, without me. I was supposed to have an informational appt. with my OS last week, but he cancelled due to an emergency. Now, I will see him just 3 days before surgery to ask him questions! I do know what my diagnosis is and the type of surgery (lower jaw only), because I asked the office for a copy of my pre-authorization request. It is nerve-wracking, as I now have to wait to talk to the OS only 3 days prior to surgery.
It's a good thing my schedule is flexible!As I see it, my doctors have their own timelines and checklists for doing these things. However, I did have to ask a few times about when my surgery would be and request an approximate date, as I am going out of the country on vacation the end of August and wanted to be mainly healed by then. If I hadn't asked my Ortho, no telling when they would have planned my surgery!
So, I will have seen my OS three times, for short periods, before my surgery.
I hope this helps!
Lo
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HeatherLynn
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:40 am
- Location: Butler, PA
Hi jjames,
I haven't posted in a while, but check in a lot and saw your post. I was braced in February. In the beginning I saw the OS about every two months. A few weeks ago I was given a surgery date of August 29th. The past two months, I have seen the OS every four weeks. At my last ortho appointment which was around June 10th, they took the panoramic X-rays and impressions and I also got the power chains. On Wednesday I see my OS and am interested to see what he has to say. I go back to the ortho around the 8th of July for more impressions. Kind of back and forth right now. I know that the two of them have been in contact throughout the process. I was lucky to have only been in braces a few months before surgery.
I haven't posted in a while, but check in a lot and saw your post. I was braced in February. In the beginning I saw the OS about every two months. A few weeks ago I was given a surgery date of August 29th. The past two months, I have seen the OS every four weeks. At my last ortho appointment which was around June 10th, they took the panoramic X-rays and impressions and I also got the power chains. On Wednesday I see my OS and am interested to see what he has to say. I go back to the ortho around the 8th of July for more impressions. Kind of back and forth right now. I know that the two of them have been in contact throughout the process. I was lucky to have only been in braces a few months before surgery.
I saw my surgeon three times before the actual surgery - there was an initial consult, interim, and final.
I guess things move a bit slower in Canada (at least where I live) because I remember at my interim appointment the surgeon said I would be ready for surgery very soon. Then he got out his calendar, and the next available hospital date was not for six months. I was really annoyed. In the end, there was a cancellation and I got in a month sooner than expected.
Hopefully there are more hospital beds in your city than there are here!
I guess things move a bit slower in Canada (at least where I live) because I remember at my interim appointment the surgeon said I would be ready for surgery very soon. Then he got out his calendar, and the next available hospital date was not for six months. I was really annoyed. In the end, there was a cancellation and I got in a month sooner than expected.
Hopefully there are more hospital beds in your city than there are here!
WOW! Thank you guys so much for all the quick responses, that is way cool. So basically, it looks like Heather Lynn has gotten the most contact with her OS, and Ohmyjaw, Meryaten and HiandLo look like around 2-3 pre-surgery meetings. This helps quite a bit, I think I'm probably just starting to panic, it just seems like the date is creeping up and nobody is fretting except me. Did I mention I help groups/individuals plan conferences/events/camps? So I plan events years before they actually happen, I think I'm just getting antsy, y'all's input is GREATLY appreciated.
I saw my surgeon 4 times prior to surgery. The first time was the initial consult so that was more talk than anything and getting just enough information to submit the surgery for insurance approval (this was 6 1/2 months prior to surgery...for anyone reading start early, I didn't get my braces until it was approved by insurance). The second was scheduled about 2 months before surgery when my ortho said I was ready. This meeting was basically informative, still talking about what they might do (at this point upper with widening was certain, lower was a possibility...in submitting to insurance my surgeon included both upper and lower to cover all possible bases). The next appointment was 3 weeks before surgery and that's where he took a ton of measurements and facial photos to come up with the "official" plan which turned out to be upper, lower and genio for the best result. One week before surgery I went in to get molds for the upper jaw splint right after my ortho installed the surgical wires (no fun, the mold goop stuck like mad in the surgical wires). The week following was my surgery, so things at the end picked up dramatically. I was suprised how long it took to determine the official plan but I guess it all depends on where the ortho can get your teeth!
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freerideuk
- Posts: 229
- Joined: Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:44 am
- Location: Glasgow , scotland
hey jjames
i am going through NHS to and i had my first oppoinment with januray of 06 i next saw him january of 07 then since then maybe 2 more times one in march and one a couple of weeks back
once your ortho has said she has done all she needs too do your surgeon you should start seeing your surgeon alot more
am panicing too as i am aiming for september for my surgery but my next appointment with my surgeon isn't till august
i keep thinking he wont have time too fit me in by september but he said hes aiming for then soo am gonna try calm down and trust him lolz
xxxxx
i am going through NHS to and i had my first oppoinment with januray of 06 i next saw him january of 07 then since then maybe 2 more times one in march and one a couple of weeks back
once your ortho has said she has done all she needs too do your surgeon you should start seeing your surgeon alot more
am panicing too as i am aiming for september for my surgery but my next appointment with my surgeon isn't till august
i keep thinking he wont have time too fit me in by september but he said hes aiming for then soo am gonna try calm down and trust him lolz xxxxx
Whoo boy, Smile2006, thank you for the advice as I am obviously confused. I thought you couldn't start with the pre-approval for insurance till the OS filed the papers? Am I totally wrong about that? Therefore I can't file the papers till he sees me again, which I "think" is going to be sometime in July, and I'm tentatively aiming for August surgery - or my ortho is talking that way. I'll know more Monday. My ortho has said for two months now I'm "ready" for surgery and she's going to send me to see him soon... only never actually comes through with a date. Monday she's supposed to give me my most recent molds to take to him when I go and set me up with another appointment with the OS.