My decision

Message

#1 Post by **Von** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:33 am

Hi everyone,
Most of you perhaps don't know me,because i haven't posting this forum so often.If you have the time read my story...
I am an underbiter,which is quite big.3 years ago i said i want to get rid of it.So i searched a lot,visited ortho,then continued research,and i often learnt new stuff about the surgery.Of course i argued a lot with my family which said NO to this prochedure.I was desperate and didn't know what to do.Three months ago i visited another OS who said i must do both jaws,which of course makes sense,cause the setback that must be done is 10-12mm.So,not a long ago i decided,NOT to do it.At last i made the decision and i am happy.Why not do it?Because,i have no pain or tmj problems,i can eat normally and speak normally.Believe it or not,even the OS said that he didn't notice the underbite till he saw my teeth.Of course,having a perfect smile is fantastic.And my face would be more balanced and i would be more attractive.But in my case,i don't think that the risks outweigh the benefits.Maybe some of you will say that i am a coward of not doing it.But i made,at last,my decision.I wish all of you who are doing it good luck,and those who done it a a smooth recovery

#2 Post by **indecisive1** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:11 am

Hi Von
I appreciate your honesty and I do not think you're a coward. Contemplating jaw surgery is huge. I am 38 and like you have been up and down this roller coaster ride. Do I or don't I? I have changed my mind on many occassions. There are some real risks with this type of surgery and you have to weigh up both sides. I have an open bite with with a receding chin..I will need both upper and lower jaw surgery to get this fixed. Like you, no one has ever noticed my open bite until I have pointed it out. I guess I have learned to "disguise" it so to speak. This forum has helped me a lot. Thank God for the net. After changing my mind (numerous times) I decided to go ahead with it...It's early days yet...don't even have my braces on. The decision to proceed was not an easy one to make. I am married with two young children so for starters saw this as a real inconvenience. Can I be bothered? Should I be bothered? I have lived with this for 38 years so why bother doing anything now? There is a real risk of permanent numbness not to mention other risks - including relapse. Is it worth it? Even expense wise, the money used for both braces and surgery could be used elsewhere. I guess what made me decide to go ahead with it was the fact that I am sick of not being able to bite into anything and sick of extremely dry cracked lips (I also have lip incompetence). I am also very fearful of my bite getting worse with age. I don't want to turn 50 and regret not doing it years ago. At the end of the day, it is a very personal choice and only you can decide. If you have weighed up all the pros and cons and based your decision on that, good for you. I wish you all the very best!!

#3 Post by **redstar** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:18 am

Relapse is very interesting thing. I am in pretty much same case. I was told i have open bite which i knew all my life. I'm 31 years old never had any issues because of it. Doctor said that open bite will be even bigger once they straighten my teeth, i made my decision anyway which is i'm not going for. Can't wait to finish with braces 18 + 6 months. I'm a new in this, my second week. I want to freaking EAT

#4 Post by **redstar** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:19 am

Meryaten wrote:Redstar: the question of relapse in surgical cases, and the question of relapse where orthodontia alone is used where a case would far better be treated surgically are two very different subjects. Surgical relapse is a big complicated issue, and the chances of it occurring are subject to many complicated factors. However, if you have a skeletal open bite treated using orthodontia alone, the chances are extremely high that you will see relapse. Again though, whether or not we proceed is a matter for personal choice.

Von: this brings me to you. You've done your research. You've weighed up the pros and cons. And you've come to an informed decision about what is right for you. I hope and believe that nobody here would brand you a coward for making the decision you have.

I suppose after braces i will get retention to make sure teeth don't move back where they were before or whatever is the case? After bone grows up to give enough support for teeth, i don't see what else would be a problem?

#5 Post by **fromjersey** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:39 am

Redstar: You were told your open bite would be worse after your teeth are straightened, and you have decided to ignore that medical opinion because??? Did you get a second opinion?
Helen