Metal Mouth Message Board

For all the posters who have had or are planning surgery for open bites, especially if you had/have the "long face" issue also a few questions -

- What type of surgery did you have/are planning e.g. upper only, upper/lower, genio etc?

- If you had/have lip incompetence, was it resolved and if yes what was done or is being planned for this?

- If you already had surgery, what would you do differently if you had the chance?

I've sucked my thumb all my life so I have quite a huge open bite (9.5mm).
I need both upper and lower jaw surgery and I don't have lip incompetence. If you looked at me, you can't tell at all that I need surgery.

I'm getting my braces on in just under a week.

I had surgery on December 18th to correct my open bite. I also had a long face and a gummy smile. I had upper and lower jaw surgery and a genio to solve my problems. I know in some cases a genio is not required, but in my case it was strongly encouraged. I also had lip incompetence prior to the surgery as my lips would be nowhere near closing in the resting position. The movement of both jaws solved this problem. I could not be happier with the results and I would strongly encourage anyone who is hesitant about the process to go for it. I know most people are extremely happy with the end results!

I had both BSSO and Lefort in August to correct a gummy smile, overjet and slight open bite.

I love the results. Seriously, for me it was worth any temporary discomfort that I felt. I wish that I had it done years ago.

I had both BSSO and Lefort in August to correct a gummy smile, overjet and slight open bite.

I love the results. Seriously, for me it was worth any temporary discomfort that I felt. I wish that I had it done years ago.

Christina28 wrote:What type of surgery did you have/are planning e.g. upper only, upper/lower, genio etc?

3-piece upper, lower & genio

If you had/have lip incompetence, was it resolved and if yes what was done or is being planned for this?

I didn't have this issue before or after. My lips didn't change at all really.

If you already had surgery, what would you do differently if you had the chance?

I wouldn't have worried about this surgery nearly as much as I did. I was terrified, horrifically frightened and really really worried about every aspect of it, i.e. the recovery, what I would look like, if I would like the results, what my friends & family would think, etc... the whole bit. Knowing what I know now, there really is nothing to worry about and everything works itself out. If there are problems, you and the professionals working with you will fix them, everyone will take good care of you, you will look fine - probably better, and I wish I could've told myself all of this before hand. So that's what I would've done differently. I would've enjoyed that year and a half of my life much more then I did.

I'm having upper/lower/genio. As far as lip incompetence is concerned, I'm just assuming that it will be taken care naturally.

I thought I was have Lefort, BSSO and genio but at the last minute (right before I was wheeled into the operating room) the surgeon told me he was going to be able to correct everything with just Lefort and Genio. It has only been 8 weeks but so far so good. My bite is literally closed and my chin and lip incompetencies are totally fixed!!

It took a good 3 weeks before I could tell that it was going to be like this though. With the swelling I still felt like my chin was weak and my lips wouldn't close right... but at the 3 week mark I saw the light and now I am thrilled with the results.

Can't wait to get the braces off now!!

I've already had SARPE, but the big one is upper and lower jaw surgery. I don't know the technical terms but the Doc is shaving off some of the upper so it doesn't show so much gum, and then rotating the bottom jaw.