Metal Mouth Message Board

I am a 17 year old male. I am having 5 mm lower jaw advancement. I know that the human jaw and chin and other facial bones continue to grow until around age 25. I also know that after surgery, the doctors screw and bolt your jaw into a new position. Would this mean that since my jaw would be screwed and bolted in its new position that my jaw will not be able to grow anymore? Will I have my 17 year old jaw all my life? The reason I ask this is because I have a small jaw, and I want it to keep growing as much as it can, but I am afraid that this surgery I am having in a few months will stop the growth of my jaw. I dont want to ask my doctor for personal reasons. Please someone answer this for me, thank you.

I've done a lot of my own research and every paper I've read said that the adult jaw reaches its full growth potential around age 18. For a young man like yourself, I wouldn't expect any more growth from this point forward.

cakbatter wrote:... I am afraid that this surgery I am having in a few months will stop the growth of my jaw. I dont want to ask my doctor for personal reasons. Please someone answer this for me, thank you.

If you're 17, I wouldn't be in any hurry and might even put it off a couple of years until you're sure you're done growing. But, most importantly:

Get a doctor you're not afraid to ask.

Much as this is a helpful forum, I wouldn't trust any chat board with a medical decision that you will be living with for the next 80 years.

Bullfighter wrote:

cakbatter wrote:... I am afraid that this surgery I am having in a few months will stop the growth of my jaw. I dont want to ask my doctor for personal reasons. Please someone answer this for me, thank you.

If you're 17, I wouldn't be in any hurry and might even put it off a couple of years until you're sure you're done growing. But, most importantly:

Get a doctor you're not afraid to ask.

Much as this is a helpful forum, I wouldn't trust any chat board with a medical decision that you will be living with for the next 80 years.

I disagree. The younger you are, the easier the recovery. Don't put this off. They're able to check if you've done growing, and like treevernal said most jaws have finished developing by age 18.

Isn't the reason you're having jaw surgery is because you have a small jaw?

[quote="thisisme"][
Isn't the reason you're having jaw surgery is because you have a small jaw?[/quote]

Well, the reason I am having jaw surgery is to push the lower jaw forward, which would make it look longer. However, when I meant (bigger) I meant in terms of width. There are studies that show that jaw and chin gets masculinized in the early 20's (gets wider). This is notable because a lot of my friends who are in their 20's look very different (more masculine and bigger face) then when they were 18-19. So the jaw continues to grow in the early 20's for sure and finished at around 25. I am just afraid the screws and bolts in lower jaw surgery will disrupt this, what do you guys think?

I think you really need to ask your doctor rather than depend on advice received from an internet forum.
What reason do you have for not wanting to ask him/her?

I have read posts in which some people have said their jaws did grow in late teens/early 20s. Is there any reason you have to have surgery right away? I know that sometimes there could be valid reasons for getting it done prior to end of growth. As to whether or not you are done growing at 17, there may be ways to ascertain that by doing certain tests but I don't have a lot of knowledge in this area. While it is true that young patients heal faster than older ones, if you CAN put off the surgery until you are certain there will be no more growth, this seems like it might be wise course of action.