Dumb Question... Un-happy with profile before? Happy after?

Message

#1 Post by **BracesRacer** » Tue May 29, 2007 11:35 pm

So I dont know all the details yet but I know the Ortho and Surgeon have some things planned for me, haha...

I have had two teeth removed from the bottom and two from the top. On the top the Ortho said the front of the teeth will stay where they are and the molars will be pulled up to fill in the gap where the teeth were pulled...

The bottom however they are going to pull the front teeth towards the back (which we have already started with rubber bands) to fill in the gaps. The surgeon will then come in, and basically slide my jaw forward to correct my bite for the movement that took place, and if needed to the genioplasty to give my a profile that looks good. The genioplasty he said we may not need to do it just depends on how much we will be sliding the jaw forward.

Okay... So here is my question.. For those of you that have had a surgery like this done before... were you un-happy with your profile before the surgery and did the surgery make you a lot more happy with your profile and overall look? I am really nervous about this surgery even though it is a long ways away yet... And I have chosen a great surgeon so that puts me at ease a little. I really dont like my profile all that much and I'm really excited about getting it fixed... but maybe I am setting my hopes to high? I just dont want to expect a major change and be disappointed. I am actually pretty happy with my face I just dont like the profile and obviously my smile is getting some work

Thanks for reading all that... I am just a little worried about all this. I have looked at a lot of before and after pics and usually I am floored with how much better the profile is. Its usually like an entirely different person and I have not seen one yet that I have not liked the results of... so just worrying I guess and looking for feedback. Thanks again!

#2 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:28 pm

I had surgery two and a half months ago and I was really nervous about having someone mess around with my face. I just wanted my teeth straight. As it turns out, the change to my face is very subtle, so I am pretty happy. My chin is now centred, and my face is a bit less flat (I had a slight underbite before). The thing that scared me was how long it took for the swelling to go down. Just two or three weeks ago, I was really unhappy with my face because it didn't look right, but now it is much improved. I think I actually look younger now than I did before surgery!

My advice - talk to your surgeon about your concerns and your expectations. Ask lots of questions. Sometimes you have to be assertive! But you will certainly feel a bit better about going in for surgery when you have your questions answered.

#3 Post by **allysakiss** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:47 pm

i am scheduled for a jaw surgery also... cant wait to hear how things turn out for you

#4 Post by **allysakiss** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:47 pm

i am scheduled for a jaw surgery also... cant wait to hear how things turn out for you

#5 Post by **allysakiss** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:48 pm

i am scheduled for a jaw surgery also... cant wait to hear how things turn out for you

#6 Post by **BracesRacer** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 12:57 am

I am worried about the numb thing too... the surgeon told me that on average the numbness is like 15%... but for him its under 1% so that makes me feel better. I really have a lot of confidence in him... I am even switching insurance companies just because I really want to go through him. When i stick my jaw out a little in the mirror I really like the looks a lot better and I wonder if thats pretty much how its going to be. I mean the bottom lip sticks out farther than it should when I do that but the teeth will soon move back so it wont be like that... so I really think I will be happy. It just a little scary. I have had some major life or death surgeries before but those were not optional and had to happen... this is something I am volunteering for so it feels different. It will be awhile yet before I do it but I will certainly post all the fun details...

#7 Post by **allysakiss** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:02 am

i know how ya feel about movin the jaw forward! i do that too.. i always try to make it look more pronounced in pictures!

im crazy.
i actually didnt know that i could have my jaw moved untill my ortho told me it wouldnt be a problem! i always thought if i wanted a jaw it would have to be a little fake jaw implant! EWW

#8 Post by **nvcarissa** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:15 pm

I absolutely love my new profile. I have a much stronger chin, and didn't get the hard look that I thought I might. Everything is just defined nicely and my mouth doesn't look pinched any more. Totally worth everything I've gone through!

#9 Post by **MetalMouse** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:21 pm

I'm pretty excited about having my jaw moved forward and improving my profile appearance. Since I joined there forums, I've been more anxious than ever, especially seeing other people's pictures.

#10 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:38 pm

Braceracer,
Not to be rude, but your doctor is full or crap making a statement like that. My surgeon has been doing this surgery for 30 years. He is phenomenal, and at 8 days post op it is seriously looking like I will have absolutely no residual numbness.

He told me before surgery that the chance of residual numbness is about 15-20%. He said there is no way to eliminate those odds as each surgery is so individual and different. He said that he loves jaw surgery because it is so challenging, and never the same, and that if he could totally eliminate that 15-20% that he would dedicate his entire practice to nothing but jaw surgery, but that there is no way of knowing what you are going to encounter until you get in there. Things might look like they are pretty straight forward and then when they are cutting they can hit the nerve that they never saw because it was hidden due to a persons jaw shape, structure, etc. I think it is nice that your doctor is trying to make you feel better but I don't believe him. Dr. Kasey Li, is world reknown for upper and lower jaw surgery, and does over 30 of them a week, even he will not tell you that he has a numbness rate of 1%. If I were you I would plan on some leftover numbness. If you don't have any then that will be a great gift, however, if you do, then you will be prepared to live with it and not so disappointed. I personally think one of the worst things a surgeon can do is not fully prepare you for the what ifs. Lower jaw surgery always has a risk, mostly the two areas that can be affected are the chin, or the lower lip. Truthfully it is a crap shoot. My surgeon told me that I seriously need to ask myself if I can live with my chin and lower lip being numb. He said if I could not, then he would not recommend that I have the surgery done, as there is not guarantee. He also told me that he would treat me like his own, and do the best job he possibly can, but sometimes stuff happens that he has no control over. So I needed to be prepared.

Not telling you this to be mean or anything, but I think you need to be adequately informed, and not have smoke blown up your skirt, but a doctor who is clearly impressed with himself. It's great that he is confident, but wrong that he is fudging the results. Do the research you will see that what I say is true.

Best of luck on your surgery. I'm totally happy with mine and the changes in both my appearance and profile. Even at only 8 days post op.

Brandy

#11 Post by **BracesRacer** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:38 pm

I will ask him again on his figures but he said he has done hundreds of them and of the ones he has done less than 1% have had that numbness... I dunno if thats true or not... Check him out his name is Dennis DeDecker... I think he graduated 2nd in his class from a school in san fran... not sure I have done the research on him but i've forgotten. So far he has extracted 4 wisdom teeth, 4 teeth for the braces, and a baby tooth and everything has been perfect. So I hope he does well. The numbness does scare me the most I can't imagine what it would be like to never feel my lip again

I would really hate life thats my good kissing lip..

#12 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 12:05 am

What Meryten says is true, regarding permanent numbness. It is usually very isolated and in a small area. Maybe that is what he is referring to, but there is always a chance of some numbness, that can't be ruled out.

The bottom line is that even if they totally avoid the nerves, there is still trauma to it by virtue of things being stretched etc. Doctors can't predict how you will recover from that trauma. Chances are much better if the advancement is small say like 4mm, and gets greater with advancements that are a larger distance. I have mild numbness right now in my bottom lip, I'm pretty sure it is going to come back fully, and my tongue is numb. My total advancement from chinpoint is 12mm so the muscles in my tongue were stretched a fair bit. Feeling is coming back in my tongue for sure. I'm not saying you will have numbness, and I think most of us do not want any, especially in their bottom lips.

However, it does happen. I have 4 friends who have all had lower jaw surgery from my doctor. One has no feeling in her lower lip l all the way down to her chin. One whose lower lip is all that is numb, one who only has a "thick" feeling spot on her chin, and one who has very mild numbness down her jawlines. Just be prepared is all I'm saying. Hope for the best, but anticipate the worst. It will make things easier. You doctor may be very skilled, however, he can't predict how YOUR body will respond. Everyone is different. Read the accounts on this board and you will see, no two surgeries are the same.

#13 Post by **BracesRacer** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 12:10 am

Okay now i am more scared than when I started... haha...

Well I guess its good to know the truth. No turning back now I just hope it all goes well. I dont think they will have to move things very much but I dunno yet.

#14 Post by **BracesRacer** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 12:16 am

And I have got to stop looking at the right after surgery pictures... I am gonna be so doped up with drugs that looks painful as hell.

#15 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 6:55 pm

I think it's also important to note that full feeling can take some time to come back - in some cases it can be a year or more. I had my surgery about two and a half months ago, and I still have some numbness in my lower lip and chin, but it's getting better alll the time. I am pretty sure I am going to get it all back, eventually.