orthognathic Surgery

[nahky]

I thought i'd be the first to post to break the ice

Its a shame the topics were lost in the main forum since i vented so much and many people gave some encouraging advice. But i guess we'll just have to move on

I posted my lil story here
viewtopic.php?t=3104

In a year, i'll be getting surgery on my lower jaw for my underbite. I havent got my insurance yet so i've been thinking about it everyday.
Im really glad Lynn made an orthognathic forum segment (thanks Lynn)

I'll be sure to report my progress and vent in this forum

[Guest]

Hey, I too will be having a lower jaw surgery later to correct my underbite. I'm anxious about that.

Good luck with the journey.

[bbsadmin]

Hey, I too will be having a lower jaw surgery later to correct my underbite. I'm anxious about that.

Good luck with the journey.

Hi, Guest. I had just set up this new forum and forgot to update the permissions. Please register and you can continue to post.

[buffaloborn69]

I too will be having lower jaw surgery to correct a 17mm overjet. On Tuesday I get my expander on my upper jaw to widen it. June 27 I get braces on my lower teeth. Surgery will be in about 18 months. Nervous but excited. I spend a year and a half battling my insurance people. They denied coverage and now I have to pay out of pocket. It'll be worth it when my bite is corrected.

[Pablo]

HI , same here .. Lower surgery in about a year for my overbite.. Still pretty anxious about it .. 17mm?? that sounds like a lot, think my prtho sais something bout a 10mm limit on lower surgery .. must be moving your top teeth quite a bit . My biggest concern about the surgery is the nerve damage .. the swelling and bruising and whatever pain isn't a problem .. no doubt we'll all be back in here at some stage .. good luck

[crstal g]

Hi folks

After reading your messages it looks like I may be one of the next to have this surgery done. My date for damage is May 4. After recently talking to my surgeon I do not have any fear of this whole process and am actually lookin forward to the time off work. I feel I should be going into this with only a positive attitude in order to recieve a possitive outcome.
I will keep you posted.

[nahky]

Well its official, i have my insurance all sorted out!

yay for me! *does a lil dance*

Now the monkey is off my back and i can start budgeting for the whole cost of all the treatment. Im really looking forward to the surgery, I can't wait til get it over and done with.

I hope I wont required to take too much time to recover. Dont like the thought of sitting around doing nothing. Guess I could just think abou my new beautiful profile

I dont even want to know about the risk that are involved. Still i am aware of them and know that a person my age is highly unlikely to suffer from any nerve damage.

I really do hope that i will be only required to have bottom jaw surgery to retract it and not top jaw surgery. The specialist wasnt 100% sure if i would require both until he saw the state of my teeth when it came time to the surgery.

Still, I will factor in the maximal cost for the whole precedure...

Heres the cost of my whole treatment, would be good to know how it fairs where you guys are having surgery

Braces, Ceramic tops - 5000

For both Top & Lower jaw surgery - 3500 (the government subsides 1670 of this so it becomes 1830
Extra Cost [moulds, photography imagery,surgical splints] - 500

Anesthetist Fees - 800

Private Health Insurance + excess hospital fees - 73/month (amounts to 873) - So insurance altogether is 1173

I've got it all down for 4303 for the Surgical Costs. This is the maximum cost for everything, hopefully i wont need upper jaw surgery which will mean its 1000 dollars cheaper. Keep in mind this is australian dollars. In the US dollar, would be 3,293

So yeah, 9000 for a perfect mouth.. worth evey penny i reckon. Its not going to be easy paying for all this by myself being a 17 yr old with no job Cant spend my government allowance money on shoppin anymore ... but i now have a whole year to budget around it so its all good...

[chrisk]

Nahky,

Your costs seem fine to me. I'm in Western Australia and having upper and lower jaw surgery plus genioplasty, some time in the next few months. I was initially told that i would have my braces for 9 months before surgery and 9 months after, but i passed my 9 months on March 30th, with still no date for surgery.

My ortho said that the more work we do beforehand means the less we have to do after. This is fine with me, but i'm looking forward to getting a date as it is a bit like the Sword of Damocles hanging over my head. I just want to get it over with and get on the mend.

My costs (in Australian dollars too)

Braces - nearly $5000 (ceramic uppers, metal lowers) My private health cover will cover approx $700 per year over the 2 years that i have the braces on

Surgery - $5, 500 (of which $1799 will be covered by the government-provided health care (Medicare) and the private fund - the last time i checked on this was around this time last year)

Extra costs - approx $900 for casts, photo records, analyses, splints etc
($450 covered by private insurance provided i haven't maxed out my dental limit of $1050 per individual per year or $2100 family maximum)

Anaesthetist costs $2000 (rebate $1250)

Bed fee 100% covered
Theatre costs 100% covered
Surgical prosthetics 100% covered up to govt limit

And my private health cover (Top hospital family cover plus ancillary)
$2, 900 (I have to pay a 25% levy since i don't have lifetime cover)

So all up, my surgery is costing me $13, 500 Australian not including my
private health cover, (about $10, 000 Australian when you take into account private health insurance and Medicare rebates).

Nahky, I am so pleased that you (and other young people) have the courage to go through with this surgery at your age. It is a lot of money to commit to at your age.

Chrisk

[nahky]

Nahky, I am so pleased that you (and other young people) have the courage to go through with this surgery at your age. It is a lot of money to commit to at your age.

Yes, it is quite alot of money. I mean, i could be spending it on a car or something of convenience. That would be good and all but i still wouldnt be happy. I beleive i'm going to gain alot from this precedure. Im planting the seed and go god darn it, i wanna reap the rewards!

So all up, my surgery is costing me $13, 500 Australian not including my
private health cover, (about $10, 000 Australian when you take into account private health insurance and Medicare rebates).

That sounds like a fair deal to me. I'm only covered for private hospital insurance. meaning no frills and be insured for my surgery and the stay at the hospital. Thats fair enough though.
Some insurance companies are so difficult to get information from. was fustrating because they wouldnt even tell me if my particular precedure would be covered or not. I went with Australia Unity.

[DLSIrish]

Had my upper jaw surgery on the 20th and still doing subsequent expansion which is painful. What a difference in my appearance already. Who knows about actually chewing, can't bear the thought of even trying it just yet. I work in a surgery center and tell co-workers there is an alternative to gastric bypass surgery -- braces and surgery!!! I've lost 36 pounds in two months. Good luck with your upcoming surgery.

[DIANE]

Hello, I'm having my underbite surgery (BSSO & possible LeFort I Maxillary Osteotomy) sometime next summer. I'll be getting my braces put on in mid-July - they're supposed to be on for twelve months prior to and six months after the surgery. I have a 5mm jet, so my surgeon will be setting back my jaw 7mm. He's not sure if he will have to do the maxillary procedure - depends on my profile after ten months in braces. My OD seems to think I will only need the BSSO, so we'll see. I'm getting excited to get all this done - my function has gotten worse in the past few years; speech - people say they can't understand what I'm saying, & mastication - not chewing my food completely/swallowing food half-chewed or not at all. Also, my Chiropractor believes there is a connection between having to have my neck adjusted due to subluxations and having an underbite. I have more headaches, neck spasms, and jaw pain too. Plus my jaw joint tends to make alot of noise when I chew or open my mouth to bite into food. I'm tired of having this stupid underbite!! Anyone feel the same way? ///// Diane

[nahky]

Anyone feel the same way? ///// Diane

yes, yes , YES! I hate my crooked mouth and my underbite. Im counting down the days until my day of surgery. almost 11 months to go. Im excited about it too. most moments when im by myself, im thinking about it.

No longer will i have to possess this strange feeling when i close my mouth and clench my teeth.
No longer will i have to worry about the way i look when someone sees me from certain angles.
No longer will I look asymmetrical frotn view
No longer will i feel insecure and feel that others are commenting(or taunting) about my profile (i used to get teased about my underbite when i was younger when i was about 12, and it slowed down until abot last year it kinda ended, im 17 now)
No longer will i need to bite awkwardly when eating food.

I keep thinking about these things. May sound unhealthy but i'm getting excited about the changes that are about to happen. I know i may sound like this surgery of mine is going to change everything, but i feel that any improvement will be great.

Since i got my braces 2 months ago. my front gap has closed, and the overall look of my teeth is so straight looking now. I feel as if this is just a taste of things to come

[DIANE]

Hello, Nahky - Thank you for your post. How long do you have to wear braces? Was it painful to have them put on? It's great to hear that your space between your teeth closed so-o soon - I hope it goes really fast for me too. I'm hoping it goes faster than the docs are planning it to - maybe they'll do my surgery sooner. I think I mentioned that I'm 47 years old, and my surgeon told me that I'm not the oldest he's done this type of surgery on; he had a woman in her 60's. My medical insurance doesn't pay for this at all - it's an "excluded" surgery from my policy. I've worked at a hospital for twenty-five years and my insurance is thru my employer; too bad I'm not rewarded for my dedication and longevity. I have a pretty good idea how much this surgery (surgeon's fee, hospital,etc) will be costing me. Write back when you can/ let me know how it's going. / Diane

[katevv]

I'm having the same surgery in few months in sydney
[upper/lower]and im not paying anything.I did have to pay for my braces but my surgery is covered by medicare,i should add im going into a public hospital.

Nahky, I am so pleased that you (and other young people) have the courage to go through with this surgery at your age. It is a lot of money to commit to at your age.

Yes, it is quite alot of money. I mean, i could be spending it on a car or something of convenience. That would be good and all but i still wouldnt be happy. I beleive i'm going to gain alot from this precedure. Im planting the seed and go god darn it, i wanna reap the rewards!

So all up, my surgery is costing me $13, 500 Australian not including my
private health cover, (about $10, 000 Australian when you take into account private health insurance and Medicare rebates).

That sounds like a fair deal to me. I'm only covered for private hospital insurance. meaning no frills and be insured for my surgery and the stay at the hospital. Thats fair enough though.
Some insurance companies are so difficult to get information from. was fustrating because they wouldnt even tell me if my particular precedure would be covered or not. I went with Australia Unity.

[nahky]

I'm having the same surgery in few months in sydney
[upper/lower]and im not paying anything.I did have to pay for my braces but my surgery is covered by medicare,i should add im going into a public hospital.

How did you get that sweet deal? Not a cent on the surgery?