Finally Prepping for Surgery?

Message

#1 Post by **lioninthelake** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 10:52 pm

Hi!

I have a class III and a narrow upper jaw. Trouble is, my upper molars have tipped outwards and my lower molars have tipped inwards as a sort of compensation for not being the same width as each other. This tipping is turning out to be really stubborn. I've been in braces for over a year now and visited my oral surgeon four times with the same result: no surgery date and an uber-unhappy drive home.

Well at my latest adjustment this past week, my ortho put a couple of bends in my steel wire to correct the ultra-stubborn tipping. One of the bends is in between my two upper centrals, to tip the roots out of the way in prep for a surgical cut in between them. I'm scheduled to have molds taken at my next adjustment, which will be sent to the surgeon for perusal. My ortho thinks I might be ready. I sure hope so. I'll update this post as soon as I have a surgical date.

Has anyone else had a few letdowns in their journey?

#2 Post by **nahky** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 11:16 pm

Sorry i cant give you anything to relate to, because my surgery is not for 10 more months. I wish you all the luck.

How many more months do you think you have to wait? It sounds like you dont have that many more. So look on the brightside, you'll eventually get there and have a fantastic bite, teeth and profile.

Im literally counting down the days until my insurance company will cover my surgery. The wait is agonising (ok, a tad dramtic) I hate my underbite!
I just recently went to a 'go see' yesterday to begin my modelling 'career' (Im not taking it overly seriously). The guy was taking my picture, headshots, when he told me to turn my head to the side to take pictures, i felt so uncomfortable and think that the photo was really ugly because i have a bad profile because of the underbite. the way the guy spoke to me, it didnt sound like he was interested. I felt so crummy yesterday. But in the end, in the main scheme of things, it doesnt really mean anything ebcause i know i will eventually have the surgery and look much much better than in my current state. But if the agency does call back, i will be over the moon! Because despite my grotesque profile, they will choose me to be in their magazine, that would be such a boost to my esteem [chances very unlikely though].

Im sorry i turned this post into all about me, just had to vent that. I know it wasnt about surgery dates, but it was very disappointing

#3 Post by **lioninthelake** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 2:51 pm

I can definitely relate to feeling self-conscious about an underbite. Mine is pretty subtle but it still makes me look different from the side. I did not have enough growth in my mid face (upper jaw, cheekbones) to keep up with the growth in the rest of my face and so I have a subtle concave appearance from forehead to chin in my profile.

Re: surgery dates - when I attended the last consult with my surgeon (May), he said he should probably see me again in November. I was devastated. I thought I would have a surgery date booked when I saw him and he wanted to wait until November to assess braces progress??!?

So, I pleaded with my ortho to move things along as best she could and now I'm in a strong steel wire with bends. The tipping of my molars is getting better, but it's probably not good enough.

I need to be able to prepare financially for my surgery and I need to have someone in place to take care of my kids during the day for a week. I also have evening classes to think about so I was really disappointed at my last surgical assessment appointment. I'm also very eager to get it over with, it's such an intimidating thing to have ahead of you - I want it be over so I can get on with my life...

Good luck with your insurance process. My husband's employee insurance is pretty crummy in this department so we'll be paying for this out of pocket. The quote I have so far is $2500 to $5000, depending on the procedure(s) my surgeon finally decides upon.

How much will your surgery cost? I'm curious about costs and coverage in Australia.

Good luck with your modelling. I've done some modelling work and I can tell you that it is a constant test of your inner confidence. You face a lot of rejection regardless of how attractive you are - it's all in what type of 'look' the job is searching for. There are also a lot of scam agencies out there - beware - legitimate agencies shouldn't require a lot of cash from you, they're supposed to be making you money! I've never paid an agency anything! I've seen so many people here get suckered into the same old places that just want to sell their training courses for loads of cash or incredibly inflated portfolio prices. Go to a professional photographer that does portfolios and you'll pay a fair price - that should be all you need.

#4 Post by **nahky** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:27 am

viewtopic.php?t=3560

The post with the green and blue font is the cost of my costs.

Thanks for the tips about the modelling industry.

Will you have someone to take care of your while you are recovering? Luckily for me I have my family to do it while they are at home at night. I'm so looking forward to the day it comes. I think i'll cover all the mirrors up when im all swollen. Buy a whole heap of magazines and rent and whole bunch of dvds

#5 Post by **nahky** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:31 am

I just noticed in your signature lioninthelake, that you have 2 surgeries to look forward to. How come you will have two? will they be done separately?

#6 Post by **lioninthelake** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:56 pm

Yes, I'll have my husband to help. He's quite the helpful fellow in times like this - I'm pretty lucky. During my last pregnancy I was on partial bedrest so he's already proven his fabulous nursing/coddling abilities!

My mom is retired now so she's agreed to help with the kids during the day when my husband is at work.

My signature is a little old. Way back (a year ago now) when I had my first surgical assessment, the surgeon stated assuredly that I should have a SARPE and then an upper/lower in two separate surgeries so he can accomplish a more stable result with expansion. In subsequent appointments with him, however, he's changed his mind after a few more looks at my braces progress. So, I guess I really don't know how many surgeries I'll have now or even whether I'll get lower as well as upper done. I guess he's really not going to put much thought into it until the braces have done their work and he's ready to do his. Frustrating!!!!

Do you have a definitive treatment plan yet?

#7 Post by **chrisk** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 5:29 am

Hi lioninthelake,

I've also had a delay in my projected surgery date, so i know how you feel. It was supposed to be in April, but the ortho said that the more work we do before surgery means the less after. I am getting very frustrated too, as i just want to get it over and done with, and on the mend.

My husband is going to take 3 weeks of work to look after the kids and me as i've heard the recovery process can be difficult for some people. As i work as a relief teacher, and its a job that involves a lot of talking, i'm looking at having 4 weeks off work.

My gaps in the top are practically closed. On the bottom, my ortho is pushing back my last molar thus allowing my partially erupted molar to come all the way up, and then pulling it into place. He wants everything in place, before the surgery. I'm hoping to get a date sometime before the end of this year.

I'm really happy with my braces progress, as my overbite has come back substantially. I can now close my mouth over my teeth without it being forced. I estimate that my 15mm overbite is now the 10mm overbite that the ortho wanted pre-surgery. It's just this waiting for surgery that is really difficult.

Good luck with your braces/surgery journey.

Chrisk

#8 Post by **nahky** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 4:01 pm

lioninthelake wrote: Do you have a definitive treatment plan yet?

No I haven't. In my next adjustment, which is in a few weeks. I will ask my ortho when it would be an ideal time to ask the specialist for a date.

I notice that in your signature lioninthelake that you have 9 months and 3 weeks until your braces come off (well i know it depends on the date of surgery) i reckon its cool because thats about the date im going to have the surgery i beleive (or hopin). I have the countdown in my signature aswell.

chrisk wrote:Hi lioninthelake,

It's just this waiting for surgery that is really difficult.

I know how you mean Chrisk. But at least the process has been started by us (Getting the braces, consultations with surgeons) and we're not just sitting here doing nothing and just thinking about it. It will eventually happen.

#9 Post by **lioninthelake** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 10:41 am

Chrisk, welcome to the waiting club! Have a chair, it sounds like you might be here awhile...

I'll bet it's frustrating if you need to worry about your husband's time off being booked in advance. My mom is retired so she's been gracious enough to help while my husband is at work and she used to be a nurse so I'm in pretty good hands. Right now, the surgery feels like an overdue pregnancy and I just can't wait to get induced. You know that baby will come eventually but you're so close you just want the hard part to be over after building up to it for so long!

nahky wrote:But at least the process has been started by us (Getting the braces, consultations with surgeons) and we're not just sitting here doing nothing and just thinking about it. It will eventually happen.

Nahky, you're right. I love your positive attitude! Every time I get too frustrated I have to remind myself that it will be done soon and then I won't have to worry about it ever again! Just wear my retainers faithfully and this ordeal will just be a distant memory...

Isn't it true that happiness is really 10% actual circumstances/events and 90% our perspective/what we make of those circumstances? We can choose to be bummed or we can grin and make the best of it! I feel very fortunate to be in the financial position to correct this problem, I should really stop my whining!

#10 Post by **chrisk** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:00 am

Hi lioninthelake,

Maybe its a good thing that my surgery is not going to be until at least October or later, with the bad run of luck my family has been having.

In the last 2 months, my father-in-law had a heart attack and kidney failure, my mum stepped on to the footpath and got hit by a Vespa scooter riding illegally on the footpath (doing around 65km/hr) and ended up in hospital with short-term memory loss, my brother-in-law had his gall bladder removed, and this morning my mum's brother had a heart attack and died while on holiday in Queensland. To top it off my mother-in-law is going into hospital for surgery in 2 weeks time as well, so i don't think its really a good time for me to have surgery right now anyway.

I guess the only thing to do is stay positive and hope that no more calamaties can befall us. A friend who is into alternative therapies and astrology and the like tells me that by September things will settle down. I certainly hope so.

If i had had my surgery in April when it was originally forecast i would be nearly out of braces by now. The hardest part, as you said, is the waiting, just like an overdue pregnancy. Luckily my husbands time of work won't be too hard to arrange. As soon as i have a date for surgery he should be able to book his holidays, as long as it isn't over a public holiday break when the workload increases immediately before and afterwards.

Anyway, good luck with your 'date'. I hope you get one sooner rather than later.

Chrisk

#11 Post by **lioninthelake** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:52 pm

Hi ChrisK -

It sure does sound like you had a bad run of luck this past fall. How are things going lately? Did you have your surgery yet? I haven't been on the boards for a while as I've been way too busy with family and my practicum.

I'm still waiting for my date. The last time I saw the OS, he put me on the surgery list but he said I should expect a date in April 2006. I guess I should be thankful that now I'm on the list. Sigh. To be honest, I haven't really been thinking about it much as my attention has been diverted to other areas of life lately.

I still begrudge the daily obsessive teeth cleaning and endless stuck bits of food but my grouchiness about it all won't make the time go by any faster I guess.

Looking forward to reading all the posts in the OS board since I last visited.

#12 Post by **chrisk** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:56 pm

Hi Lion in the lake,

I still do not have a definite surgery date. The ortho said possibly April 2006 (one year late) to fit in around the school holidays so that I don't have to take too much time off work. My next visit to the ortho is mid-February so hopefully he'll refer me back to the surgeon then.

At my last ortho visit in mid December, my ortho has put a bracket on my molar to move it into line and up, and talked about putting a stronger wire on the bottom so maybe we're getting close.

Things have settled down, and we are on our summer holidays, although the south-west of Western Australia has (so far) missed the heat waves that is affecting the rest of Australia. We had the coldest December since records were kept (in 1897) at 23 degrees (celsius) where the average December is 29 degrees. The forecast is for a very hot summer when it comes, but it is very slow in coming this year. (Bear in mind, that 30-35 degrees is a normal summer's day here, and hot is 36-40 degrees).

School resumes on February 1st, and work for me is fairly quiet in first term, so I'm just relaxing and trying my hardest to put on some weight before my surgery. My biggest worry is that I find it hard to put on weight and at 168cm tall (5 ft 7 inches) and 55kgs, (about 115-120 pounds, I think) I don't have much to lose without being painfully skinny. I just want to get this surgery over as it seems to be such a long time coming. Maybe we'll have a date about the same time. I'll keep you posted.

Chrisk

#13 Post by **lioninthelake** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:45 am

Hey, hey - there are Canadian people on this site! Would you mind toning down your Australian summer stories a teeny bit?

My garden is currently sleeping away under layers of peat moss - I'm so jealous of your need to water!!!!

ChrisK - please keep me posted about your date. I'll keep you up to date on whether mine changes - again. I'm glad things have settled down for you in other areas of your life. Enjoy that weather!