first post :)

[ibeezee]

I have been following the boards for a while, but finally decided to register and start posting.

I just wanted to say hi to everyone foremost.

I am here just like everyone else because of dental related issues. When I was younger I had a broad smile, full cheeks. I was really a beautiful kid growing up. Then, as my adult teeth come in I noticed my face started to change. I had bags under my eyes (at 10 years old!) a flat profile, narrow palate, receding chin, etc. I am a mouth breather btw. My face has really bothered me, and when I would tell me mom "something is not normal about my self" she didn't see it. When I told my dentist, he said "that's how god made you, and I cannot do anything about it."

I have researched orthotropics (im too old for that treatment), oral surgery, homeoblock, etc....But I am not sure of where to start. Most orthodontists that I have gone to have no idea what I am talking about or say there is no way they can fix what is bothering me. I dont know if this "misgrowth" is in my mind, is untreatable, or if I am not going to the right doctors. Can anyone help?

I wanted to included pics to illustrate what bothers me about my face (flat profile, no cheek bones, receding chin, lip incontinence, flat nose, puffy eyes). but its saying that i am not authorized to. Although I know most people here are not dentists, I am hoping that maybe I can find someone with a similar facial issues or if anyone can point me to the right direction on where to find a doctor who is familiar with these types of issues. Thanks!

[Minerva]

Welcome

[Bullfighter]

Welcome

+1

First thing I'd do is separate the bite issues from the cosmetic ones, and then get a maxillofacial surgeon to give you an objective assessment as to what might be changed and what you'd do best to accept as is.

A lot of your perception of your appearance may be just that -- your perception. I found the surgeon's analysis very helpful, in that he/she can tell you what elements of your face might be out of proportion compared to a model of perfection. The slippery slope, though, is that (a) no one has a mathematically perfect face and (b) there is a cost -- money and physical trauma -- to anything you change. Proceed with caution...

[ibeezee]

[quote="Minerva"]Welcome [/quote]

Thank you! glad to be here.

[ibeezee]

[quote="Bullfighter"][quote="Minerva"]Welcome [/quote]

+1

First thing I'd do is separate the bite issues from the cosmetic ones, and then get a maxillofacial surgeon to give you an objective assessment as to what might be changed and what you'd do best to accept as is.

A lot of your perception of your appearance may be just that -- your perception. I found the surgeon's analysis very helpful, in that he/she can tell you what elements of your face might be out of proportion compared to a model of perfection. The slippery slope, though, is that (a) no one has a mathematically perfect face and (b) there is a cost -- money and physical trauma -- to anything you change. Proceed with caution...[/quote]


thank you for your advice. i guess the first step is talking to a maxillofacial surgeon since they would best know what EXACTLY is "wrong" with me. sigh, i wish it were easier to fix. right now, money is an issue. ive already paid for a homeobloc consultation. the doc says he can advance my jaw, widen my palate, and develop my cheek bones with the appliance, but i am skeptical. seems too good to be true. have you (or anyone else reading this) heard of the homeoblock?

I am scared of the possibility of surgery tho, but will wait to see what the surgeon says. i guess i should start researching good docs in my area for a consultation.

[159061]

probably youve got vertical maxillary excess with/without a receding mandible.

IF your issues are REAL, you will certainly need a maxillary impaction maybe associated with a bsso or a genioplasty.

[CaliforniaKid]

(flat profile, no cheek bones, receding chin, lip incontinence, flat nose, puffy eyes)

all things that can be corrected through cosmetic procedures. jaw surgery should correct lip incontinence, and many surgeons can shave the cheek bones to enhance the jawline. a flat nose and baggy eyes can be corrected.

nose job/baggy eyes and even cheek augmentation are peanuts compared to jaw surgery. your dentist/mom are dead wrong IMO. lip incontinence and mouth breathing are real medical issues that can affect your appearance.

i dont have a flat profile but i know the struggle with lip incontinence. i cannot close my mouth naturally and it drives me mad.

[CaliforniaKid]

your profile is not that bad. do your lips seal naturally at rest or do you have to force them? my mouth is open at rest.

honestly, what is your primary concern? aesthetics or strong bite? orthognathic surgery almost always has a medical motivation behind it.

i know tons of posters love to pimp gunson/arnett, but in terms of aesthetics they definitely are top in cali. all the surgeons i met with were pressuring so many invasive surgeries that confused me. arnett just made sense and their office has 100+ before and after profile pics.

i would seriously consider consulting a plastic surgeon referred by your ortho or trusted surgeon. that's what i did and their examination helped identify aesthetic areas that i didn't think could be improved.

oral surgeons will look at you from a jaw perspective. a cosmetic surgeon can provide a comprehensive review independent of medical need. most insurances dont cover elective procedures, but a nose job is about 4,000 in california. it can definitely improve one's frontal symmetry and make other areas of the face, including the chin, look more prominent and strong.

[Linnie]

To be perfectly honest, I find no problem with your face or profile. I am no dentist, orthodontist or surgeon, but my advice is: think about it carefully before starting such a journey.
I feel my braces every hour, every day and wish that I didn't have to go down that road. And I will have jaw advancement surgery in the summer. Again, I wish that surgery was avoidable, but it isn't.

Be sure to see more than one specialist.

[ibeezee]

your profile is not that bad. do your lips seal naturally at rest or do you have to force them? my mouth is open at rest.

honestly, what is your primary concern? aesthetics or strong bite? orthognathic surgery almost always has a medical motivation behind it.

i know tons of posters love to pimp gunson/arnett, but in terms of aesthetics they definitely are top in cali. all the surgeons i met with were pressuring so many invasive surgeries that confused me. arnett just made sense and their office has 100+ before and after profile pics.

i would seriously consider consulting a plastic surgeon referred by your ortho or trusted surgeon. that's what i did and their examination helped identify aesthetic areas that i didn't think could be improved.

oral surgeons will look at you from a jaw perspective. a cosmetic surgeon can provide a comprehensive review independent of medical need. most insurances dont cover elective procedures, but a nose job is about 4,000 in california. it can definitely improve one's frontal symmetry and make other areas of the face, including the chin, look more prominent and strong.

Thank you for your reply. i tend to be overly critical on myself, so its always good to hear an outside perspective.

Anyway, my mouth is slightly open at rest. I do breath through my mouth and sleep with my mouth open. I feel very vain saying this, but my main concern is aesthetics. jaw surgery does terrify me, and if i could be satisfied with the results of cosmetic surgery + braces i would definitely prefer that route. do you mind me asking what cosmetic procedures u did?

[ibeezee]

To be perfectly honest, I find no problem with your face or profile. I am no dentist, orthodontist or surgeon, but my advice is: think about it carefully before starting such a journey.
I feel my braces every hour, every day and wish that I didn't have to go down that road. And I will have jaw advancement surgery in the summer. Again, I wish that surgery was avoidable, but it isn't.

Be sure to see more than one specialist.

Thank you for your reply. The issues I have with my face/profile is that I feel like my face is droopy (esp below the eyes and cheeks which u probably cannot see from my pictures) I also hate the area around my mouth, my lip position from my profile bothers me. My lips stick out further than my nose and seem to droop down. I am thinking this has to do with my narrow arch and mouth breathing, which has made my teeth narrow and slanted forward. However, im not a doctor so this is all my assumption. I didn't have these issues as a young child before my permanent teeth came in. My face and arch were much wider, my chin and nose were prominent, and my lips were wider and not protruding if that makes sense.

Best of luck to you with your surgery and overall quest

[whiteswan]

I think your profile looks fantastic... I see nothing wrong from an aesthetic point at all. It is a very pretty profile, IMO!