Sorry, Should have said February 2014 surgery buddies

[samoorelaw]

Hi redwine,

Did you (or anyone) have your pre-op yet? How did it go? I just had mine and I'm pleased to learn that I won't need to wear a splint after the surgery like so many people have to! They said they only use the splint during the surgery to position the bite to where he wants it and then it's removed after the surgery. It seems like those who have trouble speaking have the splint, and it's harder to clean the splint so I'm glad I won't need it.

They also did not need to take any further molds/models, pictures or x-rays, which I found a bit odd: they said they had everything they needed from the original pictures and updated x-ray from my orthodontist (the one taken at my last real adjustment back in December 2013). I thought the surgeon always took his own models and x-rays just prior to surgery and that he performs the surgery on the models in the week(s) leading up to the surgery...

[redwine]

Pre-op was last week and all was fine. Also had molds taken by the surgeon - twice! Evidently something didn't work right the first. And I was told that I won't need a splint either. Lucky us! Those things sound awful. In fact I was told that since I'm such a good healer, I won't even have to be banded super tightly. He said I'd be able to get a spoon in my mouth, but I would be numb so I probably shouldn't try to eat that way. So on that front, all is well. However, now my insurance company is dragging their feet getting the procedure approved. It was pre-approved over a year ago as part of a "package deal sort of thing - SARPE and BSSO. Either surgery on it's own won't correct the problems; it's only when they're both done that my mouth will work properly. If I haven't heard good news by tomorrow AM, I'm called the surgeon as well as the patient advocate. They're the only ones allowed to nag. I'm not allowed to speak to anyone in that area of the insurance company. Fingers crossed!
In any case, I'll be thinking of you Sam (Sherry) on Tuesday. Do you go in the morning or afternoon. I've been told the surgery will begin sometime between 1-4pm. I kinda feel like the cable company is going to be working on my mouth! I'm guessing that I'll get a time when insurance gets off its collective behind.

[samoorelaw]

Thanks!

Oh my goodness, I hate insurance companies SO much! Since my anesthesiologist is in network and that bill will be charged separately, I have to pay the $1,000 in-network deductible before that will be covered 70% in addition to the $2,000 out-of-network deductible I'm paying for my surgeon! So in the end, I'm not really saving too much (maybe 2 grand, if I'm lucky). Oh well, I guess it's better than nothing. I hope you hear some good news soon from your insurance.

My surgery will begin at 8 am; I have to be there by 7:30 am. They said the surgery will take approximately 2.5 hours and I could be on my way home by noon or 1 pm, depending on how quickly I come out of the anesthesia.

Let me know when you get your time!

[ST24085]

samoorelaw,

Your bite looks fairly similar to mine, minus the underbite and hence, why they are moving your upper jaw forward. I think I may have a more sever cross-bite though. I do have a question for you, my surgeon said they only do maxillary expansion with Lefort if the expansion required is under 5 mm, otherwise it becomes unstable and chances increase for relapse. I take it yours is less than 5 mm? I'm a borderline case in that when I am ready for surgery, I may need a small SARPE before proceeding to Lefort. They will only be able to tell once my teeth are lined up I'm told. Can you provide any insight into the comments regarding expansion? Did they mention SARPE to you?

[samoorelaw]

samoorelaw,

Your bite looks fairly similar to mine, minus the underbite and hence, why they are moving your upper jaw forward. I think I may have a more sever cross-bite though. I do have a question for you, my surgeon said they only do maxillary expansion with Lefort if the expansion required is under 5 mm, otherwise it becomes unstable and chances increase for relapse. I take it yours is less than 5 mm? I'm a borderline case in that when I am ready for surgery, I may need a small SARPE before proceeding to Lefort. They will only be able to tell once my teeth are lined up I'm told. Can you provide any insight into the comments regarding expansion? Did they mention SARPE to you?

Hello,

I was not told how much maxillary expansion was necessary: my ortho and surgeon just said I need it. Ortho said they have to move my upper jaw forward approximately 3-4 mm. SARPE was never mentioned or recommended to me so I'm assuming my upper jaw does not have to be expanded too much. When I was younger, I had to wear a palatial expander so maybe that's why they don't have to expand my upper arch too much.

[redwine]

More news: Still no word on insurance although the surgeons office is "confident" as it was pre-approved as sort of a package deal including the SARPE. However, it looks as though I'm expected to stay overnight as an "inpatient procedure" is what is pending approval. Not crazy about that, but it's probably because I don't do well with pain killers. Hoping to hear something any minute. Trying very hard to stay positive! Sam - glad you got a time - so much easier for planning purposes. I am lucky though (as long as it's approved) this is all being billed as medical and my co-pay is very low (retired military - earned it). Fingers crossed and I'll post as soon as I get a time. Happy that you're going in the am as I think it just seems easier - not that you'll probably get a lot of sleep the night before. You'll be home before you know it!

[redwine]

Whoo hoo! Insurance is officially on board. Now just have to get a time...

[samoorelaw]

That's great news on the insurance! Right now, I'm annoyed beyond belief with my oral surgeon's office: it turns out that they didn't even inform my anesthesiologist that I'm no longer a cash-pay and that I have insurance: anesthesiologist told me the oral surgeon was just going to collect the anesthesiologist fee on the day of the procedure instead of having them bill my insurance, and going through an in-network provider usually involves the fees sometimes being split in half! Thankfully I told them that is NOT the case and they will follow up with my oral surgeon's office to ensure they have the appropriate insurance information.

I just can't believe how difficult this whole process has been and that the billing coordinator with the oral surgeon's office often does not seem to know the process herself. I should have her job, seriously...

[ST24085]

samoorelaw,

Your bite looks fairly similar to mine, minus the underbite and hence, why they are moving your upper jaw forward. I think I may have a more sever cross-bite though. I do have a question for you, my surgeon said they only do maxillary expansion with Lefort if the expansion required is under 5 mm, otherwise it becomes unstable and chances increase for relapse. I take it yours is less than 5 mm? I'm a borderline case in that when I am ready for surgery, I may need a small SARPE before proceeding to Lefort. They will only be able to tell once my teeth are lined up I'm told. Can you provide any insight into the comments regarding expansion? Did they mention SARPE to you?

Hello,

I was not told how much maxillary expansion was necessary: my ortho and surgeon just said I need it. Ortho said they have to move my upper jaw forward approximately 3-4 mm. SARPE was never mentioned or recommended to me so I'm assuming my upper jaw does not have to be expanded too much. When I was younger, I had to wear a palatial expander so maybe that's why they don't have to expand my upper arch too much.

Thanks for the reply. I had the palatal expander in too, twice. Lol. Well best of luck then! I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it unfolds.

[redwine]

10AM on Tuesday the 11th! I'll be going in more or less when you're coming out. Even more good news: At my ortho appt this morning I was told that I will probably be done with braces by late summer/early fall! Now that is something to look forward to! When do they think you'll be out of braces Sam/Sherry?

[samoorelaw]

10AM on Tuesday the 11th! I'll be going in more or less when you're coming out. Even more good news: At my ortho appt this morning I was told that I will probably be done with braces by late summer/early fall! Now that is something to look forward to! When do they think you'll be out of braces Sam/Sherry?

Awesome! My ortho's computer says my estimated treatment ends in December 2014 but the oral surgeon's office says the average time to have braces removed after surgery is 5-6 months, in which case I'd get them off in July/August, with a total treatment time of 19/20 months instead of the estimated 24. What really stings is my original paperwork said that my treatment time should only be 12-15 months, and at the consultation, the ortho estimated 18 months. I'm hoping the 18-20 month period is going to be the time!

BTW, how should I address you?

[redwine]

I'm Wendy - should have said that MUCH earlier! We are going to be even more fantastic when this is all behind us!

[redwine]

PS- my estimated treatment time was 24-30 months, so I hope to be on the lower end of the scale.

[samoorelaw]

I'm Wendy - should have said that MUCH earlier! We are going to be even more fantastic when this is all behind us!

Hi Wendy,

I've been a nervous wreck all day and it's just going to get worse with each passing day until surgery. I miss solid food already. How soon was it before you were able to eat mushy, non-liquid food like mashed potatoes?

[samoorelaw]

Well, I survived and am home (got out of surgery at 11 and was home by 1). Had a very rough day: I'm a huge nose bleeder and every time I get up, my nose just gushes blood. Ugh. Plus, my throat is severely sore from the breathing tube. Only drank 490 calories and that's not good. Much harder than I thought it would be. Also, I panicked when the anesthesiologist came in and I think he knocked me out immediately because I did not even see my surgeon prior to the procedure, nor did I see him after or at pre-op: I haven't seen this man since December 2012 so I'm not even completely sure he operated on me. J/k lol.

But, at least I like the shape of my new nose: smaller in the bridge and slightly upturned: really noticeable from the side and I like it! I was terrified it would make my nose wider but he did a procedure preventing that from happening.

One concern: it now looks like I went from having an underbite to having an overjet/overbite! Could this be due to the swelling? I certainly hope so because my lower jaw now appears to be set back a lot from the upper jaw. I don't want to trade in an underbite for an overbite!

How are you, Wendy? In the hospital? Home?