Summer 2016 Surgery Buds

[glennstanzalone]

Hey everyone! I'm getting braces next month to prep for a July surgery date! Surgeon is Dr. Sabol and Orthodontist is Dr. Mason. I'm in AZ. SOOO nervous to get braces again! Also really excited to meet my new self afterward!

[drgnfly]

Hey - Similar situation here. I'm having my braces placed tomorrow(!) for a surgery in 6-8 months (we think - it could always be longer). I had braces as a child, and still have pretty straight teeth. Unfortunately, I've developed a bite issue (my top front teeth are wearing down my bottom front teeth because they hit one another), so my OMFS and orthodontist decided that a course of braces along with upper jaw surgery would fix my issues.

What sort of issue are you having treated? Do you know yet which procedures you'll have performed?

[ebills]

I'll be having surgery, tentatively, around April-July, hopefully!

I got braces on January 2015, with an anticipated surgery for a year after...well that has come and gone, my next ortho appointment is April, so I assume that's when they may set a date. drgnfly is correct, though, you just never know!

I'm also excited to meet my new self and starting to get worried about any potential side effects that you hear of happening.

[KatMarie99]

I am getting braces put on February 15th for double jaw surgery around June (if all goes as planned). I had braces for 5 years and lower jaw surgery about ten years ago. However, I recently started to experience joint pain and when I went in the surgeon suggested correcting the surgery I had previously in addition to securing the tmj disks in place.

I am most dreading getting braces again... especially now that I am an adult and working full time. Oh well, hoping it is worth it in the end.

[drgnfly]

I was dreading it. Now that I've lived with them for a week, I'm actually kind of enjoying them. They don't look as bad as I had anticipated, and they're a constant reminder that I'm taking time and effort and doing something good for myself. I am excited to be done with treatment, but I also find the process to be interesting too.

[glennstanzalone]

I'm also dreading braces. I'm in my late 20's and can't imagine going out to a concert with braces. I would die of embarrassment.

Yes, I have a 7mm overbite, slightly gummy smile. They are suggesting moving the upper jaw up 4mm to allow the lower jaw to rotate forward. He thinks that might be enough but he might have to do a BSSO to balance my profile. Also, my jaw is slightly canted by about a mm. He's correcting that as well. It was interesting because he said my face looks way better than my skeleton. That my soft tissue doesn't show my assymetry as much, so he doesn't want to over correct me and make me look weird. Which I appreciate alot. But I definitely WANT double jaws, just because I've seen the outcomes and they appear the best with both jaws usually. I think.

[glennstanzalone]

They said 5-6months of braces before surgery. Both doctors were very pleased by how great my teeth are. I will be so sad if they tell me that I have to stay in braces. SPACERS GO IN TOMORROW!! Wish me luck!

[drgnfly]

I have the same issue - you'd never know it to look at me that my skeleton is not where it should be. Unfortunately, the only other option that my ortho saw was for me to wear retainers and night guards for the rest of my life. I decided to just get it fixed the right way.

[KatMarie99]

Good luck on getting your spacers today! Let us know how it goes.

I would agree with what you said in regards to getting both jaws rather than just one. When I had my first surgery ten years ago I only had my bottom jaw operated on for a severe underbite. However, because they didn't operate on my top, my bottom teeth are now very tilted inward to make my bite line up and they had to remove teeth from my bottom. My upper jaw is also underdeveloped now. Most of this will be reversed in this round of treatment and I will have both jaws operated on.

My teeth are very straight though so pre op orthodontics should only take about 4 months. So hopefully that means a surgery date around late June.

[glennstanzalone]

Exactly, I'm not trying to go in twice. He said that they will wire the jaws together in the correct bite and move the entire lower face up. If that results in my teeth slanting backward, they will have to adjust how much they move my upper jaw and then adjust the lower jaw. My lower jaw is super tiny imo and I don't know how much it will "swing" forward once it has the space to do so. I do know that when I push my lower jaw forward all the way, it looks aesthetically appealing. I'm hoping for that aesthetic outcome with a correct bite.

About spacers: holy sesame they hurt! I can't really chew at all. I'm taking tylenol for the pain and so the swelling will remain.

Braces go in Feb 4th!

[KatMarie99]

How long is everyone planning to take off work? I am worried about returning to work still swollen or not being able to talk normally. My first surgery was only lower jaw so the recovery was not bad at all...upper jaw surgery seems much more of an intense recovery.

Also, does anyone know how long after surgery you are typically able to fly? I fly almost every week for my job.
I will of course ask my surgeon this at my next appointment as well.

[glennstanzalone]

I'm currently in an Americorps program that ends in June, I'm getting the surgery right after in July. I start school again in mid-August. I'm hoping 4-6 weeks is enough time. I think it also depends if you get both jaws how long the recovery lasts. I've seen blogs saying they couldn't chew for 4 weeks!

I wouldn't have a clue about flying but it seems like the pressure change would be a nightmare if you couldn't put pressure on your sinuses to equalize your ears.

[glennstanzalone]

Let us know what the surgeon says about time off! I won't see my surgeon again until May. Braces in 2 days!

[snapdresser]

KatMarie99 - I flew when I was 4.5 weeks post-op. My surgeon didn't seem thrilled with the idea, but I had places to be. I had no issues at all. It was only about a 2-3 hour flight each way. At about 12 weeks I went on a couple 7-hour flights, also no issue, obviously. Good luck!

[KatMarie99]

Thanks for the responses. I will let you know what the surgeon says - I am seeing him on the 12th. Braces go on the 15th so want to get all my questions answered from the surgeon beforehand since getting braces is really committing! haha Most of my concerns are just around the recovery and managing work when I am swollen and have a splint (if I have a splint).

I want to make sure I want to do this now rather than later. I guess there is never a good time for jaw surgery though so might as well bite the bullet.

@snapdresser - how soon did you go back to work after surgery? did you have a splint?