reason for your orthognathic surgery

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#16 Post by **AF104** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:41 am

BSSO wasn't invented until 1955 and has certainly undergone many changes since then. It likely wasn't routinely performed for many years after that. In regards to this comment: "I would have to agree that MOST plastic surgeons don't know anything about the jaw, palate, etc." I partially agree. That's why I suggested an academic medical center.

#17 Post by **OzzysMom** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:17 pm

I'm sorry but I have to say that some of the info on this thread can be misleading to someone who doesn't know.

I sincerely hope that there aren't people at the start of their journey reading this thread and think that a plastic surgeon will be all they need....only to regret it years down the road when they have major functional issues.

#18 Post by **archangel689** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:40 pm

I'm going to have to agree with a lot of these points made by HokieTay.

An Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon knows plenty about cosmetic issues. In fact, they should generally know MORE about cosmetic issues in their area of expertise then a general cosmetic surgeon, to suggest they don't is completely absurd.

ALL SURGEONS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. Look at my recovery time vs. the recovery time of many others. I am three weeks post op with almost zero swelling. Go to a specialist.

HokieTay wrote:
AF104 wrote:You shouldn't care what we think of you. If you're concerned about how you look then opt for surgery. I would suggest that you see a plastic surgeon at a major(university) medical center as opposed to an oral surgeon though. Plastic surgeons will focus on an optimal aesthetic outcome whereas oral surgeons most often try to normalize the skeletal relationships without regard to the cosmetic outcome.
That's horrible advice. There are many stories of people who went to plastic surgeons not knowing that they had a functional issue. Then the plastic surgeons correct the cosmetic aspect, but the functional issue is the same, if not worse. It's like putting a band aid on a gun shot wound.

#19 Post by **archangel689** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:50 pm

AF104 wrote:Their is no official title of "orthognathic surgeon".

Horse sesame. They're different fields that overlap. There is even a board certification for it.

http://www.dental.pitt.edu/patients/surgery.php

#20 Post by **AF104** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:03 pm

That link goes to a page for oral and maxillofacial surgery. There is a board certification for that but that's not the title that she used.

#21 Post by **AF104** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:09 pm

In regard to this comment: "An Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon knows plenty about cosmetic issues. In fact, they should generally know MORE about cosmetic issues in their area of expertise then a general cosmetic surgeon, to suggest they don't is completely absurd." A craniofacial plastic surgeon isn't a general cosmetic surgeon. Orthognathic surgery is part of their "area of expertise". Plastic surgeon's also are specialists of the soft tissues of the face. They can provide a result that puts a greater focus on cosmesis but doesn't destroy functionality. For example instead of normalizing the cephalogram maybe they leave each jaw 1mm short of what's cephalometrically normally because it provides optimum aesthetics. If the patient provides informed consent and accepts more focus on cosmetic issues then functional issues then that's their right.

#22 Post by **archangel689** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:35 pm

The program is a DMD with a focus on oral and maxillofacial surgery, they're dentists.

Do I have to go down the street and take a picture of the residents that have the title stitched into their lab coats?

#23 Post by **AF104** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:35 pm

Here's another good link: http://www.chp.edu/CHP/Patient+Procedures_Plastics

If you compare that to archangel789's Pitt dental link you'll see a lot of overlap between craniofacial plastic surgery and ora/maxillofacial surgery. So, with equally qualified doctors from a knowledge and experience standpoint the person who started this thread should see a craniofacial plastic surgeon because they also have more extensive training in soft tissue reconstruction and that person is more interested in cosmesis. Functional issues aren't likely unless the given patient's desires are excessive. If that were the case though then the surgeon would likely decline to operate.

#24 Post by **archangel689** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:51 pm

Yeah, and thats why Ben Roethlisberger's surgery was led by DMDs and not plastic surgeons, because eventhough he's on tv all the time, his appearance doesn't matter.

#25 Post by **AF104** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:55 pm

Well, now you're just speculating. Your comment implies that he chose his surgical team.

#26 Post by **archangel689** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:58 pm

No but the pittsburgh steelers medical staff did...

#27 Post by **AF104** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:03 pm

I don't remember that. Oral surgeons concede defeat on the soft tissue topic though. Here's one example: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Oral-Surgery ... -smile.htm

#28 Post by **crazybeautiful** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 8:46 am

A plastic surgeon's work is to make the patient look like their perception of normal, or 'better'. An oral surgeon's work is to make the patient look how they should truly look, in terms of skeletal normality. But that creates the same result. It's just that an oral surgeon additionally works on the longitudinal health of our jaws and teeth. So why bother not correcting the fundamental issue if your problem is severe enough to warrant surgery in the first place?

If the jaws are put together how they should be, then that creates a balanced, normal appearance

Nobody is denying a cosmetic surgeon focuses on aesthetics, but how can an oral surgeon not? It's logically impossible for someone who specialises in maxillofacial surgey to not have any idea- or at least less of an idea than some cosmetic surgeon- about maxillofacial balance and a person's appearance. Hello, that's idiotic

#29 Post by **AF104** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:05 am

In regards to this comment: "If the jaws are put together how they should be, then that creates a balanced, normal appearance". It doesn't necessarily create an optimum aesthetic appearance. For example an underdeveloped mandible is associated with more cheekbone prominence. Some people wouldn't trade that for normal function. In regards to this comment: "It's logically impossible for someone who specialises in maxillofacial surgey to not have any idea- or at least less of an idea than some cosmetic surgeon". Maxillofacial surgery is something that plastic surgeons specialize in. Craniofacial plastic surgeons are super specialized in it. So, if you have a choice between equally qualified types of surgeons and you want a cosmetic focus you see the surgeon who is also a cosmetic expert.

#30 Post by **AF104** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:58 am

Another great link: http://surgery.med.nyu.edu/plastic/educ ... fellowship

Emphasis of Program: Pediatric and Adult Craniofacial and Orthognathic Surgery