Overbite Surgury in May ?

[simsim]

I've had my braces for not even a year. I got them in April. I just found out that I will be getting surgury in May. I just want to know what I should expect. Should I be scared? Will my face will Swell up ?

[justjenn]

Hi simsim,

We're on the exact same timeline. I originally got mine in May, changed orthos in July, and am due for overbite surgery sometime in May. According to my ortho and my dentist, I'll end up with a "pumpkin face" but my face is also very small. I've also been told that you can't eat solid food for about 6 weeks, but it will be so worth it.

Jenn

[William M. Hang, D.D.S.]

Dear Simsim,

Try to shift your perspective if you can. What you need to worry about is the rest of your life. Swelling is temporary, the result is permanent. If I'm understanding your situation you've been in braces several months and only now are finding out that you need surgery. Was this not discussed prior to your starting treatment? If not, what has changed since the start of your treatment which is the reason for this recommendation?

I suggest you do your homework carefully before you do anything since you want to do this once and do it right. I'd urge you to have a discussion with your orthodontist and surgeon and ask some very pertinent questions. Among them would be what your face is going to look like afterwards. What effect will this surgery have on my airway? During the surgery will they be bringing your teeth and jaws backward or forward in your face? How many millimeters? Will your face height be shortened or lengthened? Do they plan on removing permanent teeth? Do your jaws click when you open? Have they determined this, and if so what do they plan on doing to address it? If they haven't questioned you about this and listened to your joint with a stethoscope or more sophisticated instrumentation you may want to find someone who will look at this. Healthy, well functioning jaw joints are the foundation of a good result. I've seen this issue overlooked in my practice by very competent and well intentioned medical professionals, and the unfortunate result has been a revision of the surgery. In other words, I have treated many people to prepare them for a second surgery. There is nothing more heartbreaking than having these patients in my office. Best of luck.

William M. Hang, D.D.S., M.S.D.