New to the site and have questions re orthognathic treatment

[sarahxxxx]

hello everyone..
i am sarah and i am from the uk aged 24,only just joined this site so if i have put this thread in the wrong area i'm sorry..

Ok,so here is my story..
As i am getting older the more my bite upsets me.. so i decided to go for a consultation with a cosmetic dentist(this was 3 days ago) ... anyway.. they took one look and said to me my teeth are not the problem.. its my top jaw,needs to be brought forward.They said i need orthognathic treatment ... I really did not want to hear this.. because having my jaw broke would be drastic....but am now getting my head around it,if this is my only option then this is the treatment i will undertake... i can't carry on with feeling how i do everyday.i feel like.. why should i look like this.
When my mouth closed you can not notice i need this treatment..its only when i bite i can notice...but im fed up of the looks when i talk..when i laugh....
So anyway... they advised me to see my doctor or dentist for a referral to have this treatent on the NHS... i have appointments with both next week... maybe one might help me.....but i worry i will get turned away because i am not in any physical pain.. but is emotional pain not enough??...
So this is my question to any of you that have had this treatment or know about it....
1. if i get turned away by referrals...where do i turn?
2.how much will this cost me if i have to go private?
Thank you for taking your time to read this....
xx

[katiekatie23]

Hi sarah!
welcome to the forum!
you will get lots of help on this site, i did!!!!!
i think your best bet would be to go for both apps then see what each one says,
in my opinion your emotional pain would defo be enough for the nhs not sure how much it would cost privatley that something you should look into after you have seen both!

where in the uk are you? im in stoke-on-trent!!

kate xx

[sarahxxxx]

thank you for your reply hun..
im in bournemouth xx

[katiekatie23]

oooh i have relatives in bournemouth!!!!!
let us no how you get on aswell and dont forget to start a blog where you can post your thought and pics its really good i love reading through everyones!!! xx

[sarahxxxx]

yes... once i know i will get treatment will defo do that
have i posted this in right place for all people to see this? .. just hope some one comes along and reads it whos had the treatment ...
did you have dental treatment then ? x

[katiekatie23]

yea there are loads of places you could of put this post but when i log in i go straight to 'new posts' and they all show up!!
yea i have had invisalign braces for 4 weeks now its been ok so far i get my next set of trays next friday so really looking forward to it!!

i no there is quite a few people that maybe having some kind of jaw surgery on here, if you read through the recent blogs you will see who is then you could maybe send them a message or something?? xx

[Sunny]

Hi and welcome Sarah!

Hopefully your appointments will go well and you'll hear what you need to.

Emotional pain is different to physical and does require a different treatment, but ... often (in fact almost always) if the bite is poor, there are risks to the physical, such as the jaw joints. A surgeon and orthodontist will take this into account when looking at your x-rays and history. Just because you don't have jaw pain now, doesn't mean you won't in 10, 20 or 30 years. You're very young, so your jaw still has many years of work ahead of it.

Let's not think about the alternatives, until you've progressed through these appointments. Good luck and I look forward to following your story!

[sarahxxxx]

thankyou both for replying..
i will let you know how i get on with my doctor next tuesday and if he don't give me a referral i hope my dentist will.. i see him next friday..
I just hate all this waiting... i want action..
fed up of feeling how i feel..

again.. if any one has had this treatent please message me.. xx

[Sunny]

Sarah read the Oral Orthognathic Surgery forum, as you'll find people who've posted in there about the surgeries they're having or had.

Why does your top jaw need to be brought forward? Do you have a class III bite (underbite), or is there some other reason that this is needed?

Good luck with your doctors appointment!

[sarahxxxx]

hi sunny..
thank you for that..
Its hard to explan but i will give it a go..
I have been told its hereditary my dad has a bite like mine but his is not as bad as mine...when i bite.... my bottom jaw is where it should be but my top jaw is erm.. (hard to explan) well its back hence my top row of teeth are not very noticable.so yes its an underbite..its really hard for me to explan because i no nothing about this...but will look up the info u linked for me xxx

[sarahxxxx]

i am so confused looking at some of the posts on that link...
most have a brace before treatment.I have been told a brace wont work for me what so ever... i have straight teeth.and there is nothing a brace can do to help me.. as i need top jaw brought forward..(and again..i no nothing about this treatment) i wish there was a dental way that can help my smile/bite... but theres not...
will keep looking on this site to find some one who has had this treatment...

[Sunny]

That's very unusual Sarah, I've never seen a person who not had braces before surgery, but I've seen the profile of a person, and instead of brackets they had to put screws into the jaw bone (top and bottom), to attach the elastics to that hold the jaw in it's new position after surgery ... usually around six weeks ... but that can vary.

The clients I've worked with who have a class III bite, have braces, to make sure their bite is in the correct position, so that when they have surgery, it's more simply, to do. It's not about straightening teeth, but about making sure that the jaw needs only specific movements.

It's great that your jaw is already in that place. Make sure you ask your surgeon about how the jaw will be 'held' in position after surgery, as it will be differend to the usual, due to no hooks on the brackets.

I have/had a class III dental bite. I often wish I could have had surgery, although I don't know how I'd have paid for it, but it would have meant my treatment could have been finished in two or three years ... but oh well ... it wasn't to be. Elastics have been used to move the teeth in my upper jaw forward, so that now the front and left side are in class I and hopefully soon the right side will be also.

Orthodontic treatment has been a breeze for me ... coz I'm loving not having jaw pain, as that was a major issue.

I look forward to reading how your doctors appointment goes. Good luck!

[sarahxxxx]

ah ha..
thank you very much for that info sunny... you are a great help...
I am still going to try and get my referrals for jaw treatment.. but also thinking of seeking one last opinion from a ortho.... i posted another thread about this jsut now..
oh my god.. its like 2.30am i been on this site for like 5 hours lol x

[Sunny]

Sarah my advice is ... make some appointments and go check out the ortho's for yourself. They'll tell you what you need, and then you can decide what you want or can afford to have done. Remember you don't need to go with any one of them.

All ortho's are trained to work with class III bites ... so get your phone book out (or internet) ... find the numbers ... and on Monday, start making calls and setting up appointments. Ask how much the consults will cost ... as I think the UK is like NZ and Australia, where we pay for the skill of the person doing the consult. Some may not ... but that doesn't meant they're any better or worse. It's best to put time and money into this part of your preparation ... coz if it's not done well, you may never get the result you desire.

Good luck ... and remind yourself ... that is really up to you! Take care ... and I really hope you find the ortho who's best for you very soon!