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*Treatment results may vary
Almost 7 Months Post surgery
I would say that I am not happy with the results, although I don't regret the surgery. To me, I have just gone from looking really ugly and strange to a little bit less ugly and strange.
I am fully healed and the only lasting effects from the surgery is the nerve damage felt on my lower lip and the right side of my chin. This is not that noticeable most days and has no negative effect on my life - it may well still recover completely.
My braces came off on the 14th of March. I think my teeth look worse than before the surgery and my lower centre line is now off by about 2mm (ish) I did mention something to the orthodontist and she suggested trying to use elastics to move them however there isn't a lot of space between my teeth to do much moving, and my bite felt good so I felt it was a waste of time. I also wanted an end to this whole chapter and didn't see any point trying to fix one small issue when my whole face still looks an ugly mess anyway.
I cried when I was having the braces taken off. I felt like the 3 years I've taken to do this was a waste of time. I feel that my expectations were not managed correctly. I distinctly remember my ortho saying that I 'had a lot of top lip but it didn't show because I did not have the bone support'. After the op, I still have no top lip, and my lips still don't meet comfortably, and my side profile is still really ugly.
I want to confront my ortho about these statements she made but she has claimed that I was carefully informed about what to expect and I doubt she would remember our conversation from three years ago anyway.
I am fully healed and the only lasting effects from the surgery is the nerve damage felt on my lower lip and the right side of my chin. This is not that noticeable most days and has no negative effect on my life - it may well still recover completely.
My braces came off on the 14th of March. I think my teeth look worse than before the surgery and my lower centre line is now off by about 2mm (ish) I did mention something to the orthodontist and she suggested trying to use elastics to move them however there isn't a lot of space between my teeth to do much moving, and my bite felt good so I felt it was a waste of time. I also wanted an end to this whole chapter and didn't see any point trying to fix one small issue when my whole face still looks an ugly mess anyway.
I cried when I was having the braces taken off. I felt like the 3 years I've taken to do this was a waste of time. I feel that my expectations were not managed correctly. I distinctly remember my ortho saying that I 'had a lot of top lip but it didn't show because I did not have the bone support'. After the op, I still have no top lip, and my lips still don't meet comfortably, and my side profile is still really ugly.
I want to confront my ortho about these statements she made but she has claimed that I was carefully informed about what to expect and I doubt she would remember our conversation from three years ago anyway.
Recovery continued
Recovery has been much slower than I had hoped - although maybe that's just because of my unrealistic expectations. I am still noticeable swollen, which is worse in the mornings. Just as I go to sleep I always think my face looks fairly 'normal' only for it to be swollen again when I wake, thus having to start the whole process again! I went back to work on the 23rd of Oct. I had wanted to walk back in mostly recovered and looking fabulous but seeming as my face won't cooperate I have had to return puffy faced. I also feel fine physically and so really couldn't justify to myself (or my bank balance) having anymore time off. It's just a shame that my job is so client facing - I have been wondering what they have been thinking when confronted with a swollen mumbling manager!
Here are a few 'problems' that I've had over the last few weeks that I've fretted are permanent only for them to go away after a few days.
On day six i constantly coughed up blood - i spent the whole day spitting into the sink, which was seriously disgusting - only for it to stop by day seven. I looked it up and apparently your body expels the blood clots that stopped you from bleeding after about a week.
Then there is the sharp pains - almost like pops going off in your ears. I still get them now although not so frequently. I believe this is only an issue for those who have had lower jaw surgery.
Eye pain - I had to wear sunglasses for a week, although who knows why that helped. I couldn't focus on anything, which was probably due to unseen swelling around the eye sockets.
Blocked Sinuses - 26 days after surgery and I'm still having to clear my sinuses with a spray to help me breath.
I'm still barely able to chew even soft food and I can only open my jaw to the width of my thumb - on my third check up my surgeon expressed concerns and told me I had to force my mouth open. I have been doing daily exercises and there is a difference however small. I read a blog where the patient could barely open her mouth a year after surgery. This scares me - i don't want to swallow down whole pasta shells for the rest of my life.
I have some degree of feeling in every part of my face, however just below my bottom lip is mostly numb. My lip also feels like it is stuck on and huge - even though I know it isn't.
How do I feel about the surgery?
I'm not sure -my profile looks better but still not something that I am comfortable with. I still look like an alien face on. My surgeon told me that my face is now almost a whole centimetre shorter than it was before but it's still ridiculously long! On top of this I worry about the damage left behind from this surgery - i.e not being able to eat properly. I saw this surgery as a life line but I am worried I have just created new problems for myself. I have read on blogs where patience have discussed the long term negative effects of their surgery, however are so please with their appearance that they have said it was all worth it. I'm just not sure I would be able to say the same.
Here are a few 'problems' that I've had over the last few weeks that I've fretted are permanent only for them to go away after a few days.
On day six i constantly coughed up blood - i spent the whole day spitting into the sink, which was seriously disgusting - only for it to stop by day seven. I looked it up and apparently your body expels the blood clots that stopped you from bleeding after about a week.
Then there is the sharp pains - almost like pops going off in your ears. I still get them now although not so frequently. I believe this is only an issue for those who have had lower jaw surgery.
Eye pain - I had to wear sunglasses for a week, although who knows why that helped. I couldn't focus on anything, which was probably due to unseen swelling around the eye sockets.
Blocked Sinuses - 26 days after surgery and I'm still having to clear my sinuses with a spray to help me breath.
I'm still barely able to chew even soft food and I can only open my jaw to the width of my thumb - on my third check up my surgeon expressed concerns and told me I had to force my mouth open. I have been doing daily exercises and there is a difference however small. I read a blog where the patient could barely open her mouth a year after surgery. This scares me - i don't want to swallow down whole pasta shells for the rest of my life.
I have some degree of feeling in every part of my face, however just below my bottom lip is mostly numb. My lip also feels like it is stuck on and huge - even though I know it isn't.
How do I feel about the surgery?
I'm not sure -my profile looks better but still not something that I am comfortable with. I still look like an alien face on. My surgeon told me that my face is now almost a whole centimetre shorter than it was before but it's still ridiculously long! On top of this I worry about the damage left behind from this surgery - i.e not being able to eat properly. I saw this surgery as a life line but I am worried I have just created new problems for myself. I have read on blogs where patience have discussed the long term negative effects of their surgery, however are so please with their appearance that they have said it was all worth it. I'm just not sure I would be able to say the same.