Complications of jaw surgery

I have been reading your journey and I’m so sorry this happened to you. How is your burning sensation? I’m a year out now and I can’t stand the feeling on my chin and lip. It burns so much. Nothing helps it, I take 2400 mg neurontin daily. I cry everyday and sometimes I’m on the floor bawling. Nobody in my life gets it :( do you still have pain? My bite sucks too. I’m so depressed. I was told to get fillers too. What a joke, I don’t want to manipulate my body ever again for risk of worse pain. Is anything helpful for the burning?

Hi, I am very sorry to read what a bad experience you have had. I am considering undergoing double jaw surgery (also from So FL and in my forties). I appreciate so much what you have shared and am praying for you. I don't know if I will go through with this or not; perhaps you are an angel God has sent to tell me no..?

So sorry about your no feeling in the lip and chin. I feel you look nice enough but not having the filling I am sure is so uncomfortable. Thank you for sharing as I was seriously considering finally fixing my bite before finishing my implant crowns on two teeth but now reading about complications due to age, I am feeling I will try to fix the bite in other ways. Again, thank you for sharing. I am so sorry you had to go through this.

I week post surgery and nothing could have prepared me for the pain since, like you Susan, I was in my late 40's having it done. Had a top guy do mine, was originally considering going to Korea, I am so glad I never went down that route. Having serious regrets already, although I done loads of research I should have listened to my wife!!!! I'll keep you updated but it's brutal surgery and because of the complicated nature of it there is bound to be horror stories, I just hope I don't end up one, I'll keep ye posted.

Reading your story nearly put me in tears the suicide disease was hell for me to live with so I can understand! Pray you get answers and help and I hope you find a solution there has to be something x

Thank You for the review. My 14 yo sons ortho recommends the surgery, but we kind of say no. This solidifies the NO. Thanks

I have read through your experience, it sounds so incredibly difficult. I am so sorry you have had to go through this.

Hi! I'm a girl, pushing 19, and was recommended this surgery last year after wearing braces for about 5 years (i delayed appointments too) and then retainers for one or two years ... havent been to the doctor since but i think its about time i book another appointment :p First of all, I really want to let you know how much these posts mean to me, and i know it can be painful to come back and look at them. i'm immensely glad and grateful that i was lucky enough to find them while youre still active on this site, so i can convey my appreciation. I dont know how to say this exactly, but your "before" pictures dont seem severe at all when i compare them to my side profile (i dont know if youd want to see it) and i think you look great now and then.
So, for the past two days I suddenly became devastated thinking about the physical and aesthetic qualities of my malocclusion and made it worse when i went to look up videos on it and its treatments... god there was so much blood in some of them (i really do appreciate the people who shared them though and im glad i did research it). and your dentist really shouldnt have left any information about risks out as it is necessary in order for the patient to give informed consent as you already know... i felt really angry reading that. anyways, usually im fine with how i look despite the drastic strangeness to my facial appearance but every now and then i get very very down about it and i worry about future complications thatll result form not getting the surgery, and my family life... all these things. in the past two days it also really bothered me how my tongue couldnt rest comfortably in my mouth and would push against my front teeth especially when wearing retainers and i consciously have to push it to the back of my mouth whenever i realise this. I can deal with it for now but if i live a long life i just wonder if it will get worse.. I'll ask my dentist about this stuff when i visit him next.
So my purpose in writing this is majorly to thank you for sharing your experience and allowing me to relate to a real person and letting you know that you are truly appreciated. This is the last post ive seen online and i feel more informed about the risks of this treatment (i know im under 20 and as you said this treatment has a high chance of success but the chance still exists that something very bad can happen to me and will this treatment really last me till my 70s or would it make things worse then?..) and i have a very low pain tolerance and little family support which i think is essential to a strong mentality and that is part of what determines how well you heal (and as proven by these last two days im not always a strong person). not to mention im not that healthy with my poor diet (which is getting better) and nonexistent exercise routine. But I feel healthy and happy in the present almost all the time and im working to improve on my diet and exercise :) all in all, thank you for being there for me, for us, and i hope i can be there for you too if you ever need me. thank you, thank you so much

Hi. I'm so sorry for all that's you've experienced. I am 46 and strongly considering double jaw surgery for bite and sleep apnea. Who was your surgeon? I live in the SF Bay Area. I won't go to that person for an opinion.

Thats not true, I know people in their 50's and 60's who had double jaw surgery and were fine after a few days with only a tiny bit of permanent numbness. Incision size, length of surgery, and the skill of the surgeon are all factors.

Hi! I'm so sorry to hear about your pain and regrets. I'm 44 years old and considering upper jaw surgery. I have postponed it a couple of times and now I have to make an decision. After reading your story, I'm not sure what I should do. I wish I did it when I was 19 or in my 20's. Maybe I should just live out my live this way. I don't like when people look at me when I smile but I have been this way for 44years. Do you think it because you are older or the doctors just did an horrible job. Look forward in hearing from you. Thanks.

I actually had a double jaw surgery for my massive underbite when I was 15. Like you I have awful nerve pain. Mine is more widely spread in all my jaw, sinuses, and muscle though. I am on 2700 mg of neurontin a day, wear a clonodine and fentanyl patch, and take percocet and anti-depressants daily. My pain was so bad I had to graduate high school at 15 because I couldn't sit through an entire class, let alone an entire school day. I will be 20 next month. My jaw ended up relapsing some, which caused me to have an inverted open bite (which means my back teeth don't touch either). Two weeks ago, I had the whole surgery over again. This time they didn't have to move my bottom jaw and I had them take out all of the metal plates and screws. This time I also had the head of the department at UCLA do the surgery, because the original doctor (not at UCLA) was so unsympathetic to my pain. However, I am happy to say that two weeks post-op, I already feel a million times better. I'm already on less pain meds than I have ever been and am coming off my neurontin too. Last time I had the surgery I was still bed ridden at this point. This time I am up and going out. I went through 5 years of unimaginable pain, ER visits, countless doctors visits, etc. By the end I spent day and night in a recliner chair (laying flat in a bed hurt too much) doing nothing but sleeping and eating. Now, my old personality is coming back. So I would suggest looking into having the metal removed from your face because many doctors told me they didn't think it would help, but it most definitely did. I can deeply empathize with your pain and struggles. The first couple years I managed to work and attend college part time, by the end, not so much. But my advice is never give up. Never stop hounding the doctors for a better solution. I found mine and I pray to god you find yours.

Also, before my surgery I also had a numb chin and lots of numb gums. Not sure how it will be after my surgery. My mom had the same surgery when she was my age and she still has a numb chin, so I don't think that will be going away. Sorry!

Wow, thank you for sharing your experience. It's really making me think....

Hello, I read your reviews and you have been through a horrible ordeal. Can't believe the doctors didn't mention such side effects! I really wished time machine existed just for you! Seems the surgeon was more interested in his salary. I have a narrow upper palate and my jaw is a bit tilted to the left (prob due to chewing on my left side only since as long as I can remember), so my upper and bottom teeth don't align. Doctor said it'll be a year of braces, surgery, then braces for another yeaR for $40k. After reading yours, I'll live with mine since it doesn't bother me. They said I can get major TMJ or whatever but to me, it sounds like exaggerating. I have experienced a dentist out with a business propaganda to make money and I fell for it. So I'm skeptical of doctors too now, not just sweet talking salesmen! On another note, I understand your frustrations and anxiety, talking to a therapist may help you mentally with the stress.