Jaw Surgery - Orthognathic surgery

[oral b]

Hi Kait,

Before, my lower jaw was more protruding than my upper jaw so I was never able to bite off noodles.

I don't quite understand your differenation between looks and profile.

 

[kaitlynn]

Hi Oral B

I had the same problem. My lower was more protruding. I couldnt bite properly and I could not smile.
You know when people smile..naturally they can see the upper row of teeth. For me, I could not smile naturally. Everytime i try to smile, it comes out like a grimace.
So now after the op, I realised i could smile n show teeth.

 

[kaitlynn]

Hi Oral B

Can i check with you what kind of foods did you eat after you removed your bands?
I removed my bands yesterday and tried to eat porridge. It was so difficult also! Now I am wondering if I should just stick to soups.
Any suggestions on what you ate? Tks.

 

[oral b]

Hi Kait,

You should take cantonese porridge, the type that are cooked until very 'lan'.

Do you have the wafer fixed on your upper jaw? Basically with that, you are not able to bite or chew so suggested food includes yogurt, beancurd, whipped potato, mian xian, bee hoon, ice-cream. In short, anything that melts and slips into your throat smoothly.

 

[smilezzz]

Hi gals

For me, I started eating normal food (eg. noodles, rice, tidbits etc) once the doc loosen the bands (not removed yet). But got to open my mouth bigger to get the food in

Think should not be a problem as long as you don't try to bite on very hard food, like crabs etc..

I only operated on the lower jaw, so maybe that's the reason my recovery process was faster and easier

 

[kaitlynn]

Hi Oral B

I do have the wafer there. All the foods you suggested, I had probs slipping them past my teeth. Most of it end up on the front or down my chin! (

Hi Smilezz

I so envy you! I had work done on both jaws and so I do not think i am able to eat anything solid for at least 6 weeks.

 

[chinchilla]

hi gals,

i happen to chance upon this thread and memories start flooding in. i had this opeation when i was 18 with nobody's support. i was very alone and had nobody to talk to except my dentist n dr ho at that period of time. i never regret doing this operation and it is the best decision i have ever made in my life.

imagaine tears just fell down when i can bite off noodles n apple?? people made fun of me calling me horse face n some mean one mimic my protruding jaws n asked me hurting questions if my jaws was created this way to collect rain water.

nobody can understand the pain i have to tolerate. this operation booast up my confidence and i really thank prof ho for that. just thought of sharing my experiences here. so gals, i have been through this n i understand. forthose who need this operation, pls dun hestitate. go for it.

 

[smilezzz]

Hi Chin chin

You did it with Prof Ho from NUH? Meet too! He's very good hor! Understand how you felt... last time I get the same ridicules as well... was so hurt then. But now, can really smile with confidence!!

 

[oral b]

Hi Chin Chin,

Really can empathise with you. The first thing I had after the wafer was being removed was noodle. Imagine I could actually bite it off! The feeling is really incredible. As for apple, have not eaten them for more than a since the braces is still on. Find it too hard to bite off from the whole apple itself.

What seems to be second nature to others is not so for us in the past.

 

[chinchilla]

hi smilezz, yes he is GOOD and i am very grateful to him. u have no idea how this operation really booast up my morale. i was so ashamed of my protuding jaw n it makes me feel like a witch! yeek!!

not that i have become a beauty now, buy least i look more normal.actually it took me alot of courage to do this op. ten years ago. there was not much info in the net n it was not that common then. not forgetting i had no support from anybody cos they thought it was dangerous. i struggled so much to make this decision n i m glad i did it. : )

 

[kaitlynn]

Hi ChinChin
Glad all was well for you! )

Hi Smilezz & Oral B
I was wondering if you only ate noodles after your wafer was removed? I am such a glutton! I am already eating noodles now although my wafer is not removed. All i do is swallow watever i can without chewing. I think that is bad?

I am now into my 5th week after surgery. Everyone who met me could still see I have a swollen face. How long did the swelling last for you?

 

[chinchilla]

hi kaitlynn,

how u feeling now? sorry for replying u this late cos i nearly forgotten abt this thread. i cant really rem how long for the swelling the subsided.maybe one mth? infact i enjoy the look of my swollen face cos i am actually quite thin. so i look pretty good with a chubby face then.

i am sure by now u can eat already. actaully this op is good also in another sense cos we were "forced" to eat more healthier n natural food. treat the one mth as a detoxification period.

any problem just let me know. take care gal!

 

[kaitlynn]

Hi Chin Chin

Tks for your reply. I am now 2 mths past my op but pple would still say my face is swollen. I am now eating but most times i cannot chew very well. Whatever weight I lost during that first 3 weeks...I believe I have already put back P

I am just hoping swelling will subside soon coz i dun wan to be chubbily cute...ehheh

 

[chinchilla]

hi kaitlynn,

no worries. the swell will definitely go down. be assured that u will look better.

if u have further problem or need more assurance, feel free to drop me an email at [email protected].

stay pretty, gal!

cheers

 

[terline]

Hi Kaitlynn,

Was it painful when u come out of the op? Right now, i still do not have the corage to go for this op.

Do you have any regret going for this op? how are you know? satisfied with your new look? how much do you pay for it?

 

[oral b]

Hi Terline,

What is holding u back?
It won't be painful as u will be under antiseptic.
Basically is not so much of the pain factor but more of not able to open your mouth to eat and talk.

 

[terline]

Hi Oral B,

Frankly, courage is the one factor that is holding me back.

how are you feeling after 4 months (am i rite)? where did you have your op? how much do you spend altogether?

 

[terline]

Hi Oral B,

You have been thru' this recently and after asking the qns b4 your op, how do you feel? How's your feeling b4 n after the op?

 

[oral b]

Hi Terline,

Are you now on braces?
If so, there is no turning back 4 u as e alignment of e jaw will b worse off than b4 braces. Or mayb, u don need 2 b on braces at all.

Otherwise, I guess all those that hv been through e op will tell u 2 go 4 it.

In no doubt, it was a difficult period 4 me especially during e period where I was not able to talk & eat. Looking back, I m also amaze tat I actually went through all that.

E op was by a doc at NDC carried out at CGH.

 

[terline]

Hi Oral B,

yes, i m on braces now. And yes, i realised the jaw seems to broaden after putting on braces.

Anyway, thanks for your msg. I feel very comforted. I will go for it definitely after seeing all these msg. It definitely boost my morale! thanks.....

 

[oral b]

Hi Terline,

In fact, even b4 u r on braces, e doc shld hv highlight that 2 u. So in a way, now u hv no choice but 2 move forward, so just get yrself mentally prepared 4 it. Of course, one will always afraid of e unknown.

Which hospital is yr doc fr or is he/she fr pte practise?

So hv u schedule 4 yr op? How long hv u been on braces?

 

[terline]

Hi Oral B,

This will be my 17th month on braces. B4 that, dentist was trying to push my lower teeth as far in as possible as my lower jaws are more protruding. Apparently, it doesn't seem to be that case.

Hence, he is recommending that i go for the op. I have not book for the op yet as he has asked me to consider and i thot of gathering more info before i decide. But i will opt for govt one as its cheaper. NDC is the one i'm considering.

 

[henkitty]

Hi all,

How long for you to recover to eat normal food??
Seem it is very pain to do it...so scary...
So everyone was given MC after the op???

 

[chinchilla]

hi terline,

i strongly recommend u to go for it. u will feel good after the op. i bet u with last dollar u will not regret it esp after the op, u will look more normal n can bite noodles n apple.

its not as painful as u thk. just uncomfortable cos there is anethesia being given. after 1st week u be ok. mc will be given but i am not sure how long cos mine was done 10 years back when i was a student.

why dun u go to nuh n look for prof ho? he is very GOOD.he did for more ten years ago n by now he will be even more experience.

dun worry so much. u can drop me a line at my email if u want. i understand the fear u r having cos i been through b4. n that time, i am only 18!

 

[lynne teo]

Hello all,

I'm have been on braces for 15mths.
I will be seeing Dr Teh of SGH next week to make arrangement for my op. Cause my original surgeon
Dr Lim (SGH) has left to set up his own clinic. Has any of you gals been operate by her. Care to share ur experience.

 

[terline]

hi chin chin,

you are very brave! maybe i was very timid, hence, op sound very scary to me.

but i was definitely very comfort by your mail. I have seen my surgeon yest and will go for the op.

 

[henkitty]

Dear all,

Have any one here only do one side of your teeth(upper or lower). Kind to Share...

 

[chinchilla]

hi terline,

hmm.. i dun thk i am brave. its just that i hated my protuding jaw alot. so much so that it gave me the courage to do the operation.

frankly speaking the op is not as scary as what u thk. u will be unconscious when u do the op. by the time u regain conscious, everything is over. u will only feel discomfort n not pain.

best of all, u look normal. it really changes your whole face profile n not forgetting abt your self esteem. u will dare to smile more. hope all these reasons are good enough to encourage u.

also during the recuperating period, u will get to lose weight. cos most of the time only get to eat very natural food like vegatables puree, soup n porridge. beside losing weight, u will be healthier too. : )

so dun worry, trust the surgeons. btw when is your op?

 

[henkitty]

HALO,

Have anyone remove his/her wisdom tooth before your surgey?? Help Pls!

 

[miss nurse]

Hi Lynne,

Are you referring to Dr Teh of SGH or NDC?

 

[lynne teo]

Halo Ms Nurse,

Shalom. Tks for your reply.
I'm referring to Dr Teh of NDC.
Now NDC is located at the SGH compound.
Correct me if i'm wrong.
Have you known anybody being operated on by her?
Just want to find out more.

 

[miss nurse]

Hi Lynne,

I'm a nurse from SGH and hence, hv seen patients going thru' the op. When's your op date? If i'm not wrong, dr teh is the senior consultant of NDC right?

 

[lynne teo]

Halo Ms Nurse,

Thanks for yr reply.
Dr Teh is the senior consultant at NDC.
i'm going for the op on 16th Nov.
Sad to say, most of my family and friends are not very supportive.
the gen reply i got was why put yrself thru such pain and waste the $ for beaty sake.
Time and again i need to take time to explain to them i'm doing a functional surgery.
More for necessary purpose.
Very trying on my patience indeed.
Maybe u could shed some light on the post op phrases.
When and how i can brush my teeth?
What type of food could i consume?
What are the things to look out for.
Tks in advance for your time and effort.
Hope to hear fm u soon.

 

[miss nurse]

Hi Lynne,

Sorry to hear that you didn't really hv the support fm family & friends. Hmm, let me do a simple analysis if you don't mind.

Normally, pple who did this op is either teenagers or is actually financially independent. For teenagers, most of them are actually more fortunate becoz the family are paying and of course, supporting them. If I'm not wrong, I reckon u belong to the latter, i.e. working and paying for the op yourself. Maybe, thats the reason why your family & friends do not understand and you are not getting any support. If you are married, talk to your husband and I'm sure he will understand and stand by you. If you are not married, I feel that the best person to talk to is your mum. Btw, how's the response from your husband/mum? I believe their comments are the most impt. If not, talk to me! I'm glad to share with you.

Most of the patients are discharged around 2 days after the op. Majority encountered discomfort and managed to brush their teeth using some brushes. As for food, the 1st 2 days are definitely liquid food like milk. There are cases whereby they cant eat and we have to drip them and this will cause the face to "look" bloated.

Don't worry too much and look forward for the op.

 

[lynne teo]

Halo Ms Nurse,

You are very observant i must say.
I'm married and luckily my hubby has been very supportive.
In fact, he's the one who suggest i go for the surgery and he's footing the bill.
It's trouble him to see that i have to forgo some food because of my teeth "problem".
I have trouble eating apples and noodles and chicken wings so on.
I'm not really looking forward to the op to be honest with you.
I'm trying to get it over and done with if possible.
If i don't do it sooner, i might not have the courage to go thru it at all.
What food would you suggest i eat during the recovery period?
What type of toothbrush do i use and where can i get such a small toothbrush.
Doesn't it hurts to brush at all?
How long will i be on liquid diet?
Thank for sharing with me.

 

[miss nurse]

Hello Lynne,

I'm not observant. Its jus that we encountered far too many cases and sort of learnt to "analysis" situation...

I'm surprised to hear that you are not looking forward to your op. Its abt only a mth from now and you should be looking forward! Do you really want to do it? Or you want to do it becoz your hubby is the one asking you to do so? For any op which is not critical, the patient has to be prepared and "willing" or determine to go thru it. You sound as tho you are not a "willing" party.

Or is it something else that is bothering you? Lynne, just ask yourself, do you want to do it? Will you be happy? Don't think too much. If you have decided, just go for it. Or perhaps, ask your hubby along when you go for your consulting/operation and I'm sure you will feel more secure

The small brush can be purchase from any orthodontic clinic. Some patients who is on braces are using that, or you can try to buy one from NDC? You will have to eat those food that do not require you to chew like porridge, cereal, etc. Some patients recover pretty soon and they can have food like noodles. It really depends on the speed of your recovery. Don't worry too much, you should be able to eat normally by 2nd month if everything turns out well. Guess you must be a food lover!

Actually this surgery is quite common now. The process is much simpler now then before. Talk to me if there's no one to talk to you or if you hubby is not around. I'm glad i can be of any help to you i hope. You can also email me at [email protected].

Looking forward to hear gd news from you.

 

[upsetface]

Hello everyone! I had surgery back in March because of a protruding jaw,which is a Class 3 underbite. The surgery and recovery has been an ordeal. I am now undergoing depression even though I am 8 months post-op.
My face is unbalanced,I have a bigger nose overall,(but one side is much bigger) and my lips are totally slanted on one side.
There are many complications to this surgery.
I don't think my surgery was a success at all,perhaps I am a rare case.

Did any of you have asymmetry before?
Although I had a slightly protruded jaw before,I had no asymmetry and so now I look worse off imo.

I'll be going back to see my orthodontist tomorrow and hopefully something can be fixed about this.
I just wanted to share my story,if u're deciding to go for the surgery,do make sure you know the risks and complications involved.There are many success cases too.
Does anyone have pictures to share? Pls email me at: [email protected]
and we can exchange pictures and share our experience.
Thanks!

 

[henkitty]

Hi UpsetFace,

Can i know you go for the surgey in the hospital??
cos i know that now no need to do surgey also can aline our teeth right??

 

[upsetface]

Hi kitty! I had my braces done in NDC and my surgery was in SGH. I'm not sure what you mean by no need to do surgery,can align teeth?
Do you have a class 3 underbite as well?

I also see your question above about wisdom teeth.I had all 4 pulled out before my braces treatment began.The doctors recommended it although my wisdom teeth never showed!
they were all inside the gums and were not causing any pain at all.

I'll be glad to share my experience.

 

[henkitty]

Hi upsetface,

Mine is overcrowding..just have my tooth extract next two weeks going to rebond ( putting of braces)

So Im not sure of the so-call surgery..Could you care to share with me??

 

[lynne teo]

Hello Upsetface,

Sorry to hear that ur op didn't goes very well.
Thot the surgeron will do some lab test and advice u what they are going to do during the op.
I have a protruding lower jaw too.
As per the Dr, becos my tooth abnormalities occur with jaw abnormalities.
Tooth relationships can be corrected orthodontically.
Jaw relationships needs to be surgically corrected.
So ur braces can align the teeth alright.
But it can't fix the protruding jaw, that why u hv to do the jaw op.
I had 4 tooth extracted too becos of overcrowding.
So they will have space to move the jaw backwards.
I will be going for my op in Nov at Changi Hospital.
But it will be done by Dr Teh of NDC.
Care to tell me who the surgeon who did the op on u?
U could also email me at [email protected]
Hope my two cents worth helps to clear some of ur doubts.

Shalom

 

[upsetface]

There are many complications to this surgery that I believe,the surgeon may not tell you sometimes.
There is NO way of knowing what you would look like after surgery. If anyone is going thru this surgery for cosmetic reasons ie to improve their looks,pls think carefully.

First of all,your face will look totally different. I used to think the jaw surgery only corrected my protruding jaw problem but that is not true.

My face shape has totally changed,my nose is MUCH bigger than before,and I have a different chin as well.
Also,most people with protruded jaws have a little asymmetry,so after surgery,the asymmentry may worsen.
I have a jagged facial outline/shape now,not like before when it was well-defined.

On the upside,I can now bite better and eat better.The reason I went for this surgery was 50% cosmetic reason and 50% for functional reasons.

Recovery takes a long time,and depression is normal.I still have numbness after 7 months and I have been told it will completely go away after 1-2 years.

Sometimes,I regret this surgery so much but it was my own choice and at least I can eat better now.Perhaps I am asking for too much in the looks department.I was actually quite happy with my face before except for the jaw.
But now,I hate to look in the mirror and see a big fat crooked nose,slanted lips and a jagged jawline.

Kitty,you may email me at [email protected] and I can share more of my experience with you.Especially about the "eating" part after surgery! Becuz you will have to be on a liquid diet,and I was hungry for 1 whole month actually!

Lynne,I also had my treatment done from the good people at NDC.I'm not sure who is Dr Teh though.
I will email you later today.

 

[kaitlynn]

Hi Everyone! Hi terline, lynne & Upset face
I have actually forgotten about this thread over the past couple of mths.
For the benefit of all who had not gone for the surgery, my little input as followed:
- Started my braces in Feb 2003 only AFTER extensive consultation with both my orthodontist & surgeon from NDC. Decided to go for the surgery.
- Removed 2 impacted wisdom teeth from my upper jaw in May 03. That was 3 mths after I started my braces
- May 2004: Finally did my surgery! Whoopie!
- Sept 2004: developed infection ard the plates n screws on lower jaw and had to had them removed.
To date: Well n gd n surviving! P

I have to be totally honestly. The night right after you are wheeled out surgery into ICU...was the worst I felt. Having all the tubes in me..the swelling...difficulty to breathe..HELL! I was floating in n out of lala land. All things changed rather dramtically once the nite is over. I was surprised I could sit up proper and didnt feel as bad.
MsNurse is right to say support from family is extremely important. My mum was worried sick and was hoping I will not go but I stood firm. Its too late to turn back anyway when my underbite was made so much worse by the braces. I am really glad hubby stuck by me throughout the ordeal. Helping me with the syringes..my medicine and blah blah.
An optimistic attitude helped lots to see me through.

 

[kaitlynn]

Now to address questions one by one since I was rather long-winded earlier P
Terline...u have to feel positive. I was scared about the surgery too but I have to keep reminding myself..its all for the good at the end. I am VERY glad i went through it.

Lynne, I couldnt brush my teeth for the first few days as I was too swollen and the corners of my lips were all raw skin due to abrasions during the surgery. I could only use a syringe to spurt mouthwash into my mouth. 5 days after the op, I was discharged to go home and I started brushing my teeth. I used a baby's toothbrush that hubby bought from the provision shop. You do not need any special toothbrush since u can only brush the front of your teeth. Pls be reminded you are not able to open your mouth to eat or tok for at least TWO weeks. Pls go buy a magic board. It will be most useful when you need to convey sumthing. I didnt eat much...drank most times only becoz i had to eat med. This was horrible! My hubby had to grind all the tablets into powder form to mix into my juices/milk. YUKS! My bands were removed after 2 wks and I started eating anything i could swallow without chewing. Soupy noodles/thick beehoon (used in laksa) was easiest for me to swallow. I lost 5 kg in the first 2 wks when i was on liquid diet and put back 2 kg once i started swallowing the noodles. I believe there are many other stuffs to look out for. Cannot recall right now. Do feel free to ask me qns. I will gladly reply u.

Upset Face, I cannot say much about asymmetry but I believed I was rather balanced. That's the conclusion I got from my surgeon, Dr Poon from NDC. I am now 5 mths post-op. Besides some residual swelling, I m totally satisfied with my surgery. Everyone commented that I look much better than before. So I guess mine was a success. Sometimes it is hard to see immediate results after the op. Are you still on braces or you have debanded? Your orthodontist should help you to attain the best result possible. So far, I have not heard of anyone whose looks have made a turn for the worse as usually the surgery is supposed to correct any facial imbalance due to jaw deformities ie. underbite/overbite etc.. Please have a gd talk with your orthodontist and see what he has to say. Gd luck!

 

[reiner]

hey everyone, me went thru the jaws op tis aug- upper n lower ones. me could eat after 2-1/2 week fm tis op, like wat kaitlynn mentioned. .... ya me on braces. face no swollen after 1-1/2 mths, approx. went to AH as recommended by my pte ortho. gonna take out my braces next mth. tik me was lucky n wif my bf aro. he was not w me when me admitted to AH coz he's outstation. but he rushed to AH once he tocuh-down. family r supportive too. so me veri veri fortutune... hee....
Upset Face, u may wan to seek 2nd opinion? Gd luck.....!!!!

 

[terline]

hi Kaitlynn & Mie kang,

thanks for sharing and surprised to see that this surgery is so common now.

i really cant imagine myself with so many tubes on me and it really sound scary. yes iknow i have to be positive but i simply cant get over it. Is the pain bearable after 2nd day? why are you in ICU? something went wrong?

i've protrude lower jaws too and i am having the same problem as you kaitlynn, CANT SMILE. Happy to hear that you did not regret going for this op. So, hows your wedding preparation? I guess you will look pretty esp with the beautiful smile u can put on now

Can I know how much did you spend for the op? I am really in a dilemna stage that i dare not think of it.....

 

[kaitlynn]

Hi terline
I think you need to speak to your surgeon more. Do nto be afraid to ask questions. Based on experience, the pain I had from my wisdom teeth extractiosn were much worst than this surgery. Most of the time when I was recovering, I felt more sore than actual pain.
Staying in ICU for the first night is a MUST for all orthognathic surgery. That's what I gathered from my surgeon? Coz you will be very swollen right after surgery & with all the blood clots & nasal block, you would have to be under constant supervision. I am glad I was in ICU coz the whole nite I just kept pressing the call button...get the nurses to come help mi suck out the clots frm my nose to help me breathe easier.
I can smile and show teeth now! whoopie! However, i am runing out of time. My teeth are in position but I still have a gap in my upper row of teeth. SHucks! Left with only 1.5 mths to my wedding! I am not able to take any photoshoots and now I am worried I cannot be debanded in time. Seeing my ortho once a wk now.

As for the op, it came up to about $2K + after govt subsidies. $1700+ was paid thru my medisave...top uo the rest in cash.

 

[terline]

thanks kaitlynn. i was told to take out all my wisdom tooths too before the op. I was wondering is it a must? i cant imagine myself with both pain, i.e wisdom tooth as well as the op.

dun worry. I have spoken to my orthodontist before. If you really cant deband on time, you can request to take out temporarily, maybe for your big day and put it back again after the event.

I'm sure you will look great on your big day after so much pain you had gone thru

Be confident!

 

[done it 2 years ago]

hi kaitlynn,

hello, glad u like your new look. i am wondering why u did not do the operation sooner since your wedding will be in 1 and a half mth time.

actually i had done my op 2 years ago. curious on how u get an infection. so u replace the screws? as i do not have any follow up with my surgeon now, there is this qn that i have forgotten to ask him. will we get an infection in future since the screws r actually foreign objects in our body. do we have to take them out? can u help me to ask your surgeon if u have any follow up in future?
how is your jaw sensation like now? i have managed to recover 80% now. thk it is foerever.

thanks!

 

[kaitlynn]

Hi terline
I think removal of wisdom teeth is a must to avoid complications later?
Ortho did say I can deband temporarily but she is hoping to avoid that. I am also hoping to avoid that. Rather have it well & done once and for all. Don't wanna think too far now..just hope for the best!

Hi done it 2 yrs ago
I did my surgery back in May. Couldn't do it any sooner as my teeth were not in the optimal positioning yet. I also had tat big gap on my upper row of teeth. It was only after much discussion with my ortho before my surgeon agreed to proceed with the surgery.
With regards to the infection, honestly I have no idea. Even my surgeon cannot advise the exact reason since there can be many factors.
Basically the main purpose of the screws & plates was to support your jaws bones whilst they are healing. So when my infection was discovered, my bones have pretty much healed. The screws need not be replaced.
From what I know, most people do not remove the screws or plates. In my case, I only removed the screws & plates on my lower jaw due to the infection. Those on my upper jaw were left intact since there wasnt any infection there.
Usually, infection is NOT likely to occur much later but no one can guarantee anything. Will deal with it only when it happens.
I had a scope done on my ankle 10 yrs ago. Inserted a plate as well & to date, I never had an infection there. Don't worry bt it!
I was only numb on my chin...getting back slowly..prob abt 60-70% now.
Did your looks change dramatically?

Anyone keen to exchange pics of b4 & after surgery? *hehehe*