Jaw Surgery: Would I Do It Again?
Abso-f*ing-lutely!
Ken, your jaw surgery is tomorrow (today?) and I would wish you luck, but you won’t need it 
You may feel nervous, but trust yourself and the experts - you are ready.
Six reasons why I don’t regret a thing (and you won’t either):
1. I had a serious need to have my bite problem corrected. Now it is, and that need is met! Even though I haven’t been able to use my chompers just yet, I love my new bite. I eagerly await the day when I’ll be able to chew crusty bread without getting a headache, and to cut noodles noodles with my front teeth.
2. They took great care of me at the hospital. It was a little tough to communicate, but the anesthesia and the trauma itself actually helped me to ignore the many little inconveniences of a hospital stay. I mostly dozed - and if you can’t sleep, there are things they can give you for that 
3. Recovery was annoying, but there are things you can do for pain. I chose the Chinese medicine route, which worked great for me, but the pain meds they prescribe for you are also there for a reason. I got through it, other patients young and old with different procedures have gotten through it, and so will you. Queue up the movies you’ve been meaning to see and make sure you get out for a walk every single day.
4. The people who matter most to me are ecstatic for me. I didn’t do this for them, I did it for me, but the support and shared joy of loved ones was like icing on the cake.
5. I get to eat lots of smoothies, tomato chipotle soup, chocolate mousse, garlic mashed potatoes and other cream-textured delicacies that I so often overlooked.
6. I was able to take time off work and think about what I really want to do with my life. Sounds cheesy as hell, but I’m totally serious. The jaw surgery time has been a sea change for me because it’s forced me to slow down, try some different activities, and reflect on how I feel about how I spend those 50 hours a week.
So, there you go! Like the many other wonderful, intelligent jawbloggers out there, you’ll have your own totally unique experience, but, like them, you’ll do great.
Just don’t forget to take LOTS of pictures!
Eek, well here I am 4 days post and still have a major amount of swelling. Everyone says it will get better, my dog didn’t know what to make of it!
My swelling peaked at 4 days. It was actually not too bad the first few days and I thought I was in the clear, but then it got ugly.
Anyway, who cares? Everyone knows you’re supposed to look weird right now, but you’ll make your awesome comeback soon enough!
Just wait till you hit 10 days… you will be looking and feeling fantastic.
Taking all this time off work was great; I felt like I had a very introspective 2 months, slowed down, just like you, and saw things in a different light.
And you look GRRRREAT!
Well, tomorrow is the 2 week mark. Most of the swelling has gone down to barely noticeable, from freakishly horrific. When I first looked in the mirror, I thought someone stuffed a sausage into my lower lip!
I still have numbness under my nose and around upper and lower lips but no pain other than my hip a bit. I didn’t realize how important the lips were to drinking from a glass. Drinking wine from a sippy cup just looks pathetic.
I live in the Edmonton area in Alberta Canada, and we just started to get some cold weather -10C, and holy crap does my face freeze fast now.
Thanks for your site, most of the “bad” is gone, and I can do another month standing on my head. Although my second post appointment with the surgeon, he put some bands on my braces that I thought was going to pull my teeth out of my head.
I’m supposed to get corrective jaw surgery in a few months for my under bite. Anyways, I’m 17 and because of the underbite I have also developed TMJ (which causes alot of pain). I don’t know what to expect when getting this surgery. I’m expecting it to be pretty painful and horrendous Haha
How long is the recovery time? And they give you heady duty pain meds right?
Hi Ali,
Recovery comes in different stages - in my case, I was able to walk around my neighborhood on the day I came home from the hospital (one day after the surgery), and I was eating soups and other mushy things right away. I starting working from home (I work for a tech start-up, so I can do everything remotely) after one week, and I was able to return to work after 3 weeks.
For me, the surgery wasn’t actually painful or horrendous at all. It was really easy and kind of fun to get to stay home. My surgeon did prescribe some pain meds, but I actually never ended up using them - kind of a waste of money, if you ask me! I have a Chinese medical practitioner who prescribed me some herbal remedies, and those took care of any pain I might have had. I got several big bags of herbs from him, boiled them each day to make a sort of tea, and drank it throughout the day. There are posts about it under the “Natural Health” category of this blog.
Don’t worry! You’ll be incredibly happy that you got this surgery and that you don’t have to stress about your underbite anymore. Especially since you’re only 17, recovery will be so easy for you that you’ll forget all about surgery in just a few short weeks. Don’t be afraid of the pain - either you’ll have it, and use meds, or you won’t (like me!)!
Best wishes to you!
Susan
If you don’t mind me asking, what was the total fee for the maxillary advancement surgery??
Hey..i just had upper jaw surgery monday the 26th this is the 3rd attempt to close my open bite..and i was wonderin wht can i do to get tht swelling out of my nasal passageway i mean its really hard to breathe esp. At night i wake up coughin and chocking. And how do i get rid of all tht nasty bloodly discharge in my nose
I had a really bad underbite and jaw surgery when I was 14 which was almost 17 years ago. Apparently they do things differently now. I’ve heard they don’t push the lower jaw back anymore like they did with mine because it closes the airways. Now I have sleep apnea. Grrr! My mouth was wired shut for 6 1/2 weeks. The way I swallow was the cause of my underbite and because I didn’t do anything to have it corrected my jaw is going back to an underbite. I would do it again though because my underbite was so bad I was miserable. Noone wanted to talk to me. When I talked to people it was all I thought about.
Lisa, I’m so sorry to hear about your sleep apnea. That sucks!
I’m glad your bite is corrected, but it sounds like it definitely should have been a combination of upper and lower jaw surgeries! Oh well. Let me know if you need any sleep apnea references - both of my practitioners specialize in sleep apnea treatment and would probably be happy to talk to you on the phone.
-Susan
Susan,
I will be having upper and lower jaw surgery soon and I just want to thank you for reporting so positively. I was getting tired of hearing how horrible the surgery was. I think frame of mind has alot to do with your recovery and that is why I think you did so well. Thank you again. I am just going to forge forward and have done what I know will be an improvement.
Hi,
Its been four weeks since I had upper and lower jaw surgery and I feel like a rock star! despite the fact that i feel like a rock star my upper and lower lips feel numb and I still can’t talk very clearly. I am supposed to go back soon and feel like I need another two weeks off eventhough I am physically and mentally ready to go back. I know the doctor who is seeing me right now wants me to go back to work because I have not had any bad side effects; however, my job requires me to deal directly with clients and my speech is not yet….how do i explain this to my surgeon despite the fact that he feels that I am ready to go back to the work force?
Thanks,
Lolita
TO LISA:
Fourteen was way too young for the surgery. I’m 16-years-old (17 next month) and I have had my surgery booked since I was 8-years-old, at which point I had become extremely self concious about my jaw and I haven’t smiled in a picture since.
I wanted the surgery right then and there but the doctors said I had to wait til I was at least 18-years-old. This was because there is a chance that my jaw could still grow after the surgery.
However, here I am at 16, going in for the surgery in a week and I’m absolutely terrified so I’m just lurking around the internet reading about other people’s stories and sharing my own. I’d just like to say I’m sorry for your misfortune. And I also wanted to ask you how it was having your jaw wired shut? I know it was a while ago, but was in terribly uncomfortable? And could you chew right after you could open your mouth again?
Sorry for the long post!
hello all! I just had my orthognatic surgery 11 days ago and I am absolutely thrilled! I was very nervious and scared but it really was no big deal. The hospital was comfortable and the nurses were great, they gave me the upmost care. I had an underbite and my jaw was set to the side. My procedure was, the top jaw was moved for, bottom was pushed back and rotated 3 mm to the right. I was very swollen and bruised two days after. I’m still brusied and puffy but not near as bad! I’m recovering wonderfully! I had a great surgeon! Thanks dr brown in grapevine, tx!
Hi. I am 18 years old (19 in a few months) and I am seeing my orthodontist for the first time in years because of an open bite. I had my braces taken off in 8th grade, and my orthodontist told me I would most likely need surgery to correct it when I was older. I was just wondering if any of you had an open bite? I am nervous to have any kind of surgery on my jaw, but really desperate to have a normal bite! I would love to actually be able to bite down on things, or even smile and show my teeth.
well this is a week since i got mine done… recovery guys isn’t so bad as long as you keep yourself at a good state of mind you will be good!! =] you will get aggravated at the pain and swelling but I’m seeing the swellin going down already! my family is making this really easy for me taking care of me really well… and I agree even though its only been a week ive decided to become a better person in life. i have really bad pain on one side of my lower jaw which is a pain and gets me really mad cuz it seems like the pain meds wont take it away. but its all in the head you gotta relax and tell yourself tomorrow will only be a better day!! o oh man just seein that my teeth are actually going to be able to bite a burger or pizza without trouble is so exciting!! good luck everyone! and trust me it is worth the smile!! =DDD
can anyone tell me a good surgeon in the washington/va area??