Jaw Surgery Forums » Pre-Surgery Questions

Anyone Had Upper Jaw Surgery To See Teeth Better When Talking

(35 posts)
  • Started 1 year ago by BabyDoll
  • Latest reply from HANKYPANKY
  • 2 Members Subscribed To Topic
12…4

  1. BabyDoll
    Moderator

    Hi all!

    first post on this blog. :) I am a female in my thirties and had braces when young so my teeth are quite straight. Only thing is they never were able to move my upper teeth down enough to see them when i speak, only when i smile a 'social smile.' when i speak you can only see my lower teeth, though it is not even noticed by most people, but i notice it, enough to bother me. so this year i went to see an amazing ortho who referred me to an amazing surgeon. surgeon says op can be done without braces, as the braces have served their function already as a kid.

    it seems like i read a lot about people who have had upper jaw surgery to FORWARD the jaw, BUT not to bring down (lengthen) the jaw. surgeon said the best procedure for me would involve:

    1) adding some material to the upper jaw to lengthen it and be able to see what most people have (which is about 'half a tooth' when u speak) and not have to strain to show teeth when i smile

    AND...

    2) also moving the lower jaw to make the two jaws fit more perfectly.

    money is not an issue for me so i am ok with it financially.

    however, my concerns are that it will:

    1) change my face, which is not perfect, but i am very happy with
    2) change my profile,
    2) change or enlarge my nose
    3) numb any nerves permanently (can you feel your lips? a kiss? )
    4) change my smile, but for the worse
    5) make me freak out and become unrecognizable to myself....

    please help!! i am terrified of going through with this as my condition is not so extreme that it NEEEDS the surgery! TX!! :))

    Posted 1 year ago #

  2. Brandon
    Site Administrator

    Hi BabyDoll,

    If your situation is relatively minor, I would see if there is maybe a less invasive procedure that would allow your teeth to show like you want.

    There may not be, but it's worth looking into.

    If jaw surgery is the only option, the risks you listed are possible but relatively rare. In the vast majority of cases I've read and heard of, people are happier with their new face, but some don't like the changes.

    At the very least, I would consult another surgeon to at least get one more opinion and compare.

    I'm Brandon, the creator of JawSurgeryBlog.com. I personally had upper and lower jaw surgery on October 30, 2007. Thankfully, everything went beautifully, so I'm trying to make sure everyone else's surgery goes smoothly as well!

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corrective-Jaw-Surgery/114627165257701
    Posted 1 year ago #

  3. BabyDoll
    Moderator

    thx for your reply brandon! :)

    just for reference, i am seeing some of the top surgeons and ortho in the country. i have researched them both online and heard excellent reviews from tothers.

    i have spoken to only one surgeon, plus a few orthodontists about this, and some cosmetic dentists, but the general consensus is that, to get what i want, i do need the surgery. see, my teeth are really nice :( and a good size so, i don't want to cap them because there is nothing wrong with the teeth, it's the jaw itself that is too short and hides them.

    my problem is that i'm very scared of changing my face and being freaked out, or of losing feeling in the jaw/lips, though the surgeon assured me that in my case, complications would be rare, and that my nose wouldn't change shape. i have never had cosmetic surgery of any kind, and as we can all say, breaking a jaw sounds a little intense.

    any other advice?

    Posted 1 year ago #

  4. Brandon
    Site Administrator

    I know some of the more technologically advanced surgeons have a software program that can actually show you what you will look like after surgery, probably not perfect but close. Someone actually posted an example of theirs on here somewhere.

    Have you asked if he or anyone in your area has this?

    Posted 1 year ago #

  5. kdoering
    Member

    I had jaw surgery for different reasons, some cosmetic and some non-cosmetic. Unfortunately, I had the same double jaw surgery and genioplasty one 8 weeks after the other. I currently have very little feeling in my chin and lower lip and altered sensation of my gums. The procedure you would have is a bit different than mine and you probably wouldn't have to redo it in 8 weeks but I can tell you that I never expected to be this numb 6.5 years later. That being said, I have adjusted to life without much feeling and it has its downsides but it is not terrible.

    Just know that no surgeon expects to cause numbness but that it is a very real and sometimes permanent outcome. For me, it was worth the risk. It is something that you have to decide really.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  6. kimmie0
    Member

    I have the same concern... I have not considered jaw surgery, but have looked into a cosmetic procedure called an upper lip lift... I am also considering self-guided speech therapy... retraining how I speak- using a mirror... becoming aware of how I form words etc... I am thinking that I may have initiated some improper techniques as a child in an attempt to conceal my teeth... I believe I can retrain myself to speak in a way that I find pleasing... :-)

    Posted 1 year ago #

  7. Mike
    Member

    BabyDoll,

    I have exactly the same problem as you. When I speak or hold my mouth at repose (relaxed state), I cannot see my upper teeth. It's only when I force a full-on smile that people can see them and still it looks a bit pushed back in my mouth. I think that this could be the result of having braces as a child, which on the one hand made be have perfectly straight teeth, but on the flip-side pushed my teeth posteriorly back into my mouth and perhaps stunted/altered the angle of the teeth. My research tells me that what we experience is by no means normal for our age. Individuals who's upper lips sag too much are usually over 45 years of age.

    Now a lip-lift or Bullhorn lift could address this issue to a certain extent, it is something that I would like to avoid because my upper-lip is already VERY short. Here's one excellent example of what one surgeon has done for a girl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEGWJUq8fKU Hopefully, it will help you make a more informed decision.

    Can you share you progress with me? I'm curious to know if you've gone ahead with the surgery or if you could point me in the direction where I can get some more information on lengthening the upper jaw.

    Thanks!

    Mike

    Posted 1 year ago #

  8. Billie Glam
    Member

    1) change my face, which is not perfect, but i am very happy with
    2) change my profile,
    2) change or enlarge my nose
    3) numb any nerves permanently (can you feel your lips? a kiss? )
    4) change my smile, but for the worse
    5) make me freak out and become unrecognizable to myself....

    babydoll jawsurgery is a major operation. yes movement of the upper jaw will alter your nose profile and change your face you only have to google youtube jaw surgery and checkout the before and after vids to see...some people do get numbness that doesn't go away...the percentage of the change in the face depends on how much u move your jaw ...im day 9 after surgery re upper and lower surgery and i got moved 8mm forward and i look radically different. also im having constant headaches which i hope will go away. if you are happy with your face i advise you not to put yourself at risk and also at risk of altering what you seem to be 99% happy with. the operation is traumatic and you will also be unable to talk and work for a few months. my advice to you is research research research research and look at tubetube jaw surgery vids and ask questions....goodluck!

    i had upper & lower jaw surgery jan 2011. upper projected 8mm lower projected 3mm.
    Posted 1 year ago #

  9. Billie Glam
    Member

    1) change my face, which is not perfect, but i am very happy with
    2) change my profile,
    2) change or enlarge my nose
    3) numb any nerves permanently (can you feel your lips? a kiss? )
    4) change my smile, but for the worse
    5) make me freak out and become unrecognizable to myself....

    babydoll jawsurgery is a major operation. yes movement of the upper jaw will alter your nose profile and change your face you only have to google youtube jaw surgery and checkout the before and after vids to see...some people do get numbness that doesn't go away...the percentage of the change in the face depends on how much u move your jaw ...im day 9 after surgery re upper and lower surgery and i got moved 8mm forward and i look radically different. also im having constant headaches which i hope will go away. if you are happy with your face i advise you not to put yourself at risk and also at risk of altering what you seem to be 99% happy with. the operation is traumatic and you will also be unable to talk and work for a few months. my advice to you is research research research research and look at tubetube jaw surgery vids and ask questions....goodluck!

    Posted 1 year ago #

  10. doggydog
    Member

    If you don't think you need the surgery, then don't bother. However, if you have weighed in the pros and cons and then decided its something you have to do , then just do it. In your case, you don't seem very bothered with your smile so maybe you're fine, but yeah if you'd rather see yourself living the rest of your life with visible teeth when you talk and more teeth when smiling, then surgery is the solution.

    Where I play free online games!
    Posted 1 year ago #

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