Jaw Surgery Forums » Pre-Surgery Questions

Asymmetry Surgery Questions

(3 posts)

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  1. Molly
    Member

    Alright, so I've had this jaw asymmetry for a few years, it got a lot worse when I was about thirteen, and now only my back molars touch anymore. I'm hoping to get surgery to fix it now, and I've been told that such an endevor will take about a year to complete, which poses a problem as it'll put me at right around the middle of my senior year in high school that I'll be getting surgery.

    The problem with that is that I play a wind instrument (clarinet), and might be playing it for scholarship auditions around that time.

    I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar surgery, and if so, about how long it took to heal. I was also wondering about what exactly the surgery would entail. My orthadontist simply said about a year with braces, then one or two surgical procedures.

    Thanks!
    --Molly

    Posted 7 months ago #

  2. RachelM
    Member

    Hi Molly, everyone on here has either had on is having jaw surgery so have a good read through the posts and you will be able to get some ideas of the length of recovery from surgery and what the whole procedure entails. It's pretty major surgery and can have some long term side effects.
    I'm 34 and play the flute and it's only now, 4 months post op that I've been able to play it again. My braces make it difficult but it's not impossible. I shouldn't imagine braces would affect your playing but surgery definitely will for the months after surgery. It will probably be at least 2-3 months before you can consider playing again as you won't be able to feel your lips and your teeth will be too sore. Plus you might have elastics which would make it more difficult.
    This isn't life or death surgery so I would wait until the right time to have surgery when you can have some time off playing your clarinet. How old are you? You need to make sure you have stopped growing otherwise it will mean more surgery when you're older.
    As I said, read through the posts on this site and it will give you ideas of what the surgery is like. I've been quite lucky but a lot of people have their jaws wired shut for about six weeks after surgery and you won't be able to eat a steak for quite a long time either!
    All the best with your treatment

    Posted 7 months ago #

  3. Molly
    Member

    Thanks!

    I'm almost seventeen (two weeks!), and as I haven't grown hardly at all since eight grade, my orthadontist says I'll fine at this age.

    I do know that in order to be covered by my insurance company, I have to have the surgery before I turn nineteen. However, if it takes that long to recover, I might put it off so that the surgery will land somewhere after graduation. I'm not worried about the braces affecting my playing, as I played for two years with braces and never had any trouble.

    Thank you very much for telling me about the recovery time, though. I had been hoping to start the process early enough that I'd be healed in time to audition, but with a healing time like that, it might be smart to put it off so that the surgery will land sometime after graduation.

    Thanks a ton!
    --Molly

    Posted 7 months ago #

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