I found a really good CT scan of what my jaw looks like (this is a bit worse, but mine deviates just as this, and my teeth also meet up). I have not decided on surgery yet, but believe I will start braces this winter. I had braces previously, and they masked my asymmetry (tipped my teeth). I came out of braces with an underbite profile (especially when I smile), but my teeth line up and look straight. However, I feel as though I've never been happy with the result of the braces, and now realize I have condylar hyperplasia, or hyposplasia (I don't know which side is the "defected" one...lol). I have one side of my jaw that is longer/shorter than the other. Based on some of the other posts, I believe there are a few others on here who have the same issues. Here is the picture:
Anyways, I was wondering if anyone had similar asymmetry (did they diagnose you as condylar hyper/oplasia? Have you completed treatment? Have you noticed an improvement in chewing, breathing, eating (I mainly eat on one side, and my back molars don't touch)? Has your physical appearance improved? If you had TMJ, did it go away after? Did insurance cover this?
Almost every time I open, one side of my jaw comes out of place, but it doesn't really hurt. Although, I am scared maybe it will get worse, because I can tell my bite has gotten worse. My surgeon said this would just be cosmetic, and I had someone else say they could just do a genioplasty because my teeth look "nice."
It's hard because I feel as though my teeth are straight, yet my jaw structure is completely out of whack. I honestly have a lot of resentment getting braces because I went into it much better looking than I came out of it. I think my profile became very unbalanced at the expense of teeth lining up.
I go back and forth on this sooooo much. Sometimes I feel content w/the way I am, and other times it really bothers me. And, insurance not covering the surgery is not cool, and makes the decision much harder when you have to pay $30,000+. So, I just want to see if anyone had something similar, and had any advice for insurance, or any encouragement in the process as a whole.
By and by, I am coming to terms with accepting surgery,, but I sometimes talk myself out of it and think things are OK the way they are. However, I'd love to be able to look at myself and feel like it's me prior to the jaw asymmetry and braces. I feel superficial for thinking like that, and I think that's what deters me from surgery. OK, I'm rambling. :P
Thank ya!!!
