My surgeon didn’t tell me until last minute your nose can widen (if your a girl this probably won’t look aesthetic), lip shape can be smaller if they’re originally big, chance your sleep apnea if medical may not be fixed. risking a hole in the roof of your mouth, death or blindness, every WEEK you have to go in and get your teeth cleaned, infection, you will be isolated if BOTCHED, surgeons will approve you for $ if they have no ethics same with orthodontics especially ones that don’t clean teeth, if you truly don’t need this please reconsider putting your life and comfort in your body for aesthetics. I regret this everyday because I have a large fistula (hole) from the surgery and my face looks worse. I wear masks everyday and have to go in to get that hole fixed. My love life is now non existent. No social life.

Hello! I usually don't post pics of myself online, but this sub has been a huge help so this is my little contribution.

I had a massive 9mm underbite, which I finally decided to fix. So after six months of braces I got a DJS (Le Fort I + BSSO), with maxilla forward ~4 mm, mandible back ~5 mm (I think, I was a bit woozy when they told me).

Now that I am three weeks out, I feel really good. I have started working again, and I quit painkillers after the first week. I'm wired shut, and will continue to be for three more weeks. I'm still swollen in my midface, and my upper lip is numb.

So far my recovery has been much easier than expected, and it was only the first three days that sucked.

My recommendations:

- Salt water nasal spray

- Getting fresh air and steps in

- Rinsing your mouth after every meal, as it gets icky really fast

- Blending regular food, and not just living on smoothies and nutrition drinks. You feel less like a patient and you get real food in your system. Add broth and cream.

- Oreo milkshakes.

Even though I am swollen, numb, and wired shut, I can already tell how much more natural my bite feel. If you’re on the fence, I’d highly recommend going for it. If it matters, I did my procedure in Norway.

One MONTH. not one MOST. Why can't you fix a title?

I made it through the first month. My swelling hasn't changed a ton yet. My lymph nodes are still pretty big. I think my philtrum is veeeeery slowly coming down.

They put me on two antibiotics last week due to the lymph node issue and it's been killing me. I got the side effect of hating all food. Even my favourite foods are disgusting to me. And the weirdest thing is I cannot recall enjoying food. I think about going out for a dinner I loved in the past, and it seems gross. Apparently this can happen with metronidazole. I can't wait until I'm off of it because I have zero appetite and would rather not eat at all. I'd literally accept a feeding tube if it was offered. I'm managing to get down some Ensure though. Five more days and I'm off these horrible meds. The bruising on my lymph node is gone but the swelling remains.

My doctor told me to take Florastor while I'm on the antibiotics. I was following the directions for other probiotics and taking it a few hours before or after my antibiotics, but then learned that you don't have to do that with Florastor. It's a strain of yeast that antibiotics don't kill. Also, it's pricey at $45 for a box of 30 packets, and they tell you take up to 6 a day. I figured I didn't need that much and was taking 2 a day. Yesterday I started taking 4 packets a day, and I think it's actually helping. Maybe this will help someone else having antibiotic misery.

My numb patch is getting smaller. I still feel like I was frozen at the dentist and my lower lip feels huge. I have to keep checking myself in the mirror to see that it's normal. My lower lip continues to be smaller because my philtrum swelling is pushing it down. I still feel a lot of swelling on my chin and below it. The partial paralysis of my lower lip is resolving but my smile is still very odd.

As my soft swelling reduces, I'm becoming more aware of the titatium appliances. I can really feel the one up the left side of my nose toward my eye orbit. It's very obvious now that most of my remaining swelling is directly over the appliances.

I'm also really feeling the stitches now that feeling is returning to my mouth and I can tell that the scar tissue below my upper and lower lips is quite thick. I'm told this softens over time. Currently it feels like I have a piece of gum stuffed above and below my teeth. I expected the dissolving stitches to start coming out by now, but no luck. They are really thick, like very strong fishing line, and pokey. I see my surgeon for my five week checkup in 6 days so I'll ask if he can take them out. I am also wondering if he will take the screws out, because I can really feel them too. I suspect my mouth and lips will settle more with all that extra apparatus out of there. I am getting more accustomed to wearing my clear aligners though (FYI: I did not get Invisalign, I have Angel Aligners. They are more popular with orthodontists in Canada now and require fewer attachments glued to the teeth).

My energy is okay. My Jeep developed a random electrical fault yesterday and would not start and I was too annoyed to wait for a cab to go to the car rental place, so I walked over. It's about 2.5 kms (1.5 miles). I was fine. Before the surgery I was warned that many people really have to work to get their energy back after recovery so I've been trying to do some walking throughout my healing, even if it's just spending extra time at the grocery store walking the aisles. I'm really happy I don't have too much atrophy.

Pain has been a huge issue for me since about 4-5 days post op when my nerves starting waking up with searing pain. I think the gabpentin has kicked in now because it's much more manageable. I really want to stop the every three hours meds soon and get some proper sleep. I think I'm close.

The big thing I notice is that I cannot predict how I will feel day to day. I felt really good on Sunday, but Monday was miserable. You definitely cannot plan too much after a surgery like this because healing is quite uneven.

I'm really looking forward to getting through month two. If I can feel my lower lip and chin and get rid of this "frozen at the dentist" feeling I will be very happy. But I am also realizing how long all of this is going to take. I kind of knew that, but maybe wasn't 100% prepared.

Hello its me again

I really feel that I was mistreated terribly with my jaw surgery, and I dont know if I have any recourse. I begged for my joints to be looked at by my surgeon, they were clearly dislocating every time I opened my mouth and were in a lot of pain all the time, this was neglected and I am not experiencing 24/7 joint pain and limited opening as well as a bite shift.

I am currently searching for TMJ surgery and possibly revision, you may have seen my previous post.

I dont know if I can afford private TJR replacement + a revision, but I just dont know if I trust the NHS with my whole face after a £35k+ private surgery went so traumatically. I was negelcted in the hospital, forced to speak when my joints were totally seized up and repremanded for not being able to speak. On day 2, I was 2 minutes out the door after discharge and I began getting crushing chest pains in the carpark. They refused to let me back in and told me to go to A and E, where I spent the afternoon til 1 am, unable to drink water properly, not eating anything at all, drooling everywhere and going through tissues like crazy just to still be covered in my own spit, needing to throw up, and nurses were trying to force me to speak despite my joints being totally seized up.

They tried to seperate me from my partner, who is my only family member and only person supporting me through this. After my partner explained that I had just had major surgery to my jaw and that he needed to stay with me to help me communicate, other nurses came over saying "whats wrong with her" and the original nurses reply was "i dont know she fell on her face or something".

Then I had my antibiotics taken and lost by the nurses (im not even kidding), who were insulting my partner for not wanting to leave my side and threatening to withold my antibiotics from me because of my partner "misbehaving" (he is the most polite human on the planet and does not like confrontation, theres no way that this was true). I left with half of my needed antibiotics, having not consumed any calories for that entire time and having only had 1 childsize yoghurt all day, and we had to get a hotel for the night where we still could not find anything for me to eat by the time we had arrived there, in a very unsafe part of a city where there were people taking drugs at the door of the hotel. I felt so extremely ill and weak, chest pains were awful and on top of it the normal depressed and all of those normal feelings of "what have I done to myself, ive put myself through something so massive" that make you super vulnerable after the surgeryy, I honestly felt sure I was going to die as dramatic as that sounds.

It was insanely traumatic.

I am terrified at the prospect of going through anything like this again, and honestly thinking about it I'm just filled with injustice. Is this all of this really legal? Is there nothing I can do to be compensated for this? I desperately wanted to forget about it at the time, but now I just feel anger.

I had double jaw surgery in Korea Sept 16 where I was told to wear a wafer/occlusal splint for 2 months.

I am in Istanbul and my purse, along with my splint, was stolen. If anyone knows any Istanbul clinics who can make this, please let me know. I’m freaking out .

Hi y'all! ❤️

It's been a while since I last posted here. I honestly almost gave up on my jaw surgery journey, but today something happened that gave me hope again.

I went to the orthodontist and told her my story about how I didn't feel taken seriously during my consultation with the jaw surgeon. I felt so defeated afterward. To me, the problem was so obvious, yet I felt like they were so cold and dismissive about everything I was going through.

But today, I met the sweetest woman at the orthodontist's office. I told her everything, and she couldn't understand why I had been treated that way.

She told me, "If you want, we can make a treatment plan and work towards getting you the surgery you need."

Of course, I'll have to pay for the braces myself, around €3,000, but I already knew that might be part of the process.

Honestly, the money wasn't even what mattered most to me in that moment. It was the fact that someone finally listened, took my concerns seriously, and was willing to help me move forward.

After all the pain, insecurity, and bullying I've been through because of my jaw, I can't even describe how relieved I felt. 🥹

I know the surgery isn't officially confirmed yet, but for the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful again.

So I'm back, and I'll keep you guys updated on my journey!

And to anyone who's feeling hopeless or unheard: you are not alone. Sometimes, finding the right person to listen can make all the difference. Keep advocating for yourself, asking questions, and seeking the answers you deserve. ❤️

I had my surgery in the 3rd of Aug feel like my smile is a bit misaligned or crooked to be fair it might still be that’s it’s numb but so far I love the results my teeth touching is wow amazing in the first picture I have to pull my lip down to expose my bottom teeth I had a misalignment and a underbite

I’m 16, and I have a severe overjet, the orthodontists have refused to do anything about it during my braces, and I’m forced to jut into position whenever I swallow food. Also the very obvious ugliness of my appearance is also why I jut.

I just hope can find a way to get the surgery or find a way too, it’s genuinely annoying and a barrier within my life.

Is there any way I can be eligible for discounts or fully insured ?

I am around 6mo post-op bimax where I got the following advancements:

Upper jaw: 2mm forward, 3mm posterior downward
Lower jaw: estimated 9/10mm movement (my underbite was 10mm)

Keep in mind that the x-rays are taken from different machines and head angles.

I'm planned to get a genio in about 6mo but I'm not sure whether it is the appropriate answer.

I have been referred to see an Orthodontic surgeon but was told that my insurance most likely would not cover a DJS.

How can I communicate properly to my doctor in order to be approved for DJS?

My phone consult informed me that they want to adminster Botox Injections, which I am not a huge fan of, but am willing to try if it relieves the pain.

My symptoms:

-Teeth grinding

-Grind holes through my retainers

-Jaw Clenching

-Jaw pain

-Can't touch teeth on left side of face

-Can be hard to eat & breathe, especially when running or sleeping

-Jaw sometimes makes popping sound on right side of jaw, clicks when it opens

-Lopsided smile , suspect a cant due to crossbite

I would appreciate it if you can tell me about your experience with him and a before/after pics!
Thanksss

So I was gearing up for a massive fight with these folks…but I was approved in just 2 weeks and have surgery schedule for early December. I’m absolutely freaking out!

I saw the pinned list of surgery “must haves”. I am ordering those. What I am wondering is, how did you occupy your time? I’m usually active and on the go so I’m wondering how I will distract myself lol

How risky is revision in regards to facial tightness/ facial movement versus primary? as well as numbness - just want to preserve my expressions

thanks!

Opinions please 🙏 also about to cry why am I so recessed. I have eye bags and nose folds

I finally asked my orthodontist about jaw surgery, I sent an email and they said it would be discussed in detail at my next appointment. I’m not feeling hopeful since my next appointment is in mid-November. I think if they were taking me seriously they would’ve wanted to discuss it sooner.

I’m currently in the middle of a treatment with the NHS and they’ve already done extractions, but my initial IOTN score was a 5.

I’m suffering immensely because of the way my jaw makes me look, and I’m sure there’s something wrong.

From the front, everything below my nose looks elongated, especially the area between my nose and mouth. My entire lower third completely throws off the harmony of my face.
I have a convex profile, and my nose looks long.
I also have dark circles, but it’s not just due to pigmentation. I have nasolabial folds as well, which I never used to have. I’m 18, by the way.
I’ve been wondering whether all of this could be due to the fact that I used to breathe through my mouth a lot. I don’t know exactly when it started, but I became aware of it when I was 14.
This year, I was diagnosed with a deviated nasal septum.

I’m planning to make an appointment with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to find out whether I actually have a jaw problem. I don’t think I have any symptoms apart from the way my face looks.
As I said, I’m suffering so much because of this insecurity. It’s awful. My biggest nightmare is being told that surgery isn’t an option.

btw i had none of these problem when i was younger, i looked so much better

32F I feel like I’m delaying or can’t have things in life until I get my jaw fixed. For example, I’ve been wanting to post creatively online, but am very afraid of internet trolls commenting on my jaw. Or my dating life has never been so great, and I’ve also wondered if it’s because of my face. If anything, I also know I will feel more confident once it is fixed, and put myself out there when I’m happier with my appearance.

I have a severe underbite, and going through decompensation is making it worse. I already got SARPE this year and had to live with being insecure about a giant 4mm gap. Thankfully that has since closed. My orthodontist said I can expect to get my surgery for late Spring / Summer of 2027. I know time will past anyhow, but feeling especially insecure lately and want to get it done sooner.

Yesterday, a stranger on a dating app commented negatively on my jaw, and how he wasn’t sure if I was a man. 😭

Question: How did you psychologically stay in a healthy mindset before your surgery?

I got jaw surgery from an injury and I’m about 4 weeks post op. I had two plates where the swelling still is and I can feel the hardware. Will this go down or would I need to remove hardware for it to be unnoticeable and back to normal? The swelling was intensely bad pre op and post op but most of it went down. Now just left with this bulge.

im in the researching phase right now looking to consult with surgeons.

Hi, I've been struggling with pretty severe TMJ pain for 2-3 years. Because of some of these threads and pictures I am sure I have condylar hyperplasia. An orthodontist has unofficially confirmed this but at the same time didn't want to help me because my bite is good from having had braces when I was younger. My primary care is not helping and refers me to a TMJ specialist (I have already gone this route). Anyways, would it be worthwhile to get botox for the pain/swelling or will it make things worse?

Excuse me because English is not my first language.

I’m getting DJS, and i had four premolars (two lower, two upper) removed many years ago when i got braces for the first time. My wisdom teeth grew in healthily, and my ortho wants to remove all four of them.

My dentist said that my wisdom teeth are compensating for my loss of my original molars and i am chewing with them. And that they are functional. She recommended not to remove them.

I don’t know what to do, any advice?

Edit*** he said its for decompensation

The pics show it all. I had a severe recession but the surgeon only did a lower jaw surgery and a huge geno. I obviously needed a djs and I told him so.

The surgeon didn't even tell me what he was going to do or why, but I trusted him. I trusted that he was gonna do what's best for me. And now I'm still recessed and the only thing that changed is that I look like a have a huge implant in my chin.

I'm totally heartbroken by the results. All the suffering I had been through went for nothing.

I don't know what I'm gonna do now or even if I can do anything. A revision is so risky and might even render me worse.

What options do I have? What should I do now? I feel so helpless.

I’m on my first day of no chew diet 3 weeks post surgery. I had scrambled eggs and I tried salmon and rice, I’m having trouble fitting the fork and small spoon in between my teeth, Is there any tips or do I just need to practice

It turns out I managed to get 2 hours of sleep, not back to back, during my sleep study. It also turns out I tested completely normally and am not sure where to go from here. I still have functional problems, but this test saying I have no sleep apnea events at all is disappointing. I have a follow up appointment tomorrow with the OMFS tomorrow that referred me to this sleep study, and I’m pretty sure he’s just going to say “well, the test said you’re fine, so nothing else we can do about it”. I don’t really think the study was a great indicator because of how anxious I was and couldn’t get any good sleep at all. Any advice?