How to choose an orthognathic surgeon

Hi everyone,

I haven't posted in age, but I still get a lot of questions regarding jaw surgery and I thought over time I'd try to update my blog a bit and add some more information for commonly asked questions.

I feel like a lot of the reason why my jaw surgery experience was so positive and why I got the results I was hoping to achieve is really due to my surgeon. It's not easy putting your life in someones hands but it makes it a lot easier if you feel comfortable with that person and you do your research.

I have cancelled surgeries for other things in the past because I didn't feel comfortable with the surgeon. I've had breathing difficulties and a lot of other medical issues related to my jaw issue in the past. But I'm glad that orthognathic surgery was my final decision.

Here are the steps I took before deciding my surgeon was right for me: '

1. Look and their previous work

I went online and tried to get into contact with as many people as possible who went to my surgeon. Jaw surgery is a combination of functionality, but a part of it is aesthetics. Every surgeon seems to have a different style as to what end result looks good. I noticed with my surgeon that I really liked the way both the nose and the chin ended up post op. It can be common to have your surgery combined with a genioplasty which is having your chin moved. This can be necessary when you have a convex profile or your either have too much bone or too subtle of a chin. Those issues may become exaggerated depending on how your jaws are moved. If you can't find any before and after pictures from your surgeon, call their office and see if they can provide you with any. Also, don't really use their digital imaging of what you will look like as a deal breaker because mine looked nothing like how I look now.

2. Research reviews, blogs, and forums to find out anything you can about your surgeon.

I checked all the reviews I could and I could only find one negative review and it was someone upset because my surgeon refused to do surgery on them altogether. Some surgeons will not do revisions. My surgeon does not do revisions from other surgeons as far as I know. If this is a first time jaw surgery for you, you'll have a easier time finding a surgeon than if you had jaw surgery and experienced complications or relapsed and then tried to go to a different surgeon. Also, forums and blogs will give you a good idea as to how that surgeon treats their patients throughout the process. I was so scared to have a surgeon similar to my orthodontist who was extremely welcoming during the consultation and then turned into a total ass who couldn't care less about my progress after they got their payment. My surgeon and all his staff were extremely professional, friendly, and were there for me throughout the entire process.

3. Use your gut instinct.

If you get a really bad vibe off of someone it might be a good sign that you need to go elsewhere. With my surgeon, I felt comfortable from the start with both him and his staff. Jaw surgery is a big decision and you need to be 100% committed and prepared for a long road ahead of you. Don't let the slight possibility of complications scare you. I had some complications after my surgery which resulted in an infection that required more surgery and a week with a drainage tube in my face. I would still do it all over again. The recovery is such a small time compared to spending the rest of your life without all the issues you had before surgery. I still don't know how I went so long with constant jaw pain and breathing issues. Not to mention the fact that I was slowly grinding my back teeth down to the point where I will never be able to properly chew certain foods from the damage.


Useful links regarding jaw surgery:

Archwired forum  This is probably the post helpful forum I have come across. They have a section on orthognathic surgery which was extremely helpful.

Jaw surgery forums   Another super useful forum that I believe started up doing the time I was going through my process.

Facebook pages and groups - just do a general Facebook search for jaw surgery.

You can also check out any of the links on your right  -----> I tried to link as many jaw surgery blogs as possible. Some may no longer be active as this was a few years ago.

How to choose an orthognathic surgeon

Hi everyone,

I haven't posted in age, but I still get a lot of questions regarding jaw surgery and I thought over time I'd try to update my blog a bit and add some more information for commonly asked questions.

I feel like a lot of the reason why my jaw surgery experience was so positive and why I got the results I was hoping to achieve is really due to my surgeon. It's not easy putting your life in someones hands but it makes it a lot easier if you feel comfortable with that person and you do your research.

I have cancelled surgeries for other things in the past because I didn't feel comfortable with the surgeon. I've had breathing difficulties and a lot of other medical issues related to my jaw issue in the past. But I'm glad that orthognathic surgery was my final decision.

Here are the steps I took before deciding my surgeon was right for me: '

1. Look and their previous work

I went online and tried to get into contact with as many people as possible who went to my surgeon. Jaw surgery is a combination of functionality, but a part of it is aesthetics. Every surgeon seems to have a different style as to what end result looks good. I noticed with my surgeon that I really liked the way both the nose and the chin ended up post op. It can be common to have your surgery combined with a genioplasty which is having your chin moved. This can be necessary when you have a convex profile or your either have too much bone or too subtle of a chin. Those issues may become exaggerated depending on how your jaws are moved. If you can't find any before and after pictures from your surgeon, call their office and see if they can provide you with any. Also, don't really use their digital imaging of what you will look like as a deal breaker because mine looked nothing like how I look now.

This is my before and after. In all photos my face is in resting position with my teeth fully closed. 

2. Research reviews, blogs, and forums to find out anything you can about your surgeon.

I checked all the reviews I could and I could only find one negative review and it was someone upset because my surgeon refused to do surgery on them altogether. Some surgeons will not do revisions. My surgeon does not do revisions from other surgeons as far as I know. If this is a first time jaw surgery for you, you'll have a easier time finding a surgeon than if you had jaw surgery and experienced complications or relapsed and then tried to go to a different surgeon. Also, forums and blogs will give you a good idea as to how that surgeon treats their patients throughout the process. I was so scared to have a surgeon similar to my orthodontist who was extremely welcoming during the consultation and then turned into a total ass who couldn't care less about my progress after they got their payment. My surgeon and all his staff were extremely professional, friendly, and were there for me throughout the entire process.

3. Use your gut instinct.

If you get a really bad vibe off of someone it might be a good sign that you need to go elsewhere. With my surgeon, I felt comfortable from the start with both him and his staff. Jaw surgery is a big decision and you need to be 100% committed and prepared for a long road ahead of you. Don't let the slight possibility of complications scare you. I had some complications after my surgery which resulted in an infection that required more surgery and a week with a drainage tube in my face. I would still do it all over again. The recovery is such a small time compared to spending the rest of your life without all the issues you had before surgery. I still don't know how I went so long with constant jaw pain and breathing issues. Not to mention the fact that I was slowly grinding my back teeth down to the point where I will never be able to properly chew certain foods from the damage.


Useful links regarding jaw surgery:

Archwired forum  This is probably the post helpful forum I have come across. They have a section on orthognathic surgery which was extremely helpful.

Jaw surgery forums   Another super useful forum that I believe started up doing the time I was going through my process.

Facebook pages and groups - just do a general Facebook search for jaw surgery.

You can also check out any of the links on your right  -----> I tried to link as many jaw surgery blogs as possible. Some may no longer be active as this was a few years ago.

How to choose an orthognathic surgeon

Hi everyone,

I haven't posted in age, but I still get a lot of questions regarding jaw surgery and I thought over time I'd try to update my blog a bit and add some more information for commonly asked questions.

I feel like a lot of the reason why my jaw surgery experience was so positive and why I got the results I was hoping to achieve is really due to my surgeon. It's not easy putting your life in someones hands but it makes it a lot easier if you feel comfortable with that person and you do your research.

I have cancelled surgeries for other things in the past because I didn't feel comfortable with the surgeon. I've had breathing difficulties and a lot of other medical issues related to my jaw issue in the past. But I'm glad that orthognathic surgery was my final decision.

Here are the steps I took before deciding my surgeon was right for me: '

1. Look and their previous work

I went online and tried to get into contact with as many people as possible who went to my surgeon. Jaw surgery is a combination of functionality, but a part of it is aesthetics. Every surgeon seems to have a different style as to what end result looks good. I noticed with my surgeon that I really liked the way both the nose and the chin ended up post op. It can be common to have your surgery combined with a genioplasty which is having your chin moved. This can be necessary when you have a convex profile or your either have too much bone or too subtle of a chin. Those issues may become exaggerated depending on how your jaws are moved. If you can't find any before and after pictures from your surgeon, call their office and see if they can provide you with any. Also, don't really use their digital imaging of what you will look like as a deal breaker because mine looked nothing like how I look now.

This is one of my before and after pictures. Theses are both with my face in resting position and teeth fully closed. 

2. Research reviews, blogs, and forums to find out anything you can about your surgeon.

I checked all the reviews I could and I could only find one negative review and it was someone upset because my surgeon refused to do surgery on them altogether. Some surgeons will not do revisions. My surgeon does not do revisions from other surgeons as far as I know. If this is a first time jaw surgery for you, you'll have a easier time finding a surgeon than if you had jaw surgery and experienced complications or relapsed and then tried to go to a different surgeon. Also, forums and blogs will give you a good idea as to how that surgeon treats their patients throughout the process. I was so scared to have a surgeon similar to my orthodontist who was extremely welcoming during the consultation and then turned into a total ass who couldn't care less about my progress after they got their payment. My surgeon and all his staff were extremely professional, friendly, and were there for me throughout the entire process.

3. Use your gut instinct.

If you get a really bad vibe off of someone it might be a good sign that you need to go elsewhere. With my surgeon, I felt comfortable from the start with both him and his staff. Jaw surgery is a big decision and you need to be 100% committed and prepared for a long road ahead of you. Don't let the slight possibility of complications scare you. I had some complications after my surgery which resulted in an infection that required more surgery and a week with a drainage tube in my face. I would still do it all over again. The recovery is such a small time compared to spending the rest of your life without all the issues you had before surgery. I still don't know how I went so long with constant jaw pain and breathing issues. Not to mention the fact that I was slowly grinding my back teeth down to the point where I will never be able to properly chew certain foods from the damage.


Useful links regarding jaw surgery:

Archwired forum  This is probably the post helpful forum I have come across. They have a section on orthognathic surgery which was extremely helpful.

Jaw surgery forums   Another super useful forum that I believe started up doing the time I was going through my process.

Facebook pages and groups - just do a general Facebook search for jaw surgery.

You can also check out any of the links on your right  -----> I tried to link as many jaw surgery blogs as possible. Some may no longer be active as this was a few years ago.

Last Adjustment

Hey readers,

BRACES RELATED

Wanted to do a little update.
So I went to see the ortho yesterday and it looks like next time I go in I'm getting booked to have my braces removed. I don't think I ever planned this far ahead, it's like a surprise.

With jaw surgery you get so used to the braces that they become part of you, you forget that they're only temporary.

A part of me is scared that when they come off stuff is going to shift, but my jaw seems pretty stable.

I did have a little issue. This past week I was getting a migraine again which  freaked me out because those were caused by my TMJ issues. It looks like it was from my molars no longer touching on the side where I had the underbite. My ortho put me in bands again and the headache is gone. I'm wearing many different bands. I have two fred bands and a ken band. My ortho gives me bands with man names, weird... who comes up with this stuff?

Rhianna:  In reply to your question about the bite opening again. I still tongue thrust and haven't been able to get back to speech therapy yet because of the infection and second surgery I had. This is a big concern for me too. I'd def go see a speech therapist asap and try to fix the tongue posture so things don't get worse, it hasn't been that long so maybe things will shift back without having to do anything. I remember talking to a girl once who was going through speech therapy to fix her open bite. I guess with the tongue where it should be the teeth will move back. Not 100% sure how this works but I'm going to try to stick with speech therapy too. 

LIFE RELATED

I'm back at university full time now that my jaw issues are over with. It's been hard adjusting back after taking time off for surgery and recovery. I'm in my 3rd year of accounting and I'm taking five courses which is a pretty heavy work load. I have seven midterms in February alone, starting this weeked. Thats the thing with my school, all my midterms on on the weekend. It's like horrible torture. I'm planning on doing summer terms to make up for the time I had off and that way I can graduate next summer.

I've hardly had time to do anything with school going on. I've been up until 2 or 3 am every night doing work, then I get up and do it all over again.

Me drugged up after having my second surgery. I'm starting to get used to this look. 

My drugs post surgery number two, I think I could open my own pharmacy with all the pills I've accumulated. 

The stuff my surgeon wanted me to squirt up the hole and into my cheek after the tube came out, yeah right buddy. 

Hope you guys are all doing well.
Once again I just want to say I am so grateful to all my bloggers, youtube, facebook jaw surgery buddies. :)

Terra

Jaw Surgery Roundup (Before and After)

Dear Readers,

First off I want to say thank you to everyone who reads my blog, who messages me, who added me on facebook (send me a fb message if you're adding me to let me know you're a jaw buddy) and to everyone who has been blogging. Without you guys I don't know how I would have gotten through this.

I am happy to say I am almost 8 weeks post op. I had an appointment with my surgeon today and first I will update on that...

He took a look at everything and he said that I still have a lot of tightness in my lower gumline which is impairing some of my movement and probably some of my feeling. He told me to eat spicy food, chew cinnamon gum, and keep making kissy faces, he said all those things help stimulate the sensory nerves and bring feeling back. He also wants me pushing my tongue down behind my lower lip to stretch it. I'm also allowed to massage my chin to help get feeling back. Otherwise he said everything is looking good. I still have more swelling on the left side than on the right. I picked up my xrays today to send to the insurance company. It's amazing to see how different my face is and all the screws. I have 26 screws and 5 plates. I can feel one of the screws just under my eye.

Clearly the after picture is a little closer but you can also see how narrow my nose used to be. Now my nose looks huge in comparison. 

My nose is straighter now though. I don't have as much of a dorsal which is nice. It also doesn't droop as much. 

Here you can see that my chin is shorter and its more square than pointy.  

Overall I feel like I look really different when I look in the mirror.
Personally I think I could live with what the surgery has done to my nose but I'll probably change it.
I've never had to think about making my nose narrower before because it was so narrow but I'll probably take it in a little and have the bone shaved off and broken to give a softer side profile and to get rid of the dorsal. I'm still adjusting to the new chin. I do miss my pointy chin but I appreciate the more feminine chin. I think I look less manly now lol

I know it makes no sense that I have these issues with my nose, but we've just never been good friends.
I can't wait to get these braces off as I can't wait to whiten my teeth. My pre braces pictures show me with a glowing white smile, and after 2 years in braces and jaw surgery that smile is not so white anymore.

GOOD NEWS!!!
My surgeon says my bite looks really great and that he usually allows braces to be removed from 4 months and on after surgery. Well I'm going to see him in February and that is 4 months post op so I might get the okay to have my orthodontist remove the braces!!

I mean I do love my braces, we've been through a lot together and they have really changed my smile, but I can't wait to look like an adult again.

Well we're leaving for Australia on Sunday so I'm hoping to do an update video before that. I'll try to update while I am away. I'll be gone for almost a month so hopefully by the time I return the remaining swelling will be gone.

I'm starting to be able to make faces again. Although it hurt a lot to make this one.

7 days post op

I'm just doing a quick update before I rest again. The last few days have been very difficult. I was doing pretty good Monday, and then it quickly changed. I started to get really drowsy and weak and something didnt seem right. Tuesday was a horrible day, I had so much pain and I kept drifting to sleep even if I was sitting up and trying to communicate. I was in the washroom and nearly passed out, I couldn't even stand anymore. Let me add that I was so nauseous from the beginning of the week. Still being on a clear liquid diet all I could have was water otherwise is throw up. I was taking all my meds but I was getting more and more nauseous. I have liquid gravol but when I took it I threw it all up immediately.

The pain also worsened on Tuesday and by the end of the day I couldn't even talk. I just wanted to call 911 and be taken in so I would be okay. Tuesday night was so horrible, I didn't sleep and all night I felt nauseous and was in level 10/10 pain. Wednesday I went to my surgeons office to fix whatever was wrong. They hooked me up to an IV and gave me a ton of liquids pain meds and antinausea meds all through IV. I was there for a few hours and my surgeon removed the bandage on my lower face which was horrible. My face is still red. Anyway they said I was extremely dehydrated and my stomach was probably nauseous because all I had was meds. They also said I probably pulled a muscle in the right cheek which was causing pain.

On a more private note I haven't gone to the washroom in a week and they said this is really bad because it makes your body think its still it lockdown mode and won't let any liquids stay down. So I have to take laxatives too now.

Once I left yesterday I was so much better. I had energy to walk around unassisted and get to the bathroom and back all on my own. Today is even better. I've been doing a lot of things more independently which helps me learn and function better. I still wouldn't get up and go to the kitchen and I still get help filling the syringes so I don't spill food everywhere.
I slept we'll last night but the only thing that's different is that every time I wake up from sleeping my mouth is filledwith blood, mainly bright red, but it stops as soon as I get up and rinse.

I haven't had to think about the amounts of liquids or meds I need because my bfs mom has been charting everything and bringing me whatever I need as I need it. I've gone through about 7 protein drinks since yesterday.

The bleeding is really weird but I don't know if it has to do with the fact that having the tape off means nothing to support my jaw while I sleep. It's probably tension on the incisions.

Either was I'm doing a lot better today. But I'm still healing and need my sleep. I like having the independence and time to just relax alone but having the help I need when I need it. My breathing is really good too and I breathe well when I sleep.

I'm back on ice for pain management.

The swelling seems to be going down and I'm not feeling that whole huge ready to pop face thing anymore. My surgeon also has me taking crushed gravol mixed with something so I don't throw up anymore.

Well writing this made me tired. I'm sorry but I just have my phone with me and I'm not able to respond to comments on it. I'll still read them and respond we I'm on my laptop.

Surgery day. I had my surgery

I'm in the hospital in a room but I can't stay awake. Keep falling asleep.
I felt so nauseous. I keep puking up blood. Here are pictures

Waking up skinny and vegan protein powder

Okay so I've been pretty good with my diet for a while now but I had seen no difference in my body.
Weird thing is I woke up this morning and I'm like wtf, my stomach looks flat! YAY
Anyway I haven't been working out like I should due to knee issues. My doctor advised me to take 2 weeks off from running any time my knees start getting bad again, they sort of lock up and get really painful. It sucks big time because I love running. I'm not a gym lover, I hate being indoors and working out, so its been challenging.

Anyway I will make a separate post down the road and include this, but I started using a different product from the protein line that I've been using for a couple years. I swear this stuff keeps me alive. They changed the formula so it's super fine now and very easy to mix into shakes or anything else. It's vegan too so anyone can take it.

This is the website for more information
VEGA SPORT

I thought the recover one would be best to try out for a while since most of my issues are post workout, with muscle fatigue and joint pain. So far so good. This will for sure be my staple during jaw surgery and I strongly recommend it to anyone. My boyfriend used to take protein all the time since he works out a lot, but I read through the ingredients in his and it's a lot of artificial sweeteners and other things that aren't so good for you. For this particular protein I pay about $49 Canadian for over 800g, which isn't a whole lot of protein compared to the non vegan brands, but it's quality, and you only need one scoop as opposed to two scoops. 

Seeing the orthodontist in 3 hours!!! Wish me luck!

Health, fitness, jaws, and accounting

Story of my life.

Anyway I just wanted to update, the website I have been using to get my workouts is having a 30 day challenge. They post videos for the month including fitness tests to help you get in better shape in 30 days. It's FREE!!! Okay no excuses!!! Anyway here is the link so check it out if you want to get in shape.

MAY 30 DAY CHALLENGE - BODYROCK.TV

My eating has been pretty good, still staying on the healthy side. I feel thinner in the sense that pants are fitting better and I don't look bloated.
My thighs have gotten thicker over the years from running but I notice that I do have more muscle mass and at a higher weight I look thinner than I used to because of this.

I start summer school in a week. Taking one of my tougher financial accounting courses. This course is really important for when I get my accounting designation so I wanted to make it the focus when I had time.

Jaws are being a pain as usual. TMJ is super swollen. Do any of you notice that when you feel the TMJ you can feel the disk on the outside, like a little bump that moves when you put pressure on it? I guess its still inflamed.

I see my orthodontist in 2 weeks and we're going to talk about where my bite is, the possibility of moving my surgery up, and also finding an orthodontist in Australia to complete my treatment.

Well thats about it, the weather is horrible in Canada. My short lived summer before summer term is pretty much over and it hasn't even been warm enough to run outside.

Finally something to say.

Hey guys.
So I uploaded a new video on youtube yesterday and I was feeling awful.
Its been so stressful lately. And I keep getting this fear that I'm not going to get a surgery date for this May.
Anyway, I finally got around to emailing my Orthodontist. I wasn't sure if I should call them or email him directly or what to do. So I sent him an email and he actually got back to me last night.
He said he's going to try to get me bumped up on the waiting list.

I guess he funnels a lot of work to them since its a super busy office. At any given moment it seems like there are 7 other people in chairs so I guess a small portion of those people get sent to my surgeon for one thing or another.

This is the same surgeon who did my wisdom teeth and he is probably one of the best here in Toronto. His surgery results are also very ideal and he has an extremely low relapse rate. I understand that along with that its very hard to get an appointment with him, but I've been told all along that I'll have a surgery date this spring so I just want to know that I actually will.

Being a full time student there are very few times I can take the time to recover since I don't really get any time between terms or over the breaks. I pretty much always have work to do in my program.
My mom is also flying in from australia for the surgery and she needs to be able to schedule the time and book her flight so having a surgery date so close to when we are planning surgery would be a huge help.

I'll respond to all my wonderful youtube comments later on today.
I really appreciate everyones kind words so much.

This process really does give you more than you bargain for, its extremely emotional and really tests your patiences.

I started this process 10 years ago, actually 11 years ago, on and off, and deciding to have my jaw surgically corrected was a very big decision. Anyone going into this should really think about it and make sure they are ready and that they have a great support group. A two year process is a very very long time.

I honestly admire all of you who got through this, and I appreciate all the blogs and videos out there of other peoples journeys. So many of you have been so nice to me and offered so much advice and information.

If anyone from Toronto is at the beginning stage and looking for an orthodontist, send me a message. My orthodontist has been amazing, and my smile has never looked so good, even if this is pre surgery.

I'm going to try to add some more informative info to my site when I get a chance and also add some awesome links I've come across.
The blogs I have posted on the sidebar are awesome. I haven't gotten all of them up there yet, but check them out because the more info you find the more assured you will feel.

Well my lecture is starting now.

Thanks everyone for being so awesome :)

Terra

Orthodontist Adjustment Update and some good news for once

Hey Everyone!!
Okay, so I had an appointment today with my orthodontist.
My usual ortho was there today, Dr. G.
Not much went on, I just had my powerchains changed.
I have two gaps in the lower teeth that need to close.

Okay now onto some good news!!
So Dr. G gave me the okay to book my jaw surgery!!
Finally!!!!!!!!
He said I should be ready to go for May.
I called my surgeons office and I'm waiting for them to call back in regards to a surgery date.
It looks like I'll have to go in sometime soon and let Dr. C(my surgeon) see my bite for himself.

Well I am very very excited and nervous and everything!!!!
I can't believe how fast a whole year went by!!!
Its amazing how much can happen in a year and how much we can change.

I feel so bad because I have a ton of emails and comments that I haven't responded to on my youtube and my blog. My youtube has hit over 600 subscribers and over 180000 video views. So I'm glad that someone out there finds my story useful. I decided to keep track of my story because a year ago when my jaw was going weird on my and I was soooo confused about what to do, I watched every video I could find and read every single blog on the planet. So hopefully my blog and videos clarifies something for someone.

I notice a lot of changes in my face. I for sure haven't lost weight but my face is more concave, I'm looking like a skeleton face at time, which sucks because I always had a fullness to my face, so its like a face I don't recognize. My chin has disappeared. I see old pictures of my profile and I had much more of a chin, maybe its the underbite but my chin is more convex and when I talk it appears as if my chin is gone.

Other than that I am sooooo busy in my day to day life, which is great because I can sleep for once from being so tired. I notice that sleep is a necessity with my jaw issues. If I don't get enough sleep the pain is a lot worse and I just feel headachy all day. I have been rarely taking painkillers, and I'm trying very hard to relax my jaw.
I have midterms for the next two weeks and lots of appointments and I'm tutoring so I've had no time for anything. I'm really really hoping I get my damn surgery date though.
gihSDgisgh
AAHHHHHHHHHHH I don't know if I should smile or cry!!!!

Excuse my update photos, I haven't bothered to bother with my appearance, and my hair and makeup is at its minimal mess.

TMJ and gaps

So I don't really want to be updating all the time but I really don't know what to do about my TMJ pain anymore. After my last adjustment I find my jaw is still very sore and its actually cracking a lot more than it usually does. The only real change I notice is that my midline is moving further and further apart and I feel the constant need to clench my teeth.

When I told the orthodontist about my pain he basically said that I have to go to my doctor because all he can do is put bite plates in that will probably irritate the TMJ a lot more. This is understandable as he is an orthodontist and not a medical doctor. I'm wondering if I should call my surgeon though as he is the one who will be working on my jaws? Hmmmm

I went in to see my doctor not long ago and she just advised me to keep taking any painkillers as I need them and that over the counter may no longer be strong enough. I've been taking Tylenol 3's every few days when it gets to the point that I have a migraine, otherwise I try to stay away from the painkillers.

I'm pretty worried about next term in regards to the pain. I'm starting to have more and more of those days where I am in so much pain I can't get out of bed, and I don't want to be drugged up every other day. My doctor suggested taking the term off as I might end up in a situation where I can't complete work or go to exams. I really hate the idea of taking time off school as I was initially trying to fast track (prior to knowing I would be having jaw surgery) I was willing to take this term off and go through the summer if I could have the jaw surgery earlier, but they keep setting it back.

In no way do I want to make my orthodontist sound bad, because he is great. My teeth have never looked this good, despite the underbite/open bite/cross bite lol I just wish that the timeline was more realistic at the start. Initially I was told around Christmas I would be ready and now it turns out that I won't be ready for another few months. Maybe it's just one of those things that are hard to predict but I would have liked to know this back then.

At this point all I can do is keep hoping that my teeth move to where they should be a lot faster so that I can have the surgery and hope that the pain resolves.

BTW my front teeth look awesome after the filing, the gap closed and they look perfect. The bottom teeth on the other hand now have a little gap, I don't know whats going on with my bottom teeth but at least stuff is moving.

PICTURES

Emergency Piss off blog

Ahhhh So I'm in the middle of exams, and I've been studying pretty much most of the day everyday. Anyway thats not the point, the point is my jaw is killing me!! The pain is beyond annoying. Ever since I stopped taking painkillers a few months ago it has been hell. I have been spending, on average, 2-3 hours a night trying to fall asleep. The pain is the worst at night, probably from talking all day and doing things that use my jaw, like eating. Well anyway, this term has not been fun with this jaw pain. I noticed something strange recently while I've been going through all this jaw stuff. On my right side, you can see how far out the bottom jaw comes, yet on the left side its not out nearly as far. I don't know if other people have this same issue, its very weird looking lol. Anyway the right side is where I get all the pain, I'm not sure if thats why.

Anyway yeah thats whats up. As I write this I can't explain the pain my jaw is in. I feel it spreading through my head and neck. I have an exam in less than 8 hours, I still have't slept at all, and I pray to God that I won't wake up feeling any worse, if I do get around to going to bed.

The End.

P.S. I apologize to everyone who has up until now thought my name was Vero. Its Terra. It's a long story that I will explain at a later time, involving travel, and foreign people not being able to pronounce Terra, they looked like they were in pain every time they tried saying it. So yes I used Vero. I don't know why I had it on this blog, this account is old. Anyway yes so hello world, I am Terra :)

I promise this is the end, goodnight, or morning or whatever time it may be.

Hello World + Monkey business

First I just wanted to say.....

So I was at the surgeon yesterday, trying to understand why oh why I need double jaw surgery instead of just having the top jaw moved. I'm staring at the image and I'm like "well, can't we just move the top jaw?" The surgeon responds, " Well we could and your jaw will likely work out fine but you will look like a monkey, the whole bottom half of your face will stick out." Well that reason is good enough for me.

So as of yesterday I have been aware of the fact that I am getting double jaw surgery, genioplasty, braces, and 4 wisdom teeth removed. I have to admit I am trying not to let it get to me but I think I was in bed for 3 hours last night thinking about the fact that the bones in my face are going to be rearranged. Scary. Well anyway I woke up today feeling a lot better about it. The initial shock will continue to fade I'm sure. I have 3 finals left in the next 10 days so I have taken action to disconnect myself from the world for the time being.

I have become known for deactivating facebook, and throwing my phone under my bed or some unaccessible place in order to avoid distraction. I might not update my blog again until after these finals are done, but my next update will be filled with lots of important information regarding the future of my face.

Just in case you didn't see my last update video, I have been so lucky as to not only need upper jaw surgery, but also lower jaw surgery and genioplasty. Looks like this summer I will be getting my wisdom teeth out as well.

Upon talking to my brother about this whole situation he responded with, "Oh so you're going to look like the bride of Frankenstein?" He always puts such a positive spin on things. This child has been gifted with absolutely no health related issues, and I have been fortunate enough to have them all. From allergies, to jaw issues, to breathing issues, broken bones, many visits to the ear nose throat doctor, etc. I've already had a couple surgeries but nothing like jaw surgery. I'm hoping the jaw surgery will also correct my breathing as I have had sleep apnea in the past as well, it comes and goes. All in all, I'm just going to take the good with the bad and try to see it all through rose coloured glasses.

The one thing that does suck, is that during this process I will have to stay homeward bound for sure. I can foreshadow many visits to the orthodontist etc, in the next two years. I really wanted to look into doing an international exchange for a year in Australia as this is where half of my family is, but looks like that won't be happening. I'm instead fast tracking so I can finish a term early and go there for a while once I'm done my degree and my jaw is in place. To all the Aussies who read my blog, you live in the most amazing place. Oddly enough, I appreciated Canada most when I was in Australia. I think I just want to travel the world and take in all the amazing views.

Thanks for reading, hope you are all keeping well, and I will be back in 10 days :)