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.

I Corrected my Tongue Thrust - Without Speech Therapy

A tongue thrust is basically poor tongue posture which causes you to push your tongue against the inside of your teeth instead of up on the roof of your mouth. Everyone is born with a tongue thrust and almost everyone learned proper tongue posture on their own, without any assistance. Tongue thrusters do not. A common result of this is an anterior open bite where none of the anterior teeth meet and an opened appears.

This was my anterior open bite prior to double jaw surgery and prior to decompensation. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had braces at a younger age to attempt to fix the bite. With no attempt to fix the tongue thrust I just kept tongue thrusting and ended up relapsing to the point I was developing sleep apnea and TMJ disorder. I also had speech issues, chewing issues, mouth breathing, and other things that were out of the norm.

I believe two things fixed my tongue thrust.

1. Persistence to fix my tongue posture: I didn't go to speech therapy during this process, but I researched tongue thrust correction and used many youtube videos to help learn ways to correct my tongue thrust. It was very annoying, and at first you will start thrusting the second you stop thinking about it. Be persistent. It is a very difficult habit to break. 
2. Jaw surgery: When I had my jaw surgery I had both jaws moved and my chin moved. It was a big surgery to go through with a very tough recovery. I also had cysts removed from my nasal airway. Being able to breathe properly through my nose was a huge factor in correcting my tongue posture as it allowed me to keep my tongue at the top of my mouth while using my nose to breathe. 

I know a lot of people have relapsed after having jaw surgery for an anterior open bite. I had my surgery over two years ago and so far my bite as remained the same as it was post op. I will always try to be aware of my tongue posture and one day I will see a speech therapist to assure I am doing everything I can to avoid a relapse.

This is my bite post op:

Terra

Thank You

I have received such a huge outpouring of kindness after posting my last youtube video.
I can't begin to explain how appreciative and thankful I am for this community and for all the wonderful people who have reached out. I have my social media all linked and I usually know after posting a video when friend requests are jaw surgery related. If you send me a request on facebook and I haven't added you then just send a message and let me know you saw my blog. I check my other box daily but sometimes I miss things as life has been crazy busy lately.

I was very hesitant to post that last video but it was exactly what I needed. I had faced a huge mental block and couldn't concentrate with everything I had going on in my mind. I feel a lot better now and I'm back in the library writing this tax policy paper which will be the end of me.

I know it's hard for people to open up and it was in no way easy for me to make the decision to post so much of my life online for the world to see. I have to say I'm glad I just went for it. I'm so appreciative to everyone who I've met along the way. I'm not sure if it's just from the similar struggles we have faced but the people of this jaw surgery community are amazing. It really makes me realize how much good there is in the world and that strangers can turn into good friends.

I promise to all my jaw surgery friends I will try to be as open and realistic about this journey as I can so that everyone coming up to this can have something to relate to. So that when you get stuck between a rock and a hard place you know you're not alone.

I wanted to go a little into what this journey is like for the people in your life. I have to give credit to this amazing girl for posting very real and relatable videos. She shared a video she took which goes into what it's like for loved ones and people who are there helping you get through the process.
AWESOME YOUTUBE VIDEO AND CHANNEL

We face a war in our minds when going through something like this but so do our loved ones. It's sometimes more difficult for them because they can't relate to our emotions. They don't feel and see things the same way we do.

It puts strain on relationships. This is something highly understated and I think it's something that should be addressed. I went from being in a long term relationship that was stable and happy to being in a manic depressive roller coaster while going through this surgery.

I wish at the time I knew how to express what I was feeling instead of just constantly being a crying mess. There is no guideline as to how to emotionally survive this surgery. He tried his best to be supportive and I tried my best to hold it together but at times we break. At times you get overwhelmed and you don't think logically at all, you get scared and you start to feel like a crazy person. I feel like the worst thing was probably the huge drop in self confidence. I forgot how to stand up for myself because I felt like I was ugly and that I was lucky to have anyone like me while looking like a mess. Instead of taking things for face value and appreciating compliments, I would look too deeply into everything and start thinking he was just saying things to be nice. I got scared that my face changing and the braces would turn me into some kind of monster and he would just leave me. To be honest the only reason we probably had issues throughout that process was because of the demons in my mind constantly telling me these lies and not because he thought I was a monster.

We are always told to see the good in others, but at times like this we need to see the good in ourselves first. Love you, love you, love you because you are so lovely. I am usually very critical but I can honestly say I have never met a person going through this process that wasn't beautiful inside and out. You reading this right now are amazing, and you know how I know? Because you're reading this. You are actually that caring that you are willing to look into someone else's experience and listen to their opinions.

I have to admit, I'm almost sorry for the people that don't have this awesome jaw surgery connection. I feel blessed to have met all of you :)

Well I should actually finish writing my tax paper now. Oh and to my buddies out there who are accountants, because I know some of you are, I give you so much credit for being able to get through this. Accounting is mind numbing and complicated on so many levels.

Have a great weekend guys!!!

XOXO

Terra

Almost a year post op

Hey guys,

Hard to believe it's been almost a year since I broke my face. Weird isn't it?
Time really flies when you're enjoying your new face.
I will do a proper before and after update at the one year mark. I still have to do my before and after video. I need to get on that soon.

Once again I love my followers and blogger friends for being there throughout this very long and challenging journey. Thanks guys for all the support and advice.

Lots of love!!

Terra

Last damn orthodontist appointment I LOVE MY FACE

Sweet Jesus I hate going to my ortho.

I had to go for my 3 month appointment post braces removal. I actually cancelled the original and moved it. I knew the appointment would end badly considering I cracked my top retainer months ago but avoided hearing them blame it on me.

Anyway this stupid retainer wouldn't fit from the day I went to pick it up. It was torture getting it on and once it was on it was not coming off. I wore it every night as directly but the top came up to high and it wouldn't snap on.

Anyway it wasn't broken, just chipped from me constantly having to force it on. I went it and initially they said I'd have to pay $200 to replace it but then my ortho said to just do it for free and if it breaks again I have to pay the $200. I like my ortho even more now considering he didn't charge me $200 for a piece of plastic. They should just make doubles when people get braces and keep the backup in their office. Won't happen though, otherwise it would be too easy. I can only imagine how often kids go in there because they lost or broke their retainers. They must make a killing. I used to lose and break my retainers all the time in highschool. Once I forgot to put it in the case and my dog chewed it up. Probably the most expensive chew toy he has ever gotten.

Anyway they all went ohhh and awwwwwe when they saw my bite. It's a huge difference from before and I am sort of in love with all the changes. I feel pretty! I am almost a year post op and just the other day i noticed my jaw is more square. Weird, new changes all the time. It's awesome though. I'm loving it.

10 Months Post op

Hello readers!!

It's been a crazy summer and I've been slacking in the blogging and youtubing department.
I did do a youtube update not that long ago and I will do a retainer one soon.
My bite has been good and has pretty much stayed the same. I've been wearing my retainers nightly for the most part. The only time I didn't wear them consistently was when I was at the hospital overnight with my grandmother.

My last post was on the way back from Montreal and everything sort of got crazy after that. A couple days later my grandmother fell ill and was hospitalized in critical care. I was closer to my grandmother than most people are so when she's not well I don't leave her side. She was at the hospital for 9 days in which I pretty much was there all the time, around the clock. She started to improve on July 6th and we had a lot of hope that maybe she would someday be well enough to be moved to a different ward and eventually recover. The following day she went down hill really fast and that was the last day I got to spend with her. Planning the funeral that week was chaos with the amounts of flooding and the storms in Toronto. We had a power outage so I got very little sleep working around the clock to have everything sorted out. The funeral turned out to be beautiful and I think it honoured her life well.
I miss her every single day.

Some days everything that has happened these last few months just overwhelms me so most of the time I try not to think too much. My life has forever changed in so many ways that sometimes I don't recognize it at all.

At the same time I feel blessed to have the amazing people that I do have in my life. Hoping for lots of good from here on out. I really hope all your wonderful people are doing well. I miss your stories and I've going to try to catch up on everyones blog.

xoxo
Terra

1 Year in Pictures (My jaw surgery journey)

Hello all!

Okay I'm not feeling like typing out a storm but I wanted to share some flashbacks of the past year in pictures since I haven't done this. I'll try to find some good profile shots :)