Before and after profiles!The surgery is now a distant memory. I hit my one year post-op anniversary last Thursday, January 31st. You can still see some gum when I smile big - that can't be helped. But, it's part of what makes me look like ME (and my mother), so I don't mind it at all.
Most importantly, I've been excercising my front teeth and cutting through lots of sandwiches and noodles, etc., which I hadn't been able to do in a long time, due to the edge-on-edge bite. Oh, the joy and satisfaction of literally sinking your teeth into food! :)
Another benefit? No more jaw fatigue. Some people get headaches when they're tired. I used to get jaw aches. My jaws would get tired and feel a dull ache. Very annoying. Now poof, that's long gone. Plus, no more clicking or weird shifting when I open wide! That used to freak me out: the weird twisting and popping of my jaw joints when I had to open wide at a dentist's. No more of that. The nightmare is over!
10 comments:
hi there!
i randomly came across your blog while searching for similar edge-on-edge bite cases. it's such a relief to hear that you can actually chew and not feel any disappointment or grief about it. it's been years since i've been able to chew noodles (and what sucks is no one understands what you mean!)
anyway, just wanted to say thanks. hopefully i'll be done soon too!!!
-Sue
Well, you look fantastic, as I'm sure you know! And I'm glad you're so satisfied; it gives me hope!
wow, you look great! your face looks thinner than it did the last time you posted pictures.
...and look at that cute headband! that's something i'm so looking forward to when this is all done: headbands!! :)
today i went in and had rubberbands put in, and when they had the plastic appliance in my mouth to hold it open my jaw was straining and aching and popping so badly! I won't miss that stuff either...
Hi Kristen, these pictures of you are all so great! Its so amazing to me how this surgery has changed how you look! I think I've asked this before but do people sometimes not recognize you? Its not just the shape of your face, etc. Its something about your eyes, almost like who is looking back at the camera is a different person! Mary
I never get enough of looking at pics of before and after, and yours are particularly heart warming. x
Hi Kristen,
I found your blog while google-researching this for myself (I have an underbite). Your 'before' profile picture reminds me of myself -- not too severe, but still something's up -- and I was surprised to learn that you went to the same orthodontist and surgeon I'm currently seeing! I would love to get your insight on the whole process with Dr. Quo and Dr. Li, with your insurance company, and going back to work with your new jaw.
-Susan
It's a very good thing that you have some gum showing--it's a sign of youth, and as you age, your top lip will droop anyway. So if your lip has longer to droop--that's a plus!
My wife-to-be is having jaw surgery in just 3 days! Your blog has been a great service to the both of us! Thanks.
ps. I for one don't think you look too drastically different; mostly just in the profile. I hope my wife-to-be doesn't change too much either; just a better jaw.
Kristen,
It's truly amazing how quickly time appears to move. Like you, I just passed my one year mark (3 April was my one year anniversary of my 2nd lower jaw surgery) and, when I think about it, it alternates between seeming as if it was just yesterday and as if it was many years ago. Maybe I've just gotten so used to seeing the end result that I'm beginning to forget how I looked pre-surgery (I really don't have many photos of myself pre-surgery).
Anyway, you look amazing and I'm glad that you're happy with the results!
-Bill (can't remember my Blogger ID and password it's been so long)
Hey, not sure if you check this regularly at all anymore. I was looking into having jaw surgery too.
When you went in, did you ask them to do a composite picture of the outcome or did they offer or anything like that?
Also, people here are talking about changes to the face and seem surprised by the changes. Did your doctor tell you what changes were going to take place in advance?
BTW You look great, much improvement especially the profile and smile.
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