For as long as I can remember I have had issues in my mouth. When I was growing up I do not remember EVER seeing a dentist. It wasn’t until I was 17 and already had severe tooth problems and TMJ that I finally got to see a dentist. That was short lived however and I went on into adulthood with TMJ and ugly teeth. I cannot remember the last time I actually had all of my teeth in my head and was able to smile. You’d be surprised how much people take this simple blessing for granted. It has affected my self confidence for well over a decade.

As an adult I decided I’d had enough of not looking my best and being in pain with the TMJ. I started looking for dentists who would help me. Unfortunately the first couple of dentists wound up being extremely expensive mistakes who only did more damage.

For the past year I have suffered with recurrent Jaw bone infections due to one of these mistakes, and have been hospitalized due to one flare up. I finally found a dentist in March of 2010 that I truly felt I could trust and be comfortable with. His entire staff are knowledgeable, and kind and in the short time that I have known them I already consider them family. That is a feeling I have NEVER gotten from a dentist.

In March of 2010 I started my long process of fixing my teeth by having my wisdom teeth removed. The procedure wasn’t that bad because I was completely under for the procedure but the healing time has definitely been rough. I had 6 teeth removed at one time. 3 horizontally impacted wisdom teeth, and two teeth on the lower front arch who had broken off a couple of years ago at the gum line, and one tooth that had had a root canal that had turned into a serious jaw infection.

It’s been during this healing time that I’ve been discussing with both my dentist and my oral surgeon the best way to go about fixing my mouth and jaw for the rest of my life. I have been referred to an Orthodontist for a consultation for Orthognathic Surgery. My lower jaw is much shorter than the top jaw and I have a pretty severe overbite. Add to that the fact that I have fairly severe TMJ and it’s pretty clear that just throwing some bridges and crowns in the empty spaces isn’t going to fix the problem.(As a matter of fact we tried that approximately 5 years ago and the 12,000 dollar bridge I had put on top is already broken and needs to be replaced.) Why? Well because first of all the dentist who made it attached it to my teeth incorrectly and now the two pieces have shifted apart leaving a nice gap right in the middle. Add to that the fact that I have severe bruxism due to clenching and grinding and I’ve all but ground that bridge down to nothing.

The way it was explained to me is this. I could spend approximately 20,000 on new bridges and crowns and have nice teeth, but if I don’t repair the foundation they are going on I will literally grind them into oblivion over the course of 5 or more years and have to replace them. OR- I could fix the foundation with braces and surgery, and then fix the teeth and I will have a smile that will last a lifetime.

Of course the process is long. It could take 3 years to complete.

First I will have to have Scaling and Root Planing done on my teeth for severe Periodontal Disease.

Then I will have to have fillings and restorative work on the teeth that need it.

Then I get braces. Yeah I have to wear braces as a 34 year old mother of 3. No invisalign for me. I get the metal brackets and all.

After wearing braces for approximately a year to 18 months I will have jaw surgery. My lower jaw will be sectioned into 4 parts and moved into a better position to fit with my upper jaw, and plates and screws will be used to hold it there At the same time they will move my chin into a more balanced position with the rest of my face. Because my lower jaw is so short I have a almost nonexistent chin.  I will be banded shut for approximately 8 weeks for it to heal.

I will continue wearing the braces for 6 months to a year after surgery to refine my bite.

After the braces come off I will have more restorative dental work with veneers and crowns.

Hopefully in the end after all of that I’ll have a mouth that functions properly and looks beautiful too.

Will it all be worth it? I won’t know until I get to the other side,  but I’m sure going to try to make it the best experience I can.

I hope you will follow me on this journey and if you are someone considering doing the same thing my experience will help you make the decision that is right for you.

To see all of my posts about my Surgery Process click the category listed as Orthognathic Surgery on the right hand column of the page.