Personal Experience with the Surgery - Part 1

Kamusta!

I am Allen, 21, male from Manila.

I created this blog to provide useful information to orthognathic surgery patients in the Philippines. I also wish to make my blog a place to discuss concerns and issues related to the procedure.

In view of the extreme lack of available information (even in the internet) regarding orthognathic surgery in the Philippines, I shall be your personal guide / researcher who would tell you everything you may want to know about this still-unpopular surgical procedure.

Before anything else, I want you to click the following links. They provide helpful info:

http://cosmeticmaxillofacialsurgery.rxpinoy.com/index.php?account=cms&mod=ae5874&category=services&cid=a1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJFlgn96DOo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3CJQjQb7Mk&feature=related

http://www.oc-j.com/june00/presurg.htm

http://www.emedicine.com/plastic/topic177.htm

http://herkules.oulu.fi/isbn9514267508/html/c237.html

So here's the part 1 of my personal experience with the surgery:

I underwent orthognathic surgery few months ago. Based on the cephalometric evaluation before the surgery, I had class III malocclusion (underbite - my lower teeth were protruding). I also had assymetric front jaw. So the surgeon told me my lower jaw needed 10-millimeter push-back and a few millimeters genioplasty (removal of some bone on my front lower jaw to correct its contour).

Most of the time, a comprehensive orthodontic treatment is needed before the surgery to prepare the teeth for its new occlusion or bite after the surgery. In other cases, it's usually the braces that keep the upper and lower jaws immobilized after the surgery. Yes, the braces stays on before, during and after the surgery.

Unluckily I was not properly informed about that. So I proceeded with the surgery without enough knowledge on what will happen after the operation in the OR. So when I woke up in my room at the hospital, I realized they put something they called "archbar" on my lower and upper teeth to immobilize my jaws. It was awful.

I could see the wires of that archbar going through my gums. I never expected it's going to be like that. The only thing I had in my mind at that time was I need to calm down and to talk to my surgeon. When my surgeon visited me for the check-up, he assured me that it's fine. I could not do anything because it's already inside my mouth, and my only concern then was to get well and recover fast from my surgery.

When I got back home, I immediately checked youtube and from there, I saw that none of the patients wore that archbar. It was really upsetting. I mean I thought I was exposed to some kind of primitive method in this surgery. Until now, I can't find any patient who wore that archbar.

It took 2 months before that god-damn archbar was removed. I endured 8 weeks of total mouth closure with only Ensure and other liquids to drink. No food. No anything. I was really frustrated.

(to be continued)

Feel free to ask questions.