The Girl with the Gummy Smile

Hi everybody! As most of you know, I am getting ready to have surgery on both of my jaws on July 20th. I decided to start this blog after coming across blogs from other people who have undergone the same type of surgery. These blogs have helped me prepare for both the surgery itself and the recovery process, and I figured that my blog might end up helping someone in a similar situation. I also thought that it will be a good way to communicate with family and friends who want to stay updated on my progress.

For what seems like my entire life, I've been climbing in and out of orthodontists' chairs trying to see what can be done to fix my uncooperative and stubborn mouth. Ever since I was a little kid, my parents, dentist, and I knew that my mouth would require intensive orthodontic care. A bad case of unlucky genes and thumb sucking left me with an overbite that does not allow me to close my mouth entirely and an obnoxiously "gummy" smile (see pictures below). From fourth through seventh grade, I had every gadget and doo-dad in my mouth known to the orthodontic world to try to correct my bite. At the end of seventh grade my orthodontist told me that braces had done everything that they could do even though my bite was far from perfect. At the time, as a typical seventh grader, I was just happy to be braces-free.

However, after a few years, I realized that I was not truly satisfied with the way my mouth looked. Then, when I was a sophomore and junior in high school, my mom and I decided that it was time to talk to some different orthodontists and see if there was anything that could be done to fix my bite. They all said the same thing: orthognathic surgery. While hesitant at first, my mom decided to take me for a consultation at an oral surgeon's office during my junior year. After hearing all the gory details, my mom was reluctant to agree to the surgery, but I convinced her that I had been waiting years to have the chance to be able to close my mouth like any normal person and to be able to smile without my entire upper jaw being the center of attention. 

During the summer of 2010 I decided on an orthodontist and my treatment got started. Luckily, after all of the years of doing everything I was supposed to when I had braces on as a middle schooler and consistently wearing my retainer afterwards ensured that I would only have to wear braces for about 9 months before surgery since my teeth were already pretty much straight. 

So now after what seems like countless sore teeth, hundreds of impressions, and thousands of arch wire adjustments I just had my last orthodontic appointment for major adjustments today (I have to go back for a last minute check up about a week before surgery) and I am only a little bit more than a month away from surgery. During the five to six hour surgery they will be basically detaching my upper jaw, removing bone and securing it with plates and screws as well extending my lower jaw forward and sliding my chin forward. While I am super excited for my new look, I am also extremely nervous because this is all starting to become very "real" for me now. As I go to different appointments with the oral surgeon in the upcoming weeks, I will keep you updated on what is going on. Also, after surgery, look for some glamourous post-op pictures. 

 Say Cheese!!!

My facial muscles are completely relaxed. A normal mouth would be closed.

Profile 1

 Profile 2

I know it's not attractive, but it gives you a decent view of my overbite.