I’ve been going through the process of braces with the eventual outcome to have double jaw surgery to fix and underbite (on the NHS in the UK). I had a routine braces check up appointment today and was advised that I could be getting my jaw surgery march 2027 which after a 4 and half year journey was abit of a shock.

I’m not massively insecure about my underbite but it does cause some functional issues. I’m terrified of the getting the surgery. I’m scared of how it’s going to change my face, I know the change to my jaw will be positive but the changes it can cause to the rest of my face (nose and symmetry) scares me. I know it sounds daft but I’m scared that I won’t like my new face and that my boyfriend won’t like it either (daft I know). With me not being massively insecure the thought of change is scary because I don’t necessarily want to look too different.

My question to you is would it be worth it?

The photos I have attached are photos I e taken of my self and photos other people have taken of me. I feel like in selfies you can barely notice it. But in photos other people take you can? It’s so distracting not knowing how you look!

Today is exactly one month since my bimax. Today I saw my orthodontist for the first time and she also recommended for me to go for a second opinion to an oral surgeon for the asymmetry and whether my maxilla is centred. I’m still worried that I look worse now due to the look of my upper lip, nose and because I feel like my upper jaw was moved forward however lower stayed recessed and downward, but I also understand that there’s still swelling. Last 2 are before surgery. Does anyone have any good recommendations for surgeons or hospitals for revision surgery in the Netherlands, I would appreciate some advice.

Hi, I’m wondering if it’s possible to have asymmetrical jaw without misalignment in teeth. It’s weird because my lips don’t align naturally even though my teeth do. I think that’s what I might have but have not yet gone to get x ray. So was wondering if anyone could answer before I go

Hey, im coming up on 4 weeks post DJS + genioplasty, this reddit helped me a lot getting through the first week, so I thought i'd try share my experience for anyone going through the first week now or has surgery coming up

The first thing is, I underestimated how bad the first week would be. The first night especially was really horrible, time went extremely slow, I could only breathe through my mouth and as a result i scabbed badly around my lips, and got 0 sleep. The first 6 nights were rough, getting gradually better and for me personally worse on night 5 and 6. Just struggling to sleep, struggling to breathe and an absolutely foul taste in my mouth that made me want to puke. As well as the sleep, I found it really difficult to get any calories in. I'm currently down around 5kg from what I weighed before. Focusing was extremely difficult too, I wasn't able to play on my Switch or watch Netflix.

Now that that's the hard part. At day 7, for some reason I immediately had a good nights sleep, my breathing went back to normal and my lips healed. Best of all, the foul taste was gone and I was finally able to hop off the medication I was taking, which I had to wake up for several times in the night. I had energy and was wanting to do things I enjoy again. Since then its been really smooth sailing, aside from greatly missing solid foods.

I remember the first week I was feeling like I made a mistake because of how difficult it was, but once you get past it It honestly gets so much better, and the result I am extremely pleased with, I finally was able to fix what had made me feel insecure for so long with my underbite. I would definitely say now looking back that I have zero regrets, I'm not sure if others found it easier but for me it was extremely difficult, but still fully worth it. My face is still fairly swollen, but from the side I see the clear improvement already, and I think it wouldn't be noticeable to someone that I've just underwent surgery anymore.

My advice would be to make sure you're with someone you can trust who will take care of you the first week, I underestimated how important that was but fortunately my girlfriend was able to take care of me. It's difficult but trust me that it gets better quick once you pass the first week. What helped me as well was seeing people posting daily updates on their jaw surgery journey, giving me faith that it would not be so difficult for much longer. I hope this can be helpful for someone out there, I wanted to give something back to this reddit! :)

I've noticed comments that are obviously written by AI. What do bots gain from posting here?

"Cannot verify dutch from an x-ray but a 10mm jaw move is basically a citizenship change anyway"

"Clooney got paid millions for his lopsided jaw so the asymmetry is basically a subscription perk"

"Underbite folks get the best glow ups and 4 years of braces is basically a PHD in patience"

Hi all, had DJS under NHS. Been waiting for 6 years for this. Currently 4 and a half hours after surgery and I feel better than expected. I thought I’d be in immense pain but they have managed the pain extremely well.
Any advice for once I’m home would be great. I’ve got all essentials, electrolytes, ensure plus, wedge pillow but please suggest things I may not have even thought of that helped you all. Thank you so much ❤️

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I'm a 36-year-old male, and severe obstructive sleep apnea (ahi 39)has completely destroyed my quality of life.

For years, I've struggled with terrible sleep, constant awakenings, choking sensations, and the feeling that my airway is collapsing every time I start falling asleep. It has reached a point where I can barely function normally anymore. My entire life revolves around trying to breathe and get some decent sleep.

I recently underwent a DISE (Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy), which confirmed multilevel airway collapse, including:

Complete (100%) tongue base collapse

Secondary epiglottic collapse, caused by my tongue base pushing the epiglottis backward

Additional obstruction at multiple levels of my upper airway

I've tried pretty much everything I can think of, including:

CPAP, including experimenting with different pressures and many masks

Mandibular advancement device (MAD) which really did a big improvement but many side effects/pain/headaches

Myofunctional therapy

Various breathing exercises and positional adjustments

Unfortunately, nothing has provided a sustainable solution.

I'm now seriously considering maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery with counterclockwise (CCW) rotation, specifically to address my severe airway obstruction

At this point, my priority is being able to breathe and sleep normally again. However, I'm also concerned about the aesthetic consequences of large skeletal advancements.

My questions are:

Based on my facial structure, how much maxillary and mandibular advancement do you think I could aesthetically tolerate before looking unnatural?

Would CCW rotation potentially allow for greater airway improvement without excessively advancing my midface?

For those who had complete tongue base collapse and secondary epiglottic collapse, did MMA resolve these issues?

Would you prioritize maximum airway expansion even if it meant compromising facial aesthetics?

I'm not expecting anyone to replace a qualified maxillofacial surgeon. I'm simply interested in hearing opinions and experiences, especially from people who have undergone large advancements.

I genuinely feel like I've lost my life to this condition, and I'm desperate to get it back.

I don't care about achieving some perfect model-like jawline. I just want to breathe normally, sleep through the night, and still recognize myself in the mirror.

Any advice or personal experiences would mean a lot.

Hello !

I am a determined yet completely afraid girl, and I need feedbacks !

A few years ago, I was told I needed jaw surgery (my lower jaw is recessed). I was so afraid that I refused it completely and just carried on with my life.

But the ortho who recommended it warned me that my teeth were more likely to wear down and my gums to recede, so I always kept it in the back of my mind, thinking I'd eventually need it, just later.

Now that I'm almost 30, I'm sick of not doing something good for myself out of fear ! I want to stop feeling insecure about my profile, and my gums are starting to feel very thin around my front teeth.

I think it's time, but I'm freaking out. I have a surgeon's appointment in november and I can't stop thinking about it. I already had my ortho appointement with x-rays and impressions.

My ortho said I'd need four premolar extractions to decompensate, because my teeth are very flared out.

Having four teeth pulled and then undergoing surgery feels like such a life-changing experience, and I'm terrified. I'm scared of the anesthesia (the loss of control), of having my jaw wired shut, and of the pain. I am starting to "accept" Lower jaw surgery but if the surgeon tells me I need DJS I might freak out even more.

Every time I see someone who's had JS, I think they're a superhero and that I'm absolutely not capable of doing the same !!

I feel i'm going crazy because here in France dentists and ortho keep telling me it's nothing, it's a very basic and well-done surgery. While i don't doubt that surgeons do it very well multiple Times a day, it's not my understanding that on the patient POV it is something to take lightly... Some people even say it is the most challenging thing they have done. I feel like doctors, even very sweet ones, dont understand the fear... And that makes me feel bad and not very brave.

Has anyone been through this surgery after being very scared at first ? Did you have a trigger/wake-up call to finaly start the process or did you start by ignoring the fear and jump ?

I have a follow up appointment with the NHS tomorrow, and am unsure whether it is worth asking about impaction. In your non profession but vey educated opinions, is my philtrum long? Would I benefit? I do have massive front teeth, always have, which I would like to reduce their show. Thanks

Hi all, I’m 8 days post-op now and one big surprise was how difficult the chin dressing was going to be to remove. I’m not sure if these are common for everyone, but I had a genioplasty and had to wear it for five days. Trying to pull it off on my new jaws and especially on my bruised neck was torture!!!! I eventually found Goo Gone for Skin and just doused each millimeter of the wrap in it and, while it still took awhile, it came off much more gently than with just warm water alone. Any medical adhesive remover would be better than just trying to power through. I didn’t know of this genre before this week, but passing it along in case it helps. Happy healing, everyone!

I've had MSE expansion which expanded my upper palate from 34-39mm, double jaw surgery which moved my upper jaw forward 10mm, and currently in the middle of invisilign where I have elastics to extrude my upper molars lower. I feel like my smile still feels extremely shallow and my back teeth and canines are too high.

My incisors are also still slightly flare as my upper jaw still feel recessed so they flare to compensate. I'm genuinely so frustrated having tried so many options to achieve a genuinely full smile as close as I can to the last few photos as reference. I unfortunately had premolars removed when I was a child, and this has been my long journey to try to not only reverse that, but gain a full smile.

Please are there any orthodontic or other options that could project my upper teeth, completely upright them, lower my molars and canines significantly. I've looked into SFOT but unsure how that would work with my short roots and screws in my upper jaw from DJS. I'm looking into veneers as a last resort but after all of this effort I want to really pursue any intervention to achieve as much fullness as I can with my natural teeth. Any and every advice is appreciated.

Is it normal to have that kind of jaw assymetry? Like one side is longer and more defined, I also have this weird gulp when resting my tongue up, which I dont have on other side. Nobody seems to have a solid answer, but Ik theres something off about my profile

Hi all, I had emergency jaw surgery back in July after falling and breaking my left mandibular condyle. My surgeon installed hardware and banded my mouth shut to help realign my left side while it heals. I’m 3 months post op and 90% normal with little to no pain when eating normal foods (though still difficult to eat super hard and chewy foods), and currently working on being able to open my mouth all the way again as my healthy non broken side has gotten tight after zero to little use.

My jaw is still a bit crooked when I open my mouth, and when talking I can definitely feel the back of my left (broken side) teeth hitting my top in a way my right side doesn’t. My teeth align fine when closed but the opening is crooked, with the left side (broken) shorter than my non broken side.

Has anyone experienced something similar and had their jaw heal fine? My surgeon said the jaw joint takes about 1 year to fully remodel, but I’m not feeling super hopeful that my left side will go back to normal.

Thanks for any advice!

Hey everyone!
I’m currently considering jaw surgery for but I have a few questions about how it might affect my options for future cosmetic procedures and facial rejuvenation treatments.

While I’m hoping to address my jaw issues, I’m also thinking about long-term facial aging and being able to maintain my results as I get older.

My concern is the titanium plates and screws that are typically used during jaw surgery.
I’ve read that certain energy-based treatments can be contraindicated when metal implants are present in the treatment area, and I’m wondering whether that means I might not be able to undergo certain facial treatments in the future. Eg XERf, ONDA, Thermage, Ultherapy, Morpheus8, etc

Has anyone undergone any of these treatments after jaw surgery while still having titanium plates and screws in place?
Have your surgeons or dermatologists told you that certain devices are safe or unsafe to use over areas containing titanium hardware?

For those who have undergone additional facial procedures, such as rhinoplasty, facelifts, or fat grafting, how long did your surgeons recommend waiting after jaw surgery?
I’m especially curious about the long-term implications. I understand that healing takes time, but I’m more concerned about whether having titanium hardware permanently limits the cosmetic treatments available to me in the future.

Thanks so much!

Hi guys,

One year ago I met with my surgeon for consult and he concluded Id need DJS + maxillary expansion.

After a year of decomp braces, last week I had met with my surgeon for our pre-op planning meeting. My surgeon started off by asking me what I wanted to have done, and at first I was a little caught off guard because I thought he was going to tell me what he thought was best for me.

I started throwing some stuff out there on what I wanted to improve both functionally and aesthetically. He wrote it all down and said okay great, see you in 2 months for surgery. And that was it. I asked if I would be able to see the planned movements and he said that they dont do that at Kaiser, and that his process is using a 3d planning model and then he will have the surgical models created from that.

I trust my surgeon, but Im only concerned because I mentioned I wanted a ccw rotation with slightly more rotation than necessary. But now I have no idea how much he will rotate me and I dont want to end up not liking the result and or looking like a lego head.

I was hoping to see the plan and have him walk me through what all of it would do to my face. That way I could give input based on the plan and potentially see variations of different plans

Anyone dealt with a similar experience? Is this just a Kaiser thing?

Wtf

Hi ☺️. I am scheduled for lower jaw surgery and bilateral Tmj replacement next year due to severe degenerative arthritis. Aside from the surgery being scary, I’m worried about the prosthetic joint not feeling natural. I’ve read you can’t move your jaw side to side or even forward and back- just up and down. For those who have gone through this, what does it feel like? Thank you so much!!

Hello! Im currently in the process to finally start getting the plans made to undergo DJS. I am 30 years old and my whole life i have been a tongue thruster, ive had this ugly habit since i was 8-10 years old and definitley contributed to my underbite and overbite that im getting surgery for. I never went to therapy to fix the habit and im scared that it will make recovery horrible and that it could potentially undo everything the surgeon made!

Im pretty poor with support from my family but they are also struggling with money. I have found one place that does oral-motor therapy that my medical insurance can cover but its really far away and my schedule is incredibly busy as is. Should i try to go for therapy before getting surgery? Any tongue thrusters out there that had DJS or LJS? Any and all advice is apreciated.

(Also excuse my grammar, english is my second language)

I'm sixteen years old and i very often struggle with not being able to take normal breaths through my nose, therefore having to switch to mouthbreathing atleast for that one breath. I also always mouth breathe while sleeping. Comparing my side profile to other people who also have jaw problems i see some similarities, tho i have no bite problem, so idk if maybe i should look into something else.

So I have a horribly recessed upper jaw and lower jaw. My side profile looks awful and I have lip incompetence, chin shadows, and absolutely no jawline definition. Undereyes are awful too because of recessed maxilla. Not to mention, I’ve never weighed more than 120 lbs in my life but because of no jawline my face just looks fat.

I used to have a bad overbite but had braces and premolars extracted when I was a kid so now my bite is normal.

I did a home sleep study that was completely normal. Now they are saying there is no functional need for surgery and if I want to pay out of pocket it will be 60k at least

Hello! I’m starting my dental work journey and I do plan to get teeth extracted + braces. However, my ortho had referred me for orthognathic surgery to fix my open bite.

My jaw surgeon said that they would need to work on the upper and lower jaw. For anyone who’s gone through this, do you guys think fixing it would make my face look longer? I’m particularly worried about my chin looking longer as I wouldn’t want that to happen 🥲

I'm 1 week post OP and since my face swelled up a lot and I have braces it was inevitable that I'd end up with abrasions on the inside of my cheeks from me biting down on them. It's been mostly tolerable, but there's one side in particular, at the very back of my mouth, that is really annoying and hurts when I try to open my mouth. I told my surgeon about it since I thought it was a stitch pulling on that spot but nope, it's just me biting on the skin there because it keeps getting pushed back in due to the swelling.

Today I went to (very carefully) brush my teeth and I spat out some blood. Turns out it's coming from that corner. It stopped bleeding after a few minutes, but now I'm afraid I'll bite on it again and again and reopen the wound every time. Should I be concerned? Is it something that could get infected? Is there anything I can do to prevent it from getting chewed on again?

Multiple times I’ve been told either I have a under bite or “do you have a underbite?” but i don’t my bites aligned yet my upper lip has near no support. Ive wished i could have surgery for this for years now but my symptoms are all aesthetic i don’t have breathing or sleep issue but I have severe downward growth a gummy smile no upper lip or mid face support. Genuinely what do I do can I get covered or am i forced to pay out of pocket?

My whole family has sleep apnea, and I’m wondering if I should consider preventive jaw surgery before I develop it myself. I’m pretty lean, around 6’0 and 141 lbs, and I feel like the only reason my airway looks large is because I’m skinny. I’ve also been told I might have some mandibular recession. My sleep studies have been mostly normal, but I still have concerns about my sleep quality. Is preventive BSSO or MMA worth considering in a situation like this, or would it be unnecessary without confirmed sleep apnea? Curious what you guys think.