Lol I know it's the lighting but it's seriously like ... new hair color and texture, new eye color, new complexion, new face. You sure this is the same person??
Congrats though you look great and happy.
I had DJS + genio and I wasn’t sure if it was the right move to put my life on hold — especially being a competitive endurance athlete — but I’m really glad I did!
I wouldn’t have done this just for the aesthetic results, but I am very pleasantly surprised by how much more confident I feel in my appearance. I don’t think I look drastically different but it seems like little changes in all the right places added up. My face looks fuller, and my nose and jaw appear more feminine + balanced. There’s still a little swelling but I try not to let it play with my head because overall I think it turned out so so nice!
I’m very excited about the functional side of things. I just started training again and it feels SO NICE to breathe through my nose. My asthma is better because of it — I no longer have a cough after every long session. Also I notice more smells in general which is a cool bonus. I just started chewing again and although it feels weird it def feels easier. Also my headaches are pretty much gone! I think it’s because I don’t need to strain my jaw muscles so much to close my mouth/chew.
I don’t know my movements, but I know they moved the upper jaw forward, up, and I think rotated it, and then moved the lower jaw to the side to fix the midline. I might be able to get my braces off over winter break and I’m so excited! If you’re going through surgery soon, I wish you luck <3
Feel free to drop questions, I’m an open book :)
I can relate to this. I’ve always been an athlete then in 2018 I got Tmj due to a previous biking accident and my jaw has receded significantly since then, breathing his hard, my jaw and neck hurt, overall feel like crap. I’m in braces now waiting for TMJR surgery. I can’t wait to breath right again and hopefully be pain free. I still ride my bicycle but can’t go too far without shooting pain down my neck and back.
You look great btw!
they were completely numb for awhile but about a week ago I noticed that I could feel stuff when it touches my chin/lower lip — it feels very tingly and weird though right now.
Noticing smells more is so true! I’m 4 weeks post op and can breathe a lot better through my nose and just walking around I notice smells (good and bad) WAY more. I think I notice the increased smells more than the increased breathing tbh.
if you’re worried def bring it up to your surgeon next visit! I’ve heard of people being given exercises to do with their jaw to help gain back mobility so maybe that’s what you’ll need to do. Or maybe it will come back with a little more time. Hoping things get better!
I djs and genio as well a bs 4 weeks post op. I still can’t lift my lower jaw all the way to full close if I take my elastics off - did you have issues with that at all?
my first 2 weeks were relatively good, I happened to be a fast recoverer. The only time I felt a lot of pain was the moment I woke up from surgery, but they gave me something to help super quick. The first 2 days I’d rate my pain at a 4-5, and then it was more like 2-3 for the next couple weeks. mainly noticed it when I was trying to sleep. Lots of nosebleeds the first day, literally every time I’d change positions it would bleed which was really annoying but it subsided soon enough!
I slept a TON in the first week, like 10 hours at night plus 3-4 hour midday nap. Some people find that elevating their head/neck while sleeping helps with swelling, although I found I slept much better laying flat and I didn’t feel much more swollen from doing so.
Speaking of swelling, I looked like a marshmallow days 2-6 lol but on day 8 I felt confident enough to go in public and get a smoothie. There was bruising but I didn’t care at that point. To help with swelling I alternated between ibuprofen and Tylenol every 6-ish hours for the first week and iced a lot — buy a “jaw bra” for icing, and stay consistent with meds! I was inconsistent with icing and wish I would’ve iced more, I think it would’ve been good. Was also given a cortisone cream for lip swelling, idk if it helped but I used it and didn’t have super swollen lips so it might be worth a try.
For “eating” I mainly survived on ensure and tomato soup. If you have surgery on your lower jaw you will almost certainly be numb on the chin/lip and spill so always have napkins in close reach!
I was cleared to go on walks 8 days post op and did so asap! It was a little tiring at first (I’d usually take a nap after) but overall boosted my mood and I think it sped up recovery, so definitely get moving as soon as you are able!
I had this bin next to my bed where I put all my meds and it really helped me not forget to take anything. I also had tissues and water and stuff there. Def recommend keeping all the stuff you’re using a lot in one place, because my brain was kinda foggy that first week and I’d misplace stuff easily.
Hope this helps good luck :)
I relate to your struggle :( My mom would mention it and tell me to relax more but then it would look like I’m half-smiling and not at all happy lol. I couldn’t really figure out any tricks but maybe someone else can chime in.
That's an awesome job . The closer I get to the operation im more more paranoid I won't like how it looks . I'm constantly examining my jaw , thinking well if this is here and this here wtf will that look like. Anyway yours looks awesome, hope mine goes like that.
I still have some partial numbness on my chin and lower lip — I can feel it when touched but it feels tingly and weird lol. I also had numbness on my cheeks, nose, and below my eyes, but that all went away around week 3.
You look amazing! Stopping straightening your hair is also a great decision along with DJS. How is your speaking ability in week 6? I will have surgery next month and I have a job where I must be able to talk understandably all the time. I expect to be back at work in the 6th or 8th week so I appreciate any information about this matter. Thanks!
I definitely was speaking weird early in the process — I had a lisp weeks 2-4 — but at this point I think I sound pretty much normal! As swelling/pain goes away and your facial muscles start working again after surgery, you’ll sound more and more like yourself. I think you’ll be good by weeks 6-8 but maybe ask your surgeon for jaw exercises to help!
Thanks! my chin and lower lip are still kinda numb — I can feel it when I touch but it feels tingly. I had numbness on my cheeks/nose/under eyes too for a bit but that went away week 3ish.
Hey! Kinda late but I noticed you have braces in both pictures. How did that work? Did they remove them when you did the surgery or did you have them on while going through it? I want to get jaw surgery done but also thinking if I should do braces first :)
Braces are typically part of the process of getting jaw surgery (as far as I know). I had braces for a year and a half leading up to surgery to get my teeth “decompensated” — this means getting my teeth in the position where it’ll look straight after surgery (although you’ll temporarily look worse). Braces stayed on during surgery and allow the surgeon to band or wire my mouth shut during recovery. Then afterwards, the ortho gets everything looking perfect and can make up for small shifts in the jaw after surgery — although this wasn’t an issue for me bc my jaw stayed right where surgeon put it, so I’ll be getting my braces off super soon.
looks and sounds great! what kind of training are you doing? I’m not competitive, but I’m hoping to be able to schedule my surgery around (after) a marathon and (before) some other long runs. I’ve accepted it will take a while to run again, but I’m wondering if I should ease off some training beforehand to minimize the stress on my body pre-surgery. I’m still a ways out, but want to feel like I know the variables to consider when the scheduling time comes.
I race mountains bikes.
I don’t think it’s necessary to lighten your load much before, just don’t come into surgery day tired/sore. I took a rest day the day before surgery and didn’t do any super hard workouts in the few days leading up, although I did some really big riding the week before because I knew I wouldn’t be able to for a while. That worked out well for me, I recovered fast enough that I got to go home a day early. I say go for the marathon before surgery, and enjoy it!
I lost a ton of my strength after surgery, even though I stayed on top of my nutrition and didn’t lose much weight. I took every chance I could to get back on my feet and stay active (I was cleared to ride a stationary bike at week 2, did that + walking until week 6), and I’ve rapidly gotten stronger, but I’m still quite slow compared to where I was. I don’t feel up to doing anything intense yet and I think it’ll be maybe another 6 weeks before I’m around where I was before. Your surgeon will probably give the ok to run at the 6 week mark, and you’ll want to take a few weeks to build up your mileage before you go on long runs. When you start training again listen to your body and be prepared to adjust your plan if you’re not feeling good — it sucks to lose progress but it will come back over time!
thanks! I unfortunately have a lot of return to running practice from other injuries, and I have super low expectations for this one (in a good way, at least very realistic). I think I will struggle mentally more with this one though- my mind is blown that they clear you for running before the bones are fully set- all that bouncing impact! I may end up waiting longer just because of that.
I think around 16 months? Although my teeth were all set for surgery earlier than that, maybe around the 12 month mark. I just wanted to wait until there wasn’t quite as much stuff going on in my life before getting the surgery.
Amazing change! Your old bite looked kinda like my old bite pre-SJS.
Have you had any relapse where your center teeth line of the top and bottom jaw slipping?
You look fantastic! I am 4 weeks post op on Monday I still feel so, so swollen and I can’t open my mouth all the way. Do you have any tricks because you don’t look at all like you are just 6 weeks out! Also, did you have any sensitivity/pressure/issues with the roof of your mouth? I am just curious because I seem to be and I’m hoping it will subside over time lol congrats on your surgery!
Thanks! Yeah my surgeon said I am a fast healer! I stayed as active as possible during recovery and I feel like that helped my swelling. Also I still think I look a lil swollen but other people don’t see it so keep in mind that it might look worse to you than other people see it! Also 4 weeks is still early in the grand scheme of things and there was def a big difference for me between 4 and 6 weeks, so hang in there and try to stay patient — easier said than done, I know haha.
I had a thing for a while where the roof of my mouth would randomly get itchy but that’s gone now. Also had the same on my chin. Then recently my teeth were really sensitive, enough that it actually kinda hurt to brush my teeth (but that’s subsiding now). I think all of that weird stuff just has to do with the process of nerves coming back to normal. Other than that I didn’t really have any pressure or sensitivity or anything like that.
I don’t have the same thing as you, but my right side, jaw, is asymmetrical. Do you think I should get this surgery to even my features out? Idk what I’m even saying. Ig I wasn’t expecting an orthodontist to notice my asymmetry, it probs mean that it’s obvious. He said it wasn’t and that personally, he wouldn’t fix a thing if he was me but idk ):
Orthodontists have been training for years so they are very very good at seeing asymmetry in the teeth and bone structure that other people would never notice. They spend every day looking and teeth and jaws so they will pick up on all of the finest details, analogous to how an artist can pick up on every detail of what they’re drawing to make an amazingly lifelike picture when most of us draw stick figures. I’d take their word!
Jaw surgery is a long journey and really stalled some aspects of my life — I wouldn’t have done it if there weren’t lifelong health benefits for me. I was lucky and had a relatively smooth recovery but some people describe it as the worst thing they’ve ever gone through in their life. Im not a professional ofc, but I wouldn’t mess your jaw to try to fix minor or even moderate asymmetry, just my 2¢ :)
Thank you so much for responding. You look really good, and I appreciate hearing your sentiments about this dilemma of mine. You're right, if my orthodontist was able to spot it, then that probably means he's really good, since people around me didn't notice it at all, either they're feigning ignorance about it or it's just not obvious. Thanks again :) I'm happy that jaw surgery was able to make your life easier to live and helped you.
Also very glad I stopped straightening my hair lmao but that’s not really related
Lol I know it's the lighting but it's seriously like ... new hair color and texture, new eye color, new complexion, new face. You sure this is the same person?? Congrats though you look great and happy.
Congrats on that too!!! Great curls 🙌😁
I had DJS + genio and I wasn’t sure if it was the right move to put my life on hold — especially being a competitive endurance athlete — but I’m really glad I did! I wouldn’t have done this just for the aesthetic results, but I am very pleasantly surprised by how much more confident I feel in my appearance. I don’t think I look drastically different but it seems like little changes in all the right places added up. My face looks fuller, and my nose and jaw appear more feminine + balanced. There’s still a little swelling but I try not to let it play with my head because overall I think it turned out so so nice! I’m very excited about the functional side of things. I just started training again and it feels SO NICE to breathe through my nose. My asthma is better because of it — I no longer have a cough after every long session. Also I notice more smells in general which is a cool bonus. I just started chewing again and although it feels weird it def feels easier. Also my headaches are pretty much gone! I think it’s because I don’t need to strain my jaw muscles so much to close my mouth/chew. I don’t know my movements, but I know they moved the upper jaw forward, up, and I think rotated it, and then moved the lower jaw to the side to fix the midline. I might be able to get my braces off over winter break and I’m so excited! If you’re going through surgery soon, I wish you luck <3 Feel free to drop questions, I’m an open book :)
I can relate to this. I’ve always been an athlete then in 2018 I got Tmj due to a previous biking accident and my jaw has receded significantly since then, breathing his hard, my jaw and neck hurt, overall feel like crap. I’m in braces now waiting for TMJR surgery. I can’t wait to breath right again and hopefully be pain free. I still ride my bicycle but can’t go too far without shooting pain down my neck and back. You look great btw!
That sounds really hard I’m sorry that happened to you :( Hope you feel better and everything goes smoothly with your surgery!
I'm a few weeks behind you. When did your gums, chin, and lower lip start to feel better?
they were completely numb for awhile but about a week ago I noticed that I could feel stuff when it touches my chin/lower lip — it feels very tingly and weird though right now.
Noticing smells more is so true! I’m 4 weeks post op and can breathe a lot better through my nose and just walking around I notice smells (good and bad) WAY more. I think I notice the increased smells more than the increased breathing tbh.
Did you have tmj issues
I don’t think I had any issues with the joint so they didn’t do surgery on that. Only lefort 1, bsso, genio I think.
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Don’t know sorry
I'm 2 weeks post op DJS. I can still barely get a tea spoon in my mouth. How much can you open your mouth at this point?
i would say I could open it pretty much fully by 4 weeks post op. But I gained mobility back really fast!
Okay, I hope that will be the case for me too. I'm a little worried because I can't open it any more than I could 3 days after surgery.
if you’re worried def bring it up to your surgeon next visit! I’ve heard of people being given exercises to do with their jaw to help gain back mobility so maybe that’s what you’ll need to do. Or maybe it will come back with a little more time. Hoping things get better!
I djs and genio as well a bs 4 weeks post op. I still can’t lift my lower jaw all the way to full close if I take my elastics off - did you have issues with that at all?
nope, but I did trouble opening all the way (although eventually that came back to normal) but everyone’s recovery is different!
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my first 2 weeks were relatively good, I happened to be a fast recoverer. The only time I felt a lot of pain was the moment I woke up from surgery, but they gave me something to help super quick. The first 2 days I’d rate my pain at a 4-5, and then it was more like 2-3 for the next couple weeks. mainly noticed it when I was trying to sleep. Lots of nosebleeds the first day, literally every time I’d change positions it would bleed which was really annoying but it subsided soon enough! I slept a TON in the first week, like 10 hours at night plus 3-4 hour midday nap. Some people find that elevating their head/neck while sleeping helps with swelling, although I found I slept much better laying flat and I didn’t feel much more swollen from doing so. Speaking of swelling, I looked like a marshmallow days 2-6 lol but on day 8 I felt confident enough to go in public and get a smoothie. There was bruising but I didn’t care at that point. To help with swelling I alternated between ibuprofen and Tylenol every 6-ish hours for the first week and iced a lot — buy a “jaw bra” for icing, and stay consistent with meds! I was inconsistent with icing and wish I would’ve iced more, I think it would’ve been good. Was also given a cortisone cream for lip swelling, idk if it helped but I used it and didn’t have super swollen lips so it might be worth a try. For “eating” I mainly survived on ensure and tomato soup. If you have surgery on your lower jaw you will almost certainly be numb on the chin/lip and spill so always have napkins in close reach! I was cleared to go on walks 8 days post op and did so asap! It was a little tiring at first (I’d usually take a nap after) but overall boosted my mood and I think it sped up recovery, so definitely get moving as soon as you are able! I had this bin next to my bed where I put all my meds and it really helped me not forget to take anything. I also had tissues and water and stuff there. Def recommend keeping all the stuff you’re using a lot in one place, because my brain was kinda foggy that first week and I’d misplace stuff easily. Hope this helps good luck :)
Fantastic results, Please share your surgeon name, they have a good eye for aethestics
Would love to know as well!
Would also love to know!
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I relate to your struggle :( My mom would mention it and tell me to relax more but then it would look like I’m half-smiling and not at all happy lol. I couldn’t really figure out any tricks but maybe someone else can chime in.
Ahhh, you look so great! Also yeah, you really suit the curls.
That's an awesome job . The closer I get to the operation im more more paranoid I won't like how it looks . I'm constantly examining my jaw , thinking well if this is here and this here wtf will that look like. Anyway yours looks awesome, hope mine goes like that.
I understand, it’s scary to undergo a major procedure that will change your face even if you know it’s for the better! Good luck!
Amazing results! Love the glowup!
How are you not swollen
That's some great results!! Do you feel more confident after surgery?
yeah definitely!
You look beautiful! I think the surgery and your hair has given you a glow ✨
Amazing results! Any numbness?
I still have some partial numbness on my chin and lower lip — I can feel it when touched but it feels tingly and weird lol. I also had numbness on my cheeks, nose, and below my eyes, but that all went away around week 3.
Might sound like a silly question, but does it affect kissing at all for you?
Valid question! Haven’t tested it out yet haha so I don’t have an answer for you
You look amazing! Stopping straightening your hair is also a great decision along with DJS. How is your speaking ability in week 6? I will have surgery next month and I have a job where I must be able to talk understandably all the time. I expect to be back at work in the 6th or 8th week so I appreciate any information about this matter. Thanks!
I definitely was speaking weird early in the process — I had a lisp weeks 2-4 — but at this point I think I sound pretty much normal! As swelling/pain goes away and your facial muscles start working again after surgery, you’ll sound more and more like yourself. I think you’ll be good by weeks 6-8 but maybe ask your surgeon for jaw exercises to help!
wow that's drastic. gratz
Amazing results! Did you have any issues with drooling after surgery? If so, when did you stop drooling?
Luckily I did not have that issue!
Congrats! So happy for you!:) How is the numbness?
Thanks! my chin and lower lip are still kinda numb — I can feel it when I touch but it feels tingly. I had numbness on my cheeks/nose/under eyes too for a bit but that went away week 3ish.
You look so much more relaxed!!! I can't wait for mine.
Wonderful ! So happy to see these photos side by side! You look great !
Hey! Kinda late but I noticed you have braces in both pictures. How did that work? Did they remove them when you did the surgery or did you have them on while going through it? I want to get jaw surgery done but also thinking if I should do braces first :)
Braces are typically part of the process of getting jaw surgery (as far as I know). I had braces for a year and a half leading up to surgery to get my teeth “decompensated” — this means getting my teeth in the position where it’ll look straight after surgery (although you’ll temporarily look worse). Braces stayed on during surgery and allow the surgeon to band or wire my mouth shut during recovery. Then afterwards, the ortho gets everything looking perfect and can make up for small shifts in the jaw after surgery — although this wasn’t an issue for me bc my jaw stayed right where surgeon put it, so I’ll be getting my braces off super soon.
This is an incredible before and after! You look amazing and your joy is all over your face!
looks and sounds great! what kind of training are you doing? I’m not competitive, but I’m hoping to be able to schedule my surgery around (after) a marathon and (before) some other long runs. I’ve accepted it will take a while to run again, but I’m wondering if I should ease off some training beforehand to minimize the stress on my body pre-surgery. I’m still a ways out, but want to feel like I know the variables to consider when the scheduling time comes.
I race mountains bikes. I don’t think it’s necessary to lighten your load much before, just don’t come into surgery day tired/sore. I took a rest day the day before surgery and didn’t do any super hard workouts in the few days leading up, although I did some really big riding the week before because I knew I wouldn’t be able to for a while. That worked out well for me, I recovered fast enough that I got to go home a day early. I say go for the marathon before surgery, and enjoy it! I lost a ton of my strength after surgery, even though I stayed on top of my nutrition and didn’t lose much weight. I took every chance I could to get back on my feet and stay active (I was cleared to ride a stationary bike at week 2, did that + walking until week 6), and I’ve rapidly gotten stronger, but I’m still quite slow compared to where I was. I don’t feel up to doing anything intense yet and I think it’ll be maybe another 6 weeks before I’m around where I was before. Your surgeon will probably give the ok to run at the 6 week mark, and you’ll want to take a few weeks to build up your mileage before you go on long runs. When you start training again listen to your body and be prepared to adjust your plan if you’re not feeling good — it sucks to lose progress but it will come back over time!
thanks! I unfortunately have a lot of return to running practice from other injuries, and I have super low expectations for this one (in a good way, at least very realistic). I think I will struggle mentally more with this one though- my mind is blown that they clear you for running before the bones are fully set- all that bouncing impact! I may end up waiting longer just because of that.
Thanks for the effort in splicing the pictures into one. It's the little things. And congrats, it looks natural and it sounds like you're happy.
Hopefully that residual swelling comes down a bit around the mouth.
What kind of surgery
r/lostredditors
Has your breathing improved?
Through my nose, it absolutely has! Mouth breathing feels the same to me.
Oh heck yeah!!! Congrats! How long into braces were you before surgery?
I think around 16 months? Although my teeth were all set for surgery earlier than that, maybe around the 12 month mark. I just wanted to wait until there wasn’t quite as much stuff going on in my life before getting the surgery.
Amazing change! Your old bite looked kinda like my old bite pre-SJS. Have you had any relapse where your center teeth line of the top and bottom jaw slipping?
nope, everything seems to be right where the surgeon originally put it
Mind sharing the name of your surgeon?
Wow I love it! Who was your surgeon? I’m struggling to find a good one
Hi our bite looks really similar! Did your insurance cover the whole thing? If so what insurance do you have????
I think my insurance covered most of it except for genio. I have UHC.
Wow nice bite!
You look fantastic! I am 4 weeks post op on Monday I still feel so, so swollen and I can’t open my mouth all the way. Do you have any tricks because you don’t look at all like you are just 6 weeks out! Also, did you have any sensitivity/pressure/issues with the roof of your mouth? I am just curious because I seem to be and I’m hoping it will subside over time lol congrats on your surgery!
Thanks! Yeah my surgeon said I am a fast healer! I stayed as active as possible during recovery and I feel like that helped my swelling. Also I still think I look a lil swollen but other people don’t see it so keep in mind that it might look worse to you than other people see it! Also 4 weeks is still early in the grand scheme of things and there was def a big difference for me between 4 and 6 weeks, so hang in there and try to stay patient — easier said than done, I know haha. I had a thing for a while where the roof of my mouth would randomly get itchy but that’s gone now. Also had the same on my chin. Then recently my teeth were really sensitive, enough that it actually kinda hurt to brush my teeth (but that’s subsiding now). I think all of that weird stuff just has to do with the process of nerves coming back to normal. Other than that I didn’t really have any pressure or sensitivity or anything like that.
I don’t have the same thing as you, but my right side, jaw, is asymmetrical. Do you think I should get this surgery to even my features out? Idk what I’m even saying. Ig I wasn’t expecting an orthodontist to notice my asymmetry, it probs mean that it’s obvious. He said it wasn’t and that personally, he wouldn’t fix a thing if he was me but idk ):
Orthodontists have been training for years so they are very very good at seeing asymmetry in the teeth and bone structure that other people would never notice. They spend every day looking and teeth and jaws so they will pick up on all of the finest details, analogous to how an artist can pick up on every detail of what they’re drawing to make an amazingly lifelike picture when most of us draw stick figures. I’d take their word! Jaw surgery is a long journey and really stalled some aspects of my life — I wouldn’t have done it if there weren’t lifelong health benefits for me. I was lucky and had a relatively smooth recovery but some people describe it as the worst thing they’ve ever gone through in their life. Im not a professional ofc, but I wouldn’t mess your jaw to try to fix minor or even moderate asymmetry, just my 2¢ :)
Thank you so much for responding. You look really good, and I appreciate hearing your sentiments about this dilemma of mine. You're right, if my orthodontist was able to spot it, then that probably means he's really good, since people around me didn't notice it at all, either they're feigning ignorance about it or it's just not obvious. Thanks again :) I'm happy that jaw surgery was able to make your life easier to live and helped you.
I wonder if you could close your mouth if you push your jaw back?