Facial Asymmetry
Reason for Surgery
Due to my facial asymmetry, my occlusion
did not match. Double jaw surgery wasn’t well known when I was younger. I
didn’t know that I needed double jaw surgery for my case and proceeded to get
clear braces that helped align my teeth. My orthodontist told me to try braces
for one year but in the end, I wasn’t able to see effective results. My jaw
became more slanted to the left side after that and since my occlusion did not
match, my jaw became to ache. That is why I decided to get surgery.
Concerns
Since my facial asymmetry was severe, I
didn’t tie my hair up. I formed a habit of putting my head down towards the
side where my facial asymmetry was severe. When I stayed still, people would
ask if I was angry. There were a lot of times where I would refrain from
speaking since I didn’t want anyone to look at my mouth/teeth. I became more
quiet after that. Since my jaw was slanted, even the alignment of my teeth
became slanted. I would get frequent infections is my mouth since I would
accidentally bite the inside of my cheeks often. My pronunciation was also off
due to my poor occlusion which caused me a lot of stress.
Reason
for Choosing EU
For the past 1~2 years, my jaw has been
stinging and doing daily activities was becoming more difficult. Before my symptoms
get worse, I decided to get surgery. I researched various clinics for one year.
First, I learned that going to an Oral & Maxillofacial clinic was safer
than getting surgery at a Plastic Surgery clinic. The reason why I chose EU
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery was because the doctor understood what kind of
facial shape I wanted, and their surgery technique matched my case. The doctor
was also honest and told me what was possible and what was not and told me the
different types of side effects that can occur after surgery. This made me
trust him and that is why I decided to put down a surgery deposit as EU was the
last clinic I consulted at.
Day
of Surgery
I slept almost for the entire day and lost
track of time. I think I came to the recovery room at around 2:30p.m. After two
hours, I could feel that the sensation for my jaw was returning and it was
starting to hurt. I was surprised since I could feel most of the sensation on
my face. Especially under the chin, it was hurting a lot T___T. But since it’s
the first day, my face hasn’t gotten swollen as much as I thought it would. I
heard that after surgery, nose bleeding can occur but it was the opposite for
my case. I didn’t’ use a lot of tissues. Oh and a small mat is needed! Since
you have to sit upright after surgery. My glutes ended up hurting more than my
face. Bringing a small mat and humidifier was a good choice.
1
Day Post-OP
I got an injection for my swelling and for antibiotics. I also got the plug on my nose removed. My nose wasn’t blocked so it was easy for me to breathe but my throat was hurting throughout the night. I kept waking up because of the phlegm in my throat. While I was getting my mouth disinfected, I was told that I needed to practice matching my teeth with the wafers. It was my first time seeing my teeth after surgery. It was really fascinating that my lower teeth receded inwards. If I didn’t practice placing my bite to the correct position, I was told that rubber bands would be needed. I also received de-swelling laser treatment which made my swelling decrease compared to yesterday. In the morning, I received New Care so I wasn’t hungry.
2
Days Post-OP
Due to the phlegm, I woke up every 10
minutes. My face also got more swollen. Before surgery, I had symptoms of dry
coughs, so it was a difficult day for me. I received laser treatment in the
morning and got ready to discharge. The doctor told me he was going to
disinfect my mouth. It stung a bit so I got teary eyed. As soon as I got home,
I took the prescribed medication and went to sleep. Whenever I take the
antibiotics, I get sleepy.
6 Days
Post-OP
I had so much swelling before and now it’s
starting to decrease. I don’t get slight nosebleeds anymore and breathing is
not a problem anymore. I tried to practice smiling. It felt awkward at first
but as I kept doing it, the corners of my mouth slowly started to go up easily.
I think this will help me recover better.
7 Days
Post-OP
I got my mouth disinfected today. I asked the doctors
questions that I was curious about. The blocked feeling in my ears got a lot
better! However, my mouth started to have a burning sensation. The doctor said
to wait a bit and if it continued, he would prescribe me medicine. The burning
sensation is disappearing but I still can’t get used to it. The sensation for
the right side of my nose still hasn’t returned. There was an area in my mouth
that would hurt the most during the disinfection session. When I checked my
mouth, I saw that I had small screws which was why it was hurting. While
receiving laser treatment, I think the swelling is decreasing. There are yellow
bruises that formed below my neck. I hope it disappears soon.
8
Days Post-OP
The left side of my jaw felt tight and it
was hurting so when I went for my laser appointment, the doctor also checked my
jaw. He said it seemed that I had inflammation so he prescribed me
medication. Nowadays, the screws in my mouth are hurting more than the pain
from surgery. When I asked if the screws were supposed to hurt, the doctor
removed 2 screws from my lower jaw. I thought I had a high pain tolerance but
the screw removal was painful… I ended up screaming. I got teary-eyed and since
the bruises on my neck were severe, I ended up getting topical medication for
it. My body feels tired after surgery.
13 Days
Post-OP
The bruises on my neck are almost gone
since I’ve been using the topical medication for almost a week. I should have
used it earlier LOL. I don’t have any huge discomforts nowadays. I’ve been
eating more nowadays and I ended up watching mukbang videos all day. I finally
get my stitches removed tomorrow! I hope it doesn’t hurt.
14 Days
Post-OP
I finally got my stitches removed. I was nervous but it didn’t hurt. However, when the stitches for my upper gums got removed, I felt pain from the screws. I want to remove the rest of the screws quickly. Other than not being able to eat solid foods, I have been able to walk around outside without any problems. People around me get surprised when they see my bruises. When I see all the medications after my surgery, I realized that double jaw surgery was a big surgery. I asked the doctor when I would be able to eat chicken and hamburgers, and he said after 3 months. I really want to eat chicken though T__T. For now, I’m eating almond breeze, yogurt, Castella bread dipped in milk. My jawline is getting more visible, maybe my swelling is getting much better.
15
Days Post-OP
I’m doing the jaw exercises everyday. To be
honest, ever since the first week after surgery, I feel that I can fit at least
one finger in it. I do the jaw exercise whenever it pops up in my mind. After
the stitch removal, I heard that the swelling decreases quicker. I can see some
of my jawline already. I was told that I could eat ramen already. So when I ate
it, I made sure that the noodles got soft and cut it up into small pieces. I
scooped up the noodles with a spoon and it was really delicious. Since I’ve
only been eating bread and cake recently, eating noodles was really tasty!
17 Days
Post-OP
I’m getting tired of eating yogurt +
castella bread. I watched a video on youtube of someone who had surgery and
they recommended eating risotto so I tried making it at home. Cream cheese
risotto was the easiest to make so I tried it and it didn’t taste bad. I’ll try
making Rosé risotto tomorrow. I did my makeup for the first time after surgery
since I was meeting my boyfriend today. The swelling on my cheeks and jaw still
hasn’t healed completely so I look puffy. I tried to contour my face with
makeup, but it was no use. I was able to cover the bruises on my neck with
makeup. I’m practicing the jaw exercises as much as I can.
22 Days
Post-OP
It’s been 3 weeks since my surgery. Time
goes by quickly. I have an awkward wrinkle on the left side of my jaw. Originally,
my left jaw was longer but now it matches the size with the right side! Dr.
Shin only shaved the amount that I wanted so I’m satisfied. The right side of
my nose had no sensation but now I’ve regained feeling in that area. Maybe it’s
due to the medications that were prescribed to me, but I feel that I am
recovering pretty quickly. Sometimes I can feel slight tingling sensations on
my face, maybe it’s my nerves healing? For dinner, I ordered black bean noodles
and cut it up and ate it with a spoon. It was really delicious.
28 Days
Post-OP
The feeling on my right nose has finally
returned! ~ Now I just need to wait for the feeling of the roof of my mouth to
return! It hasn’t been a month yet but I’ve already regained most of the
feeling back. I want to thank Dr. Shin since it’s due to his skills. I like to
take selfies everyday to check my swelling. I used to use filters that made my
jaw look slimmer when I took photos, but now I don’t need to do that anymore!
There’s some dead skin that piled up on the screws which makes it look like I
have a mouth infection T__T. I also want to stop using wafers. My lower
teeth and the left side of my jaw hurts. Since I’m only consuming bread and
noodles, I’ve lost about 3kgs.
31 Days
Post-OP
It’s been exactly a month since my
operation. I got my one-month progress check. When I said that I had
discomforts with my wafer, the orthodontist came to check up on me. After two
more weeks, I can take off my wafers and start my braces again. I was told that
I could take the wafers on and off and how to maintain it. When I took the one
month progress photos (medical photos) and met Dr. Shin. He showed me the
comparisons for my before/after pictures and said that I was still swollen but
my chin got shorter. My recovery is going well and he said I just need to wait
for my swelling to decrease. I’m almost starting to forget how I used to look,
but I’m 100% satisfied that I did surgery. I suddenly got curious about the
amount of reduction that was done during the surgery so I asked the doctor and
he went and got my surgical chart quickly.
There was some tingling sensations near the
area where my pins were located. When I asked about it, I was told that it was
due to my nerves healing. When I told the doctor that the mini screw on my
upper gums were hurting, he removed them for me. While he was removing them, he
told me it must have been painful all this time T__T. I feel much better now.
My upper teeth felt a bit cold when I got the screws taken out. I was also able
to ask everything I was curious about and Dr. Shin explained everything to me
kindly. ♥ I made such a good decision to get surgery at EU. The doctors and
staff at EU listen to patients and always makes sure to act fast whenever
patients need anything. ♥
36 Days
Post-OP
Since my chin got shorter, I decided to
get “see through bangs.” In the past, it would have made my jaw and chin stand
out but it’s not like that anymore so I’m glad. I’m trying to go on walks
everyday for one day and started indoor exercises at home. Compared to other
reviews I read, I think my swelling takes more time to decrease. Whenever I do
the jaw exercises, the left side of my jaw feels tight. I cannot fit two
fingers in my mouth for now, so I’m trying my best to open my mouth as much as possible.
I need to be able to fit 3 fingers by now though… but next time, I’ll be able
to take my wafers off.
45 Days
Post-OP
I can finally remove my wafers now! While
getting my wafers taken out, I also got the screws at the front of my gums
removed but I have to use rubber bands. I’m trying my best to practice opening
my open. Now, I only need to do braces! Whenever I take pictures, I noticed
that my nose got a bit wider after surgery. I keep staring at my nose T___T.
I’m not experiencing any discomforts nowadays, and I can feel tingling
sensations near my mouth. Whenever it tingles, it feels like I’m touching a
bruise. I’m guessing that it’s a sign that my nerves are returning back to
normal. My swelling seems to get better each day. As expected, time is
medicine.
60 Days Post-OP
It’s been two months since surgery. I’ve
been back to my workplace for two weeks now. My colleagues saw my face and said
that I look a lot softer now! When I would stay still with a poker face, I
would look angry but now, I look softer so I’m satisfied! Compared to just
staying at home, moving around and going to work seems to make my swelling
decrease faster. The sensation for the roof of my mouth has returned, I think
it got 75% better? My dental midline does not match which worries me. I’m
trying my best to position it by looking in the mirror. Whenever I open my
mouth, the left side of my jaw would hurt but now, it doesn’t hurt anymore. If
I try to open my mouth as wide as I can, I can almost fit 3 fingers in. I want
to recover quickly so that I can eat chicken. T__T
74
Days Post-OP
I went to the clinic for my orthodontic
treatment. Since my dental midline does not match, I have to use rubber bands
to position it. The orthodontist explained information about the occlusion to
me very easily so that I could understand. As expected, he’s very kind. I also
changed my wires to a thicker one and it is kind of painful T__T. My whole
teeth hurts… Since I also have to use rubber bands, I tend to get more food
stuck in my mouth. It seems that I lost a bit of weight. In my opinion, braces
hurts more than surgery.
88 Days Post-OP
After surgery, I feel confident to take
selfies at any angle! Due to my swelling, I look like I gained weight, but
other than that, I’m satisfied. Opening my mouth when eating is getting more
comfortable now. Now, I can fit 3 fingers in my mouth and I’ll still have some
space left. When I saw the xrays for my bones, I made sure that I didn’t chew
on my molars, just in case T__T. But now, my bones seem to have healed? So I’m
eating foods like salad and soft hamburg steak. Maybe that’s why I’ve been
gaining weight nowadays. Whenever I brush my teeth, it stings. I think the
sensation is starting to return.
102 Days Post-OP
It’s been 100 days since my surgery. Time
flies by! During the weekend, I had an appointment for my orthodontic
treatment. Since I was using rubber bands to match my occlusion, I can finally
take them off since my midline is matching now! The doctor said I did a good
job of using the rubber bands as much as I could. The swelling on my cheeks
have reduced a lot. What I thought was skin sagging must had been swelling
since it disappeared. But I still want to get lifting procedures. Now, I really
don’t have any discomforts at all! The sensation for the roof of my mouth has
returned and I can open my mouth easily. I can finally eat meat and chicken
now.
126 Days Post-OP
After 3 months, I have been eating meat
without any problem. For nuts, I can chew them easily but chewing squid is
still pretty tough. However, whenever I chew with my molars, I could hear the
clicking noise from my jaw joint which worried me. But after some time, it got
better. I still need to be careful until 6 months though. Now, I can stand confidentially
in front of a camera. My face seems to get smaller as the swelling starts to
get better. I should have gotten surgery earlier!
131 Days Post-OP
The other day, I recommended double jaw
surgery to my friend who had malocclusion. That friend had been thinking about
orthodontic treatment for a long time. The side effects after surgery isn’t too
bad and since I’m highly satisfied, I recommended double jaw surgery at EU.
Since there is a strong stigma that double jaw surgery is a very risky surgery with
harsh side effects. But after getting surgery at EU, I do not have any harsh
side effects as of now. The pin at my upper jaw near my nose kind of bothers me
though T__T. I’m considering pin removal surgery in the future.
159 Days
Post-OP
When I went for my monthly orthodontic
treatment procedure, I took an xray and met with Dr. Shin. He told me that my
bones are sticking and recovering well and that my slight double chin is a bit
saddening (I felt the same T__T). So he recommended laser lifting treatments. I
reserved a lifting procedure treatment on the same day LOL.
I do not have any discomforts from double
jaw surgery, but I’m worried about my double chin. When I brushed my teeth, I
was surprised that the sensation has come back almost completely. I’ve been
doing braces for one year now so I hope I can get them removed this year.
Sometimes, the screws on my gums bother me. It suddenly got swollen.. so I’m
still trying to get used to the screws. I want to take them out quickly.
180 Days
Post-OP
It’s been 6 months since my surgery! I
still have some swelling on my face T__T. Due to my double chin, I’m receiving
laser lifting treatment. Maybe it’s because of that, the swelling has been
decreasing and my jawline is becoming more visible. When I chew meat, I can
hear a sound on my left jaw but I got used to it. The loss of sensation on my
upper jaw is also returning. I went in for an appointment for my orthodontic
treatment and asked when I would be able to take off my braces. Since my dental
midline is at a good position, if my teeth can maintain that position more, I
was told that I can get it removed after 6 months. I want to take it off as
soon as possible.
207 Days
Post-OP
Now, I
really don’t have any discomforts! When chewing food, I can eat whatever I want
without any problems.
I
received treatment for my cavity recently. Next time, I’ll go to the clinic for
my orthodontic treatment. They said that I will have to put screws in the lower
gums on my left side under anesthesia T__T. I’m already scared…
211 Days
Post-OP
I wanted to get my driving license renewed
so I took a ID picture after a long time. Before, the asymmetry on my jaw would
be really obvious in pictures but now, I don’t have to worry about that. Due to
my braces, it still feels awkward when I smile but when I get them removed, I
plan on taking another picture! When I get my photos retouched, I don’t have to
edit my jaw anymore!
221 Days
Post-OP
There
was a loose screw on the left side of my lower gums. Since I had to put it back
on, I was nervous. When I met the doctor, he told me that I did a good job
maintaining my bite with the rubber bands so I don’t really have to put the
screw back on. I was planning on eating a lot of delicious foods after my
appointment so I’m glad that I can eat without worrying. He told me to use the
rubber bands until next month. The right side of my jaw that made noises
whenever I ate got better now. However, I snore now which didn’t happen before.
I tend to wake up due to the noise of my snoring sometimes. I thought I didn’t
have any side effects; I wonder if snoring is a side effect? Anyways, I met my
friend after 9 months and they told me that it didn’t look obvious that I got
surgery and that my results were natural so I’m glad. ♥
283 Days
Post-OP
It’s been 9 months since my operation. Whenever
I brush my teeth, I can feel the toothbrush on my molars and the roof of my
mouth. The sensation is almost back to normal. In the past, whenever I chewed
meat the right side of my jaw would make a noise. Now, I can hear a noise on
the left side of my jaw. I’m worried T__T. When I open my mouth widely, there
are times when I cannot open it widely, especially when I yawn. I used to be
worried about my double jaw, but since I’m receiving treatment for it, my
jawline is getting more visible now. I’m going for a dental appointment next
week and I’m almost done with it now.
317 Days
Post-OP
It’s been 10 months since surgery. I almost
forgot that I had surgery. When I went for my orthodontic treatment check-up, I
told them that it feels like my right molars are positioned a bit off, but I
was told that my teeth are trying to adjust to the proper position. Although
the rubber bands are causing my gums to hurt, I still have to use them.
1
Year Post-OP
I feel like one year would not pass by
quickly. Now it’s been a year. It was around this time when I remember telling
my company that I will take a medical rest for surgery. Sometimes I have
regrets since I felt like I should have done the surgery earlier. The nerves on
my upper jaw has been returning back to normal, and I have no discomforts. The
area next to my nose, it still feels a bit uncomfortable when I smile. Maybe
it’s due to the pins? I’m planning on getting a consultation to get my pins
removed soon. When I get them removed, it’ll really be the end of my surgery
journey. I can’t believe it’s already been a year!
EU Oral &
Maxillofacial Surgery
Tel.
+82-2-547-0101
Homepage:
http://en.eudental.co.kr/
Email :
eu@eudental.co.kr
Whatsapp :
+82-10-7430-7107
Kakao :
eudental
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