YALL i feel feel so vulnerable posting this bc i look so rough but seeing others’ journeys while on mine has helped so much so i think it’s only right to pay it back.

first photo is this morning (thursday 10/22) and i got DJS last Friday (10/16)…. so 6/7ish days post op!
(second photo is monday 10/18)

hardest parts:
- congestion MY GOODNESS. so hard to be consistently having to breathe through a banded mouth…especially when trying to eat. not even steamy showers worked BUT tried a humidifier this morning and im much better… not sure if it’s my congestion finally coming down or it’s the humidifier working but either way so grateful
- tooth ache? obviously there’s immense pressure on teeth since theyre banded but there’s a certain tooth thatll ache sometimes for like 2 seconds. it’s tolerable but so annoying. will ask about it at post op appointment
- crusty dusty lips…. i havent seen ppl get crusty lips like i have. my mom and i think its because i was using blistex medicated lip ointment. switched to only vaseline and now my lips are healing much better
- threw up once and that was hell lol

do yall think my swelling is going down in a reasonable amount of time?

overall doing better! still feeling like this is never going to end but i know it will :) keeping a positive mindset is so important!

scariest moment of my life and I never noticed anyone mention this before so maybe it was just a me reaction but it is very much possible and very much scary

Hi everyone, I have a Class II bite and I’m currently undergoing orthodontic treatment in preparation for orthognathic surgery to correct both my chin and the area beneath my nose (upper jaw).
Lately, I’ve been going back and forth about whether I should go through with the surgery because I’m scared of the recovery process. I’ve been reading all kinds of experiences online, ranging from people saying it was extremely painful to others describing it as more of an uncomfortable experience. I’ve also come across people who still have numbness or sensitivity in certain areas, or even other complications, as long as 20 months after surgery.
I’d really appreciate hearing about your personal experiences and whether you would recommend the surgery or not.
In my case, I’ve been told that the surgery would be purely cosmetic, as I don’t have any breathing problems, sleep issues, difficulties eating, or anything like that. I can live a completely normal life as I am now, so I’m struggling to decide whether the results are worth going through the recovery process and dealing with all the fear and anxiety I have about the surgery, especially when it would be for cosmetic reasons only.
I’d really appreciate any advice or honest opinions from people who have been through it.

Hi all, I'm having bimaxillary surgery (Le Fort I + BSSO + genioplasty) in about a week and wanted to hear from people who've been through it.

My plan:

Upper jaw: 5 mm impaction, 3 mm advancement, 2.2° cant correction
Lower jaw: advancement of roughly 5-7 mm
Genioplasty: planned separately by my surgeon, not in the virtual plan
SNB goes from 69.0° to 72.7°, ANB from 7.5° to 5.3°
Two 3D-printed splints (intermediate and final)
No palatal expansion, since my bite was good without it

For context: I'm a female, 40 years old, with Invisalign, and my main goal is to fix my overbite, gum smile, breathing issues, and a recessed chin.

A few questions:
Do these numbers look typical for a bimax like this?
How close was your soft-tissue simulation to your real result?
How long did numbness last for you, and how long were you in splints?
I'm planning about 6 weeks off work. Was that enough for you?
Anything you wish you'd known or prepared before surgery?

Thanks so much!

Please tell me when the swelling goes down. This feels like so much pressure & waiting in limbo cuz I can barely even drink water normally let alone drink a smoothie

I’m 35 with a Class II malocclusion, currently trying to figure out if I should actually go through with jaw surgery. Would love to hear how others here ended up making the final call.

A bit about my situation:

I’m mainly looking into this for health reasons. I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP every night, plus I deal with pretty annoying neck/back pain and constant teeth grinding. On top of that, there’s definitely a self-image and confidence side to it. The idea of being hooked up to a CPAP machine for the rest of my life just sounds exhausting if there’s a real, long-term fix out there.

So far I’ve seen three different orthos and got mixed answers. Two of them recommended surgery and said I’d likely get covered by insurance (I have Kaiser). But the third one told me he wouldn't recommend it "if I were his brother," which obviously made me hesitate.

My next step is meeting with the surgeon for a consult. Honestly, if insurance gives the green light, I’m pretty much ready to jump in.

For anyone who’s been through this: what was the final straw that made you pull the trigger? How did you weigh everything, especially if you got conflicting advice early on?

Appreciate any thoughts or experiences you can share!

Looking for people who went into surgery with desirable gum show. What did you end up like? What should I expect?

My surgeon told me I have perfect gingiva show and I didn’t consider what he meant for a while… will my lips end up covering some of my upper teeth? I honestly feel like an idiot for not looking into this when he told me to. Is this unavoidable or does it depend on my movements?

I feel like I'm still recessed. Am I imagining?

Hello, when I speak, it is unattractive in large part due to asymmetry. My bite is good and I did Invisalign once, then one genioplasty 6mm forward. The more animated I speak, the worse it gets. I am very insecure and try to keep my mouth from moving too much if I remember. What should I do?

i got outcasted for “looksmaxxing” before but i guess ill mention my other symptoms because it does matter and i mean my face matters a lot to me damn but i’m seriously just trying to ask if it’s worth it so i’ll mention my symptoms too in this post 😭 i’ve had a genioplasty and braces in the past, but i still have a recessed maxilla and mandible of course. i also have a lateral open bite situation, and my back teeth don’t touch when i bite down, and i still have a tongue thrust. i struggle with clenching and jaw muscle soreness too. i don’t have sleep apnea or snore, i don’t have any trouble breathing at all that i can notice, so i’m wondering if double jaw surgery is still something worth investigating for both functional and aesthetic reasons, or if my issues could realistically be addressed through orthodontics and myofunctional therapy instead. i’m not sure whether i should consult an orthodontist who specializes in surgical cases, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, or a tmj specialist first. i also wonder if the tongue thrust could be contributing to my open bite and whether it would need to be addressed before any treatment. has anyone experienced something similar, especially after already having braces or genioplasty? i’m not asking reddit to diagnose me, just trying to figure out if pursuing consultations is worth the time and money. my appearance matters to me, but so do the functional issues, and i’d really appreciate genuine advice instead of being dismissed as someone who only cares about looks like last time thx

reposting here for visibility :)

I don’t think I have the worst structure ever especially from the front and specific angles that lean to the side, but my complete side profile isn’t great and my dorsal hump definitely makes things worse.

I don’t know if I have narrow airways but maybe I have dealt with poor sleep and general anxiety for most of my life.

Let me know what you guys think the best course of action would be.

I am 23M, over a year into decomp. I went to an oral surgeon after being referred by my ortho. I had extractions and braces as a child, headgear, etc to try and fix my malocclusion. I was apparently offered the option of doing jaw surgery when I was really young, but I said no (this is according to my parents, I don't really remember) Wisdom teeth removed later on in life (20). Oral surgeon said that I was a candidate, said that my malocclusion could be fixed with DJS and if I wanted genio for aesthetic reasons I could opt for that aswell.

I really don't feel like I have a choice at this point, as I'm considerably far into decomp and I don't really feel like my resolve is waivering. However, I am considering some things. Much of the reason I was initially interested in this surgery wasn't even to do with my bite, it was aesthetic. Call me vain, call me whatever but my profile and general facial looks was causing me genuine anguish and depression. Before I knew about this surgery I felt like I had no hope, and that I was doomed to have a face that looked nothing like anyone else in my age range. Super soft features, weak and recessed chin, and I have dark lines under my eyes as a result from weak upper jaw projection (I believe, anyway). Starting my pre-surgery journey and hearing the words of the surgeon gave me genuine hope and I have not really spiraled nearly as much regarding my own self-image as I believe that I will come out of this experience a happier and healthier person.

I'm not without functional reasons, my breathing is absolutely terrible in my nose but I don't believe I have any sleep apnea, but my father definitely does and we have similar facial structures. My bite stops my two front teeth from touching so eating pasta, pizza, etc becomes a chore. I've had some lockjaw and TMJ problems here and there, aswell as just general sinus problems which I have heard can be relieved by maxillary expansion.

Bottom line, what do you think of my reasoning? Am I crazy? I believe I'm doing the right thing for myself but ultimately I really won't know until longer down the road.

Cheers, and thanks for reading.

I’ve been reading lots of really negative bad posts and it’s sad to see. I know lots of folks are reading those and saying they are changing their minds. Super good to be sure and get second opinions etc but I can’t say enough how happy I am I did this surgery. ( started Invisalign april 2024. Had some teeth removed then sarpe surgery and widened the pallet then more Invisalign and metal braces in there then lower jaw surgery and bands and metal braces off yesterday. 11 mm advancement.) Recovery was hard but super manageable. I ate steak today for dinner and I have a few months left of Invisalign. Just posting to say I felt it’s worth it. Honestly changed my life. Aesthetically, physically, mentally the breathing and sleeping improvements etc. this all made the pain worth it. It’s been a journey and challenging but so worth it! *
Anyways. Just a positive post for you all * pics are first day in 2024 and yesterday

Is being this skinny saving me from apnea,

I think I have a recessed jaw and would like to fix it but am not sure if a lower jaw surgery is really neccessary since I know it is very invasive so I am considering my options

I'm 30M and considering double jaw surgery. The pictures show my current profile and a morph made by my surgeon.

My biggest issue is nasal breathing, which I've struggled with for years. I have enlarged turbinates, a mildly deviated septum, and a narrow nasal opening. But aesthetics are also important to me, and I'd definitely like to improve my facial profile.

Some measurements from my scans:

- SNA: 77.87°
- SNB: 73.39°
- ANB: 4.47°
- Piriform aperture width: 24 mm
- Minimum pharyngeal airway area: 176 mm²

I've read very mixed experiences here. Some people say it was the best decision of their lives, while others regret it because of permanent numbness, complications, or results that weren't worth it.

I'm trying to figure out whether the potential improvements in breathing and appearance outweigh the risks and possible long-term side effects.

Has anyone with similar issues noticed a real improvement in nasal breathing? Are you happy with the aesthetic results? And knowing what you know now, would you do it again?

I'd appreciate any honest opinions, positive or negative.

Has anyone had success getting insurance to cover MARPE, piezo-assisted expansion, or orthodontic aligners in preparation for DJS? It's all so expensive... thanks!

I'm about 2 months into my jaw surgery prep (expected to be 9 months total). I'm doing Invisalign and they recommend brushing my teeth after every meal before I put the trays back in. I'd love nothing more than to do that, but I'm finding it difficult to. Everywhere I go the bathrooms are either way too crowded, way too dirty, or both. Any tips?

Curious to know if anyone had LJS in their 20’s and needed revision surgery some 30 years later. What kind of surgery was it? Joint replacement? Arthro?
My jaw is in pretty bad shape-active degeneration on 1 side, inactive on left, subchondrial cysts, narrow airway, osseous changes in the T-spine. The maxillofacial surgeon was hoping to stabilize my bite with orthodontics only, but after reviewing my scans, it seems like I have bigger issues going on.