My Journey so far

I first became more aware of my bite in my late teens when I decided to go to my dentist who then referred me to a Orthodontist. I was told that they could put standard braces on which would straighten my teeth but not address my slight under bite or they could refer me to the school of dentistry for an assessment regarding Jaw Surgery. I decided to go down the surgery assessment route.

After some more months of waiting I received my initial appointment with the Orthodontist at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. After going through all the assessments like x-rays and moulds etc I was given the option of either having nothing done, just braces or the full works which consisted of braces and then Jaw Surgery.

Teeth when I first got braces on Jan 2011
I decided to go ahead with braces and then surgery, but thanks to our National Health Service it meant waiting 3-4years for my next appointment. That came last January 2011 when I got my braces on. After regular appointments of every 6-8 weeks which consisted of tightening braces and adjustments being made, by December 2011 I had a set of straightened teeth that were ready for surgery.

At this point I met my surgeon for the first time. I was told I was now on another waiting list and that I would hopefully get surgery done around June 2012. Well after a snowboarding trip to Chamonix in France I arrived home to find a big envelope which contained my surgery date. I was really happy to have finally got a date for 11th April 2012.

Teeth March 2012 ready for surgery. My bite has got worse since having braces and my bite is of centre but my teeth are really striaght now!

At this stage I have had my pre assessment at the hospital which went through the risks and a little more information on what is involved. I had blood taken and a general check up and lots of questions asked regarding allergies etc. I then had a pre op appointment with my surgeon were she took some measurements and went through the procedure with me. My last pre op appointment is on Thursday and then hopefully surgery is next week.

I would like to mention how well I have been treated and looked after by everyone at the hospital. I know the NHS gets put down a lot but in my experience I have been treated very well so far and how can I complain when I am not having to pay a penny for anything (except normal tax) when in countries like the USA this operation is expensive. The down side is that I have had to wait for a long time due to waiting lists but I have got on with my life in the mean time.

1 comment:

  1. How was your surgery, Johnny? Double Jaw surgery definitely takes a lot of tests, check-ups, and preparation, but every minute of it is worth it. Conditions of the jaw can affect the muscles surrounding the face and neck, which can be potentially fatal. And of course, there’s a psychological effect when your jaws are not aligned properly. I’m happy for you, Johnny. You finally can say ‘cheese’!

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