X-Rays
Following are the before and after x-rays from my experience with double jaw surgery. You can see, quite clearly, the drastic change that took place on the operating table.
I never realized how crooked my bite was before the braces worked their magic. You can also clearly see the open bite on the left side of my mouth, along with the 8 titanium plates screwed into my skull, in the last photo.
Feb 11, 2008 — I just had braces put on in this X-ray. Notice the underbite!
Feb 11, 2008 — Are you convinced my bite was poor enough to warrant surgery now?
Feb 9, 2010 — This is after wearing braces for two years.
Feb 9, 2010 — I challenge you to try biting an apple, or even a chip, when your front teeth act like two positive magnets.
May 10, 2010 — These X-rays were taken three months after surgery. My underbite is no more!
May 10, 2010 — My journey to becoming a robot begins here.
There you have it: a visual journey via X-rays! If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments.
December 8, 2015 at 2:02 pm
Hello Camilla,Thank you for sharing so much of your wonredful, intriguing and unique artwork and creative thoughts on your blog. As a committed reader, I wish to send many positive best wishes to you and to your beloved Morran. Best wishes,Mary 🙂
May 8, 2015 at 3:26 pm
Hi!
Just wanted to thank you for the blog! I’m in my 4th day postOP for dobblejaw surgery – and your blog has been extremely helpful before and after the surgery! It’s been a good place to search and read information and helpful tips when the days until full recovery seams like a lifetime away!
Big hug from Norway!
June 10, 2014 at 5:23 pm
hi graham 🙂
recovery is going really good, I am keeping really busy and days are flying by 😀
if I get bored I play sudoku which keeps me occupied in my bored spells 🙂 all pain has gone although I have a sinus infection now so on antibiotics, swelling has almost gone and I’m only 13days post operation today, my lacerations are healing really well stitches are coming loose now, I had double jaw surgery for a overbite of 9mm, they brought my top jaw forward 3mm and down 5mm then my bottom jaw was moved 10.5mm on the right side and 9mm on the left 🙂
June 11, 2014 at 10:16 am
Natalie, glad to hear you’re finding things to pass the time with. This is a great period to read heaps of books and just appreciate the small things. Stay positive and keep healing! =)
June 1, 2014 at 4:18 am
Hi, very interesting and helpful reading your blog. I am 3 days post operation barely comfortable but I’m getting there 🙂
June 2, 2014 at 8:19 am
Natalie, welcome to recovery! Make sure you get outside for walks in the fresh air every single day and try to keep yourself occupied during these first few weeks. If you end up growing bored, that can be one of the most frustrating things during this initial recovery period. Stay strong!
January 15, 2014 at 2:19 am
Hi Graham,
How are you? I had surgery years ago and I am asking this because I am just curious, to be honest. How is your bite now? Did you succeed fixing that posterior openbite?
January 20, 2014 at 10:04 pm
Flavio, my bite is in good condition at this point. I don’t have any inconveniences or frustrations with it and I’m comfortable with my smile, my speech, and my chewing. I think the surgery was well worth the effort. =)
September 15, 2013 at 11:08 am
Hey Graham,
How are you now? I was planning to fixed my protruded face(exactly the same situation with you) & I was reading your blog. I have my braces 2 years ago & now my teeth were straight & was maintained by my fixed retainer.
My question is, do I need to have my braces On before jaw surgery after? Or arch bar will do? I have also noticed that all your wisdom teeth was extracted before surgery? Or during surgery will do?
Thanks.
September 16, 2013 at 9:31 am
Geoff, these are questions you’ll have to ask your surgeon in a consultation. Generally, they like to put braces on you before surgery so they can create a few spaces in your teeth in order to cut into your jaw. They close these gaps with the braces after the surgery.
I believe most surgeons prefer to have your wisdom teeth extracted prior to the surgery as well just to reduce the number of parts your body must heal following the operation. But again, you’ll have to ask an actual surgeon. =)
October 31, 2012 at 4:29 pm
Graham! Thanks for the great read, i will be having surgery the 18th of Dec. and am curious about the sleep aspect. I have wicked sleep apnea and an underbite and am told the surgery has a very high success rate for sleep apnea. I havn’t had a decent nights sleep hardly ever and was wondering if you had a sleep issue before and if you did how is your sleep now?
October 31, 2012 at 11:35 pm
Kurt, I have never dealt with sleep issues, but I’ve heard many stories from people who had sleep apnea before the surgery. They’ve all told me the problem went away post-op. I can’t provide any personal experience in this area, though.
It sounds like you’re going to miss Christmas dinner. I hope the scent of that meal doesn’t drive you crazy! =)
August 8, 2012 at 9:11 pm
Hey Graham! I haven’t had double jaw surgery but I was wondering what it was all about! I read your whole 90 day blog in about 2 hours because it was so interesting!! Thanks for a good story! 🙂
August 9, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Glad you found it to be a good read, Jordan! My gift to you, haha!
November 8, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Haha too right! I’ve got my muming read your blog for tips on what to feed me aha thanks for taking your time to write everything so detailed and making it so light hearted, I’ll most definitly be re-reading this whilst healing at home attempting to suck my meals through a straw 🙂
November 7, 2011 at 10:42 pm
That’s exciting, Steph! Happy New Year to you, right? =)
November 7, 2011 at 8:26 pm
Just looked back at your site and reading up on things because I got my surgery date! 12th january 2011!
September 6, 2011 at 12:10 pm
Andy, most of the feeling had returned to my face by the 2-month mark. It’s definitely not a linear reawakening, though. There were times when a week would pass with no progress in the feeling department, and then half of my face would wake up in a single day.
I wouldn’t worry about anything related to numbness until at least 3 months have passed.
September 6, 2011 at 6:21 am
Graham, I am at 6 weeks post surgery and having my wires taken off and the splint removed. Other than obvious excitement about that I’m wondering how long it took for you to fully recover feeling in your face. Right now I’m numb from my bottom lip down to my chin. It starts as numbness from the eyesocket on down.
April 15, 2011 at 7:58 pm
Hey Christina, I had surgery in mid-March, 2010. I kept it pretty simply with food because I was on a liquid diet for a few months.
I primarily drank smoothies and Ensure, and I’d eat tomato and mushroom soup as well. Once I was able to eat a bit more, I started blending up Chunky soups to get some actual calories.
You can blend anything you like as long as you can get over the texture part of it. 🙂
April 15, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Graham, When did you get your surgery? I just had a double jaw surgery on the 29th and was wondering if you had any food ideas?
March 21, 2011 at 9:13 am
Steph, it was so worth the trouble! I’ve smiled more in the year since surgery than I think I’ve smiled during the first 24 years of my life. 🙂
It’s an exhausting recovery, but I highly recommend it.
March 20, 2011 at 7:02 pm
I’m due for corrective jaw surgery at the end of this year, I need my top jaw cut along the top and moved forward and my lower jaw cut and moved to the right and slightly back. Your photos have made me so exited to have the perfect smile! 😀 was it all worth it?