My Journey to Correcting Protruding Upper Teeth

Childhood Concerns About Teeth

As a child, I often felt self-conscious about my visible teeth. Sometimes, my relatives would call me "squirrel teeth," although this didn't happen often. When I looked at family photos taken when I was around 10 years old, I noticed my teeth protruded slightly. This made me wonder if my teeth were really a problem or if people were just teasing me for no reason.

Growing Up with the Issue

As I grew older, I found myself adjusting my mouth a lot to cover my teeth, which didn't feel natural. I observed that other people didn't need to strain to hide their teeth, but I felt I had to, especially when I thought others were watching me. This made me uncomfortable and unsure about my appearance.

Silent Concerns and Mixed Feedback

In college and school, I occasionally asked my friends, "Hey buddy, do you think there's any problem with my mouth or do my teeth stick out too much?" Their responses were often mixed and confusing. Some would say, "You've got teeth, but it's okay, not very bad." This left me uncertain about my appearance.

Weight Loss and Increased Visibility

At age 20, I started going to the gym regularly and lost a lot of weight. As my face naturally slimmed down, the visibility of my teeth increased. Comments about my "teethy" appearance became more frequent, even from relatives. I noticed my teeth more prominently in photos, which heightened my concern.

Concern Strengthened

I was really upset when my accounts teacher criticized me, saying, "I hate to see this entire column of students just because of this guy's face." The misunderstanding happened because I was trying to hide my protruding teeth, and the teacher thought I was looking at her arrogantly. It was an incredibly painful moment, and I couldn't help but deeply question why I had to endure this unfair treatment when it wasn't my fault.

Dentist Consultation

I went to the dentist with my concern, thinking braces would fix my issue. However, he explained that my teeth weren't actually protruding; it was my upper jaw that was protruded. He said braces wouldn't help with this, as they would only move my teeth further back but not solve the visibility issue caused by my protruded jaw. This means I don't have enough room to close my mouth naturally, although I can strain to close it artificially.

Dentist Options

I asked the dentist what to do if braces weren't the solution. He said the only option was a complex surgery to break and adjust my upper jaw, which his colleague could do. Hearing "breaking the jaw" scared me, and I knew my parents couldn't afford it. So, I felt like I would have to live with this issue forever.

Considering Jaw Surgery

I am 26 years old now and earning quite well. In India, this is typically the time for boys to get married. I started Googling to see if others had my problem and if there was a solution. After many searches, I found that jaw surgery is often recommended, just like my dentist said.

I was unsure about surgery because it felt like a big step. I can strain to cover my teeth, but I wondered if I should really go through with it. I had mixed feelings and a lot of confusion about whether surgery would solve my issue permanently. So, I decided to visit a maxillofacial surgeon to help me make a decision.

Mixed Feelings About Surgery - Should I Consider It or Not?

I watched videos and saw pictures of people who had this surgery. They had severe protrusions, and five days after surgery, they looked very weak, unable to talk, and in a lot of pain. This made me hesitant to proceed.

Despite my fears, I gained some confidence and decided to consult a doctor. Even if I don't go through with the surgery, I want to know if it will solve the problem I've faced for so many years.

Consultation with a Maxillofacial Surgeon

I went to a maxillofacial surgery hospital and they took a CT scan of my mouth. I shared my concerns with the doctor. He assured me that he could solve my issue with upper jaw surgery. He explained that he would remove part of the upper jaw bone to make my teeth look normal.

Doubts and Fears

I still had doubts about whether the surgery would solve my problem. In the waiting room, I saw patients with simpler issues and some with complex maxillofacial problems. The thought of breaking and sculpting my jaw bone was overwhelming. I wondered if I would recover well and what the aftermath would be like. Seeing people in pain during plaster removal a few days after their surgery added to my fears.

Reality Despite Fears

I decided that surgery would solve my problem and booked the operation, despite the high cost. Luckily, I had saved some money for it.

Surgery Fees

This surgery was performed in the year 2022. Fees may be subject to change based on your preferred hospital location and the present circumstances.

TOTAL AMOUNT: 232564 (TWO LAKHS AND THIRTY TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR RUPEES ONLY)

Surgery

At the hospital, I waited a long time since 5-8 surgeries were done in a day. I was anxious, hoping mine would be done sooner rather than later. Fortunately, I was the third person for the operating table. My anesthesiologist did a basic check, and I hadn't had any food or water for 8 hours as instructed.

Before the surgery, the doctor explained how many millimeters he would reduce my jaw bone. I kept making sure that the protrusion wouldn't be visible. Although the doctor had already examined and decided how much to reduce, I still had some last-minute anxiety.

Before correction

After correction

Detailed Technical Discharge Summary Report

The information below consists of detailed descriptions of the exact surgical procedure performed, the medications prescribed, and the post-operative care instructions.

• Primary Diagnosis: Vertical Maxillary Excess

Medical History:

• Chief Complaint: Toothy smile and inability to close the lips at rest
• Medical History: No significant medical issues

Clinical Examination:

• Findings: Vertical maxillary excess, excessive incisal display at rest, gummy smile

Procedures:

• Surgical Procedure: LeFort I superior impaction performed under general anesthesia

Treatment Administered:

• Pre-operative: Intravenous antibiotics and analgesics
• Intra-operative Findings: Vertical maxillary excess, excessive incisal display at rest, gummy smile
• Post-operative Findings: Sutures present, patient fit for discharge

Hospital Course:

• Anesthesia: General anesthesia
• Medications Administered: Intravenous antibiotics and analgesics
• Hospital Stay: 6 days
• Complications: None
• Post-operative Recovery: Normal

Discharge Instructions:

• Oral Hygiene: Maintain oral hygiene
• Diet: Soft solid diet for 5 days, plenty of fluids
• Activity Restrictions: Avoid bending over or lifting heavy objects for 3-4 weeks, avoid physical exercises for a month, do not sleep on sides to avoid pressure on the surgical site and to promote proper healing.

CT Scan - Before

CT Scan - After

Post-Surgery Experience

This wasn't my first surgery, so I wasn't very scared. I went to the operating theater, where they gave me general anesthesia and began the procedure. After 2 hours, I was moved to a recovery room where they monitored patients regularly.

I woke up when the anesthesiologist doctor woke me up. My first reaction was to ask for my phone, just to take a selfie and see how much change had happened. I felt a lot of discomfort, but not much pain.

First Thoughts and Challenges

When I first looked at my selfie after the surgery, I thought, "I should have done this earlier." The reduction in my jaw was impressive. There was initial swelling, which was expected to increase and then subside.

The hardest part was not being able to taste anything. Food felt bland and I couldn't chew. I relied on liquid foods like juices. I quickly got tired of milkshakes, juices, and room-temperature ice creams. I craved something spicy or at least salty.

I couldn't talk properly, which lasted for about a week to 10 days. I also had trouble hearing, even on the phone, with only about half my normal hearing capacity. Thankfully, this improved after 10 days.

Discharge and Recovery

After 2-3 days, I was discharged due to patient overload since my home was nearby. I still had my plaster on and a cannula in my hand. I was eager to leave because staying in the hospital felt boring and repetitive. I was given IV medicines for a week, including antibiotics, painkillers, and paracetamol. I was instructed to visit a nearby clinic or have an experienced nurse administer these medicines morning and night. My sister drove me to the clinic, and a nurse regularly administered the medications. After 2 days, I switched the cannula to the other hand to prevent swelling.

Post-Surgery Care

The doctor advised me not to drive for at least 2 weeks due to the major surgery. It was important to have someone else drive for me.

For food, I asked my mom to prepare rice porridge since I couldn't chew even a single grain of rice. She ground the rice in a mixer, boiled it in water, and added some salt. This was a relief from the sweet items I had been consuming. If you're considering soups, prepare them at home or get them from a restaurant. Avoid soup powders or half-processed soups from the supermarket, as they can cause gastric problems, which I experienced.

Follow-Up and Plaster Removal

Five days after my discharge, my sister drove me to the hospital for my follow-up appointment. The hardest part was the plaster removal, especially the one over my mustache. It was very painful for 2-3 seconds as it was stuck to my hair.

Reflections on Surgery

Looking back, the experience wasn't as tough as I had feared from the videos I watched before the surgery. The pain level was minimal, mostly just some discomfort. As long as you are prepared for a week of downtime, the surgery isn't something to be scared of. Having a bystander or help from nurses is highly recommended.

Seeing young kids undergoing similar surgeries made me realize that I shouldn't worry too much about it.

Final Thoughts

It's crucial to choose a highly experienced doctor for the procedure. Although genioplasty was suggested, I initially avoided it due to the cost and felt it wasn't needed since my main concern was the protrusion and teeth visibility, which the upper jaw surgery addressed. However, a few months later, I decided to undergo genioplasty as well, which I'll discuss in a separate post.