My jaw has a flaw

I figure I should share a bit about my orthodontic and jaw history for those who are curious, and the circumstances that have led me to surgery. I am NOT undergoing jaw surgery purely for cosmetic reasons. That would be silly! Though it is a motivating factor. ;D (Note: if you're not interested in reading this long post, scroll to the bottom for pictures!)

My first ortho appointment was in August 1999 when I was 9 years old, shortly after which I started treatment to widen my arch using a Quad Helix. If my narrow arch wasn't corrected while I was growing, it would have needed to be surgically expanded during jaw surgery which involves splitting the palatal bone. Thank goodness it was caught early to avoid this extra complication!

After about 3 months, I had the Quad Helix removed and I started wearing a bite plate and headgear to correct an overjet. This was by far the worst part of treatment, definitely worse than braces. It was embarrasing to wear during the day (thankfully I didn't have to do this often), and I never got used to wearing it at night because it forced me to lie on my back, and I'm a side sleeper. I was glad to get rid of it in August 2000, after which I was fitted with a Nance to maintain the shape of my arch and teeth until I was ready for braces.

Finally, I got braces on in January 2003 when I was 13 and all of my adult teeth had come in, and I wore them for about a year and 8 months before debanding in September 2004. During this time, I noticed that I had more and more pain in my jaw joints, and the joints started popping and grinding when I opened and closed my mouth. Often the muscles in my jaw were so tight and sore that it caused neck pain, shoulder pain, and headaches. I was told that I had Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) (ie. arthritis) in my TMJs and was advised to eat soft foods, avoid opening my mouth too widely, and to keep my jaw muscles as relaxed as possible to minimize joint pain and promote healing. Thankfully, the pain slowly decreased with time, and I was given a splint in 2006 to help limit the strain on my joints and to keep me from grinding my teeth at night.

I thought everything was clear sailing from then on. I had a perfect bite after braces, and my joint pain and headaches were gone, but I was wrong! I noticed my bite had started to shift, and it was getting more and more difficult to chew things. Small gaps started opening up between my top and bottom teeth, and eventually my front teeth no longer made contact. I went to my orthodontist and he said I was developing an open bite caused by condylar resorption related to the Degenerative Joint Disease. This is where the bone in the jaw joint starts to break down and causes the jaw bone to shorten near the joint. This rotates the lower jaw downwards, pivoting on the molars, and allows the teeth to open in the front. He also said that surgery was the only way of correctly fixing it, though he wouldn't start the treatment process until I was an adult and fully grown. What?! I didn't want surgery! I figured that this would just open up a whole new set of problems. I was so upset, and I left the office resigned to the fact that I'd have to learn to live with my bite issues.

Fast forward a few years, and here I am. I'm 22, had braces put on for the 2nd time in August 2011, and have agreed to jaw surgery. My bite problems have become worse in the last few years, and it's now very visible in my face. I have to strain to close my mouth, bite food such as spaghetti using my tounge and top teeth, and I'm constantly grinding my molars since they're the only teeth that touch when my jaw muscles are at rest. However, my joints are finally stable, I've finished growing, and the surgery can go ahead. It's been a long road through orthodontia, and I'm looking forward to seeing the end!

Since this blog is shaping up to be one large collection of horrible pictures of myself, I decided I should start off with a more flattering one. This was taken for university graduation in the spring of 2011, and it demonstrates how adept I've become at posturing my jaw to hide my weak chin and open bite.

The next series of pictures was taken at the ortho office during different phases of treatment. Notice how great my profile looked in 1999, and how my lower jaw rotated downward with time. This caused my lower face to lengthen, my jaw line to become less defined, and my lips and chin to strain while closing my mouth. I also developed a bit of a gummy smile as I grew, which just added to the length to my face.

July 1999 before beginning ortho treatment (age 9)

  

September 2004 after braces were removed the 1st time (age 14)

 

April 2011 after development of an open bite and before round 2 of braces (age 21)

 

Well, I hope this helps to explain my reasons for choosing to go ahead with surgery. I wasn't too thrilled about it at first, but once I learned that it's the only way of correcting the longstanding functional issues with my jaw I started to warm up to the idea. Hopefully in the end I'll have a normal and healthy bite, and improved facial aesthetics to go with it. Can't wait!