About

I'm Rebecca....and my whole life I've had an underbite. Not many people ever noticed, but its been a pretty big nuisance that has always prevented me from being able to bite into an apple or all the way through a sandwich.  In addition to the underbite, none of my teeth except my very, very, far back molars touched so even if I could manage to bite into something, chewing it was also a trick.  When I was 8 years old my orthodontist recommended jaw surgery when I was done growing.  10 years later, after an expander and braces, here I am - a double jaw surgery survivor.  To ensure successful results, I had my surgery performed by an expert oral surgeon at the Mayo Clinic.... so I will let them explain my surgery:

Maxillary Osteotomy (upper jaw surgery)

In this procedure, the surgeon makes cuts below both eye sockets so the entire top jaw, including the roof of the mouth and all upper teeth, can move as one unit. The teeth and jaw are moved forward until the upper and bottom teeth fit together properly.

Once the jaw is realigned, tiny screws hold the bone in its new position. These screws are smaller than a bracket used for braces and become integrated into the bone structure.

The above description only includes the upper jaw, but my surgery also involved the lower jaw.  So here's a pretty neat video that includes both.  Don't worry, its not gross! =P

As you can see, jaw surgery is a pretty major thing.  Official recovery takes about 90 days, but a lot of other jaw surgery survivors say it takes 6 months to a year to feel normal again.  I'm hoping to be on the fast track, but whatever the case may be, I have this wonderful blog to record my progress and keep you informed!