Starting my journey

[urban]

Hi all, I'm a 24 year old male with a pretty big underbite. During consultation, my surgeon says I will need a reconstruction on the lower jaw and a lefort-i1 on upper jaw. I have yet to start any orthodontics yet, as we were waiting to see if my insurance (Anthem) would quality my procedure as medically necessary or not. They recently got back to me and said that they my procedure is certified as medically necessary. (This process took about 5 months)

Now, the next step is orthodontics, I have a question if this step is just as slow to get started with? Also, I have been reading that orthodontic treatment pre-surgery can take anywhere from 6 months to 18 months depending on how much the teeth need to be aligned in place... Has anyone found this timeline to actually be realistic?

Thanks all for reading this and hoping my questions don't scream out newbie too much! I guess I am just excited that I'll be able to eat a hamburger without a knife and fork for once.

[loralei]

Hi there!

I am also 24 and starting my journey, though I've had braces and gone through the motions once before (decided not to get surgery, which messed up my teeth again). How big is your underbite? I'm glad to hear Anthem approved you, as I have Anthem PPO and am looking into surgeons. Congrats on your preapproval!

Once you decide braces are going on, I don't think it takes a long time. The first time around, they did some molds and looked over the xrays (things you've already done I'm sure) and then were ready to get em on and get things rolling. The average pre-surgery time seems to be about a year, so 6-18 sounds accurate. A lot of patients go through two years total once braces are on, but it really varies by case. These are great questions for your ortho. I was only set to have the lower jaw slid back, so I don't know if double jaw requires more pre-work.

[samoorelaw]

The average time in braces pre-op is about a year. I was in braces 14 months before I had my LeFort I to correct my underbite. The average time in braces post-op is 3-6 months.

[urban]

The oral surgeon's office called today to let me know about the possible costs out of pocket. They told me it would be somewhere around 10K and that the insurance approval would be good for a year. They did say that the will push the date accordingly.

Also, they gave me the go-ahead to go make an appointment to go see an orthodontist to get my braces! I'll be making an appointment tomorrow since the office is now closed. But I'm pretty excited! One step closer to smiling like this:

[boodles8]

Once you call for an appointment to get braced, it shouldn't take long. I made an appointment for two weeks from the date I called, if I remember correctly. It was nearly two years ago, so not sure. Yeah, the average time for surgery from the brace date is usually around a year. I was ready in 11 months but had to delay until 13 months for personal reasons. Most people are in braces for about 6 or less months after surgery. I'm on the really long end, nine months Wednesday, but I had a lot of delays due to root canals and suchlike unexpected events. I don't think my ortho was planning on it taking this long, he showed me retainers months ago. So not cool.

Anyway, good luck on your journey!

[urban]

Thanks boodles!

I spoke to the orthodontist today and he told me I would need to get X-RAYs to begin the procedure of getting braced. He also said he's estimating at least 9 months I would need to be braced before the surgery and another half year afterwards. The cost for braces is estimated to be $3500. I've been told that's within typical?

I'm going to make an appointment with the imaging place tomorrow so I can get these X-RAYs done!

[urban]

Yay! More progress has been made.

Since the last time I posted, I had gotten X-Rays and impressions for braces.

I went to see the orthodontist last night and he told me he had been looking at my case for three days. He told me that now the next step is to just get my teeth cleaned at my regular dentist and then just call him back so that they can get my braces on.

Apparently, he says he can get me ready for surgery this winter, or in about 6 months. I asked if that was even realistic and he said for my case it can be... though there have been some people who have had braces on for 2 years. But we are shooting for surgery in winter and then braces for another few months afterwards!

I've made an appointment for teeth cleaning this Sunday! I'm excited!

[UnevenJAG]

Wow so quick! I'll be in braces for approx 14-15 months before surgery.

Also looks like your out of pocket expenses for braces is a lot cheaper, I'm in Aus and my braces alone are $7,500.

Good luck on your journey, lucky everything is happening so quickly for you.

[sirwired]

That's a very reasonable price for pre-surgical ortho, and a pretty short amount of time. Mine took about 18 mos, but post-surgical was only 3 mos, which is short. Looks like everything is proceeding according to a perfectly normal plan. Good luck!

[urban]

So I've made two appointments today to get my spacers and braces installed! Spacers are coming on July 7, and braces on July 11!

[quote="UnevenJAG"]Wow so quick! I'll be in braces for approx 14-15 months before surgery.

Also looks like your out of pocket expenses for braces is a lot cheaper, I'm in Aus and my braces alone are $7,500.

Good luck on your journey, lucky everything is happening so quickly for you.

[/quote]

I hope just because mine was quoted to be cheaper it won't have any effect on my pre-surgical ortho. The orthodontist I chose was recommended by my oral surgeon though, and they have worked together frequently in the past.

[quote="sirwired"]
That's a very reasonable price for pre-surgical ortho, and a pretty short amount of time. Mine took about 18 mos, but post-surgical was only 3 mos, which is short. Looks like everything is proceeding according to a perfectly normal plan. Good luck!
[/quote]

Thanks! I'm hoping it really is 6 months. Is it quite common for people to not meet their estimated timeline?

[urban]

So I got my spacers installed today. I didn't feel much, and don't feel much right now. Just feels like something is in between my teeth applying pressure. No pain like others have told me just yet!

I'm hoping that's going to be the case for me. When the orthodontist stuck those spacers in, it just felt like flossing to me.

[urban]

I got my braces on today! So far my saliva tastes really weird, and my friend tells me it's probably from the glue. It's been hard to not make so much saliva too.. feels like I'm drooling too much, haven't eaten yet, a bit scared to... but I think I'll start off with some oatmeal mixed with some almond butter and cream for calories.

[sirwired]

You are probably tasting leftover etchant and/or fluoride varnish. Eat what you want (within reason) today; the soreness shouldn't kick in until you wake up tomorrow.

[KaylaChristine]

[quote="urban"]Yay! More progress has been made.

Since the last time I posted, I had gotten X-Rays and impressions for braces.

I went to see the orthodontist last night and he told me he had been looking at my case for three days. He told me that now the next step is to just get my teeth cleaned at my regular dentist and then just call him back so that they can get my braces on.

Apparently, he says he can get me ready for surgery this winter, or in about 6 months. I asked if that was even realistic and he said for my case it can be... though there have been some people who have had braces on for 2 years. But we are shooting for surgery in winter and then braces for another few months afterwards!

I've made an appointment for teeth cleaning this Sunday! I'm excited![/quote]

Wow! Only 6 months in braces before the surgery?! That's awesome.

[urban]

I really hope that's the case. Being unfamiliar with this process, I'm not even sure if it is possible to move that quickly before surgery! But I trust my orthodontist!