1) In braces for 5 months, May 2008
2) In braces for 11 months, 6 weeks post op, Dec 2008
I think you can see how the braces straightened my teeth, widening my smile even before surgery. As my teeth straightened, my overbite (and over jet, too) appeared larger. My teeth should lighten up again after my next scheduled cleaning. The surgery shortened my face, especially noticeable (to me, at least!) across my cheekbones. My cheeks are fuller. My jawline is now more square. I knew one eye was larger, now I can see the very subtle difference in cheek fullnesses prior to braces. Also, now that my lower jaw is in place, my laugh lines have softened. That's good! I still expect to see face #1 in the mirror...when I see face #2 instead it seems strange. Bit by bit this sense improves. My smile is slowly relaxing and broadening as the muscles in my face come back. My lower lip and chin improve daily. The constant buzzing & twitching nerves lead me to believe this feeling will return, too. :)
8 comments:
Hi Katherine! I love the before and after pictures, thanks for posting them. It's funny how subtle differences seem HUGE to the person who really knows their own face, but to others, they seem really SUBTLE! That being said, I can see differences but you definitely still look like you! I have a question for you... how does it seem to have a shorter face? I haven't felt like I had a particularly long face and you didn't look like you did either. My OS told me my face will also be shorter by 4mm and it just seems weird to me. I'm wondering how it is for you? Do you feel less thin? Do you feel prettier now, knowing your face is more 'balanced' or whatever they say it is? Anyway, again, I think you look good in both pictures but I'm wondering how it feels or looks to you???? Thanks!!!
Hi Elaine! You asked me how it feels? Gosh. It does feel more different than it looks. Hmmm. I am mostly aware of my fuller cheeks and my lip compentance. It is awe-some to breath only through my nose. Lifting free weights at the gym, which is the only time I really see my face making silly expressions in the mirror, I can tell how my face comes together more naturally post-op. I do feel "less thin" in my face, what a great phrase BTW, though I feel thinner under my chin. The improved defintion there is certainly a good thing!
My lips' shape has changed subtlely too. I feared I would lose the fullness in my lower lip, rather my upper lip seems to be smaller (less tooth pushing it out, perhaps?) and more cupid shaped.
Sometimes I feel prettier, sometimes distinctively less pretty. Right now, I feel less pretty. When I smile, the new tightness in my cheeks pulls my nose wider, I think this is why my nose feels much bigger to me. People would frequently compliment me on my smile, which is SO ironic, and I'd mutter something like, "Well, I'm working on it..."
My hunch here is that because I showed so much tooth and gum before, a full out smile seemed like a bigger-than-normal smile, which was perceived as more-expressive-than-normal. I'm not sure yet - this might just be an experiment in myopic hubris!
My new closed mouth smile is much softer. I guess I'll relearn how to smile with my eyes like those dating years of old!
I hope my ROM will improve & my smile will relax over time. When I try to purse my lips, like I'm gonna give a kiss on the cheek, my lips are 2x as big as before. Nerves are still regenerating. Like I wrote on your blog, I'm glad I went for the surgery but it has been a harder experience than I imagined.
Thanks for all of your imput! I do think I understand what you're saying, and knowing myself, I'm a little concerned about the regret. I did talk to my OS yesterday and we were talking about the lack of expression after surgery. He told me the muscles take a while to loosen up (maybe even 6 months to a year???). If so, you'll probably look much more like yourself when your expressions are back. He said the face is a little 'flat' without the expression. I'm like you with lots of compliments on my smile. It has been a little bigger than most people's, too. I hope that comes back, too, and it feels like a really big part of me. I know you're a believer (by your blog) as am I. I feel like my expressions are often a reflection of the Lord and His heart for people. I do hope that continues to shine through.
Elaine,
Since my spirits are up today, I thought I would record that on January 2nd I feel "prettier" than before. :) My morning swelling is almost gone, and when I woke up today and saw a pretty smile, I felt much better. Isn't it funny how dependent emotions can be sometimes?
Interesting discussion! Before my daughter's surgery 2 years ago, she always looked her best when smiling. Her chin moved forward when she smiled, giving her a more balanced profile. I never realized until recently exactly why her old smiling photos were so much more flattering than her non-smiling ones. She only had lower jaw surgery, so her end result was to have a longer face, not shorter. I believe orthognathic surgery is part science, part art!
Anonymous~ maybe between the movement of the lower jaw and the shortening of the upper jaw, the length of the face balances out! Thanks for your comments. As Katherine said, "this might just be an experiment in myopic hubris!" (at least for me) It was nice of you to take care of your daughter's jaw and chin. Part of me wishes my parents had seen my struggle and fixed my jaw when I was younger, but I also know they've come a long way in technique and understanding.
Katherine, thanks for posting on a 'pretty' day!!! I hope you have an abundance of pretty days and continue to heal quickly!
Katherine, having just returned from our Christmas visit with y'all, I have the advantage of seeing you immediately pre and post op, and now a month later! Yes, your face has different contours, a more pronounced cupid-bow smile AND you look lovely! I was doing some New year cleaning of closets and located an old photo album. I have sent you some of the photos b/c ironically one taken of you when you were about 3 looks remarkably like your "new face"! Rather angelic, I thought! But, then I am your mother and you will always be my baby!! ;-) Thought you might find the resemblence of interest. I will look forward to your thoughts, expressed here or via a more private venue. It was a lovely visit w/ you and your precious family and we all commented on how serene you seemed. You coverd up well the discomfort you share here you experienced during the days we visited. I look forward to further updates. Know how much you are loved by us and your brothers! Hugs, Mom :-)
Hello, Katherine! Wow. I read your older posts regarding your overbite correction. I must say, your progress was amazing! You look much younger and prettier now. I guess you're a proof that braces are one of the best ways to correct overbite, huh? I'll be visiting my Memphis dentists again next week for some final examinations before the braces thing. Thanks for sharing your dental journey. And yes, congratulations!
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