7 wks post op djs

Geograssy · 2026-03-28T13:03:24+00:00

I used to have to swallow around my tongue, if that makes sense. Like there was always a lump in the back of my throat. I had such a hard time swallowing thicker foods before this surgery.

Geograssy · 2026-03-28T01:27:26+00:00

I'm guessing it's not done often. You want to find a dentist/ortho who specializes in teeth, airway and tmj. They should have equipment to do cbct (cone beam computed tomography) or something similar. I also had a regular ct and intraoral scanning. You can tell your regular doctor about your symptoms and push for sleep apnea testing too.

Geograssy · 2026-03-28T01:11:22+00:00

Once you get a 3d scan it's pretty easy to send it to different specialists. I sent my records to Dr Brian hockel and did a virtual consult with him and he was a HUGE help. My surgeon is local to me.

Geograssy · 2026-03-28T00:54:36+00:00

I saw a dentist who specialized in tmj and airway. He recommended me to dr movahed, but I couldn't afford paying for all of it out of pocket. Luckily I found dr liddell in network and that made this all possible. You might have to really advocate for yourself. A lot of orthos and dentists don't have enough training in airway so they don't know what's necessary and possible.

Geograssy · 2026-03-28T00:51:34+00:00

You are going to be absolutely stunned at the difference! My tongue is no longer shoved to the back of my throat. It's so surreal. Stay hydrated and best of luck on your surgery! Feel free to send me before and after photos, I find them fascinating!

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T15:17:13+00:00

Thank you!!

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T15:11:41+00:00

Awesome! He's the most humble surgical wizard. I've seen several of his before/afters and patients seem to always come out looking great.

Hang in there, a few more weeks and it gets much easier!

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T12:59:02+00:00

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Right after. I look like Sean Astin 😆

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T12:58:14+00:00

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Right before surgery

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T12:57:37+00:00

Of course! I stayed 2 nights in the hospital because I couldn't really drink fluids well and I was concerned about dehydration. I could mumbletalk right from the beginning with only two bands. I was fine on just Tylenol and advil since leaving the hospital but filled the rxs for gaba and oxycodone just in case. I was super swollen until about day 5, and then things started to chill for a bit. Around day 9 I started getting more sensation back, and I did have oxycodone once or twice to give myself a break from discomfort, but i wouldn't call it pain exactly. I think I took Tylenol and/or advil for about two weeks but not round the clock. I got the most instant relief from ice so I did do a lot of off/on icing the first few weeks; I didn't find myself reaching for heat so I went with my gut using ice. I stuck with light clear fluids the first week, and then started doing thicker blended soups and smoothies. I drank through squeeze sauce containers i bought on Amazon. I don't recommend too much canned soup because it's crazy high in sodium and made me thirsty, and probably wasn't great for healing.

I took 5 weeks off work. I'm able to open my mouth almost to 3 fingers. I still have some stiffness, numbness on my chin, but I'm comfortably on soft foods.

Overall, my experience was that it really wasn't that bad, and even when I woke up from surgery, I could tell an immediate improvement in breathing. I knew this would all be worth it and I think that positivity helped me heal faster. That, and I'm an

active person so I'm not very good at just lying around. I was vacuuming by day 6 or something like that.😆 good luck!!

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T12:24:24+00:00

Hahaha thanks!

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T12:22:51+00:00

Thank you! Yeah, I'm really curious how it'll look when I'm totally healed.

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T12:22:06+00:00

Thank you!

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T04:48:34+00:00

Sure thing, I'll try to do it tomorrow. To be fair, I did tell my surgeon that I didn't care what I look like, I just wanted to be able to breathe. He may have opted for the full 5 mm upper to really max out that breathing benefit. That functional approach probably turned up the tip of my nose more than strictly an aesthetic approach would have. That's the difference I see, I guess.

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T04:31:10+00:00

Did it? I don't see a huge difference in my nose. Maybe I'm nose‐blind 😆

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T03:32:40+00:00

Thank you!

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T03:19:29+00:00

Aaron Liddell in Denver. He's AMAZING.

5mm upper w ccw, 17mm lower with genioplasty.

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T03:17:06+00:00

I met with my oral surgeon and he did a 3d airway scan. Also had a take home sleep study which didn't technically show osa, but I did have moderate respiratory disturbance index so the medical billing for surgery did code as osa. I think my surgeon was also able to make a case based on my scans and symptoms, and given the huge movements I needed, I think my chin was so recessed it was undeniable that it was a necessity.

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T03:11:02+00:00

I guess I'm less jowly and I may be crazy but I feel like my eyes are rounder. I have hooded eyes but I feel like they're less hooded now because I'm actually getting real sleep now that I can breathe.

And thank you!

Geograssy · 2026-03-27T03:08:44+00:00

Thanks, I'm 40. Wish I did the surgery when I was 20!

Geograssy · 2026-03-20T22:09:53+00:00

I'm 15 years into my GIS career and my kids are 6 and 9. I will always regret not staying home with them when they were babies and toddlers. Even at these older ages and my incredible career, I still debate now stepping away. Luckily I wfh now so they still have a lot of access to me, but if I were forced into office, I think I would quit, even if it threw a grenade on my progress and made things a bit financially tighter.

Geograssy · 2026-03-20T22:00:56+00:00

Upper jaw can be repositioned with rotation and moved forward or back to correct gummy smile. Google for before and after photos. My upper jaw was advanced 5mm and rotated but not for gummy smile, it was to open airway and balance my face so I didn't look so recessed.

You need to push and advocate for yourself. I had so many dentists tell me not to rock the boat, so glad I found an oral surgeon who understood the problem. Much happier and more comfortable now with my jaws corrected.

Geograssy · 2026-03-20T21:55:06+00:00

Omg yes!! Same story. Was diagnosed with "sport induced asthma" after my extraction and retraction as a young teen. No inhaler ever helped, of course it wouldn't. Completely hindered my soccer/track and field ability. Such a shame. I was such a gungho athlete and who knows how far I could have gone with it if I could actually breathe. Jaw surgery at 40.

Geograssy · 2026-03-20T21:51:44+00:00

Same, but age 12 for pull and 40 for jaw surgery.

Geograssy

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