Hello! It has been one month since my surgery. I still have swelling, but I really love how much my chin has been set back!! I originally had severe malocclusion, and my chin was longer than other people’s. In photos, my lower jaw looked even longer and asymmetrical, so I think I even avoided taking pictures haha.
That led me to look into orthognathic surgery, and I decided to have surgery at W Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery!! I chose it among several clinics because the one-surgery-per-day policy, the surgeon’s experience, and CCTV coverage of the surgical process inspired confidence. During the consultation, Dr. Lee Seokjae and the coordinator understood my concerns about my face shape and explained everything in detail, which made me certain haha.
I had about six months of presurgical orthodontics. As a student, I underwent orthognathic surgery and two contouring procedures (square-jaw reduction + chin reduction) during summer break!
(Surgery day to discharge) It was my first surgery, so I was worried, but I closed and opened my eyes and it was already over! I had no pain afterward. Breathing was difficult, and having to stay awake to expel the anesthetic gas was hard; otherwise, it was tolerable. The doctor and nurses checked on me often, so even when it hurt, I felt reassured. I woke up frequently only on the first night, and after that I was fine. On the second day, I was well enough to go to the bathroom by myself, take walks, and watch movies. But because I was mostly sitting, my tailbone hurt T_T. I was discharged on the third day. At home, my mouth did not open well and the pills were numerous and large, so taking medication was difficult, but I think pills that can be swallowed quickly are better than liquid medicine.
Week 1 I had an underbite, and my lower jaw protruded severely in profile. Looking at my profile in the mirror and seeing my lower jaw set behind my upper jaw was so moving T_T. The improvement in asymmetry was also immediately visible. It was only week one, so I looked like a puppy stung by bees, but I had no particular pain or discomfort. I mainly had protein, clear broth, and beverages. At first, it was uncomfortable to put anything in my mouth because it would not open well, but I gradually adjusted and tried to drink often and in large amounts. After my first follow-up visit, I could brush my teeth. I had only been using mouthwash, so brushing felt wonderfully refreshing.
Week 2 At my second appointment, I had my stitches removed. After reading other orthognathic-surgery reviews saying stitch removal was the most painful part, I went in feeling tense. It did hurt a lot, but the doctor removed them quickly, and afterward I had no pain at all. Since the stitches were removed, I could eat spicy and greasy foods, so I immediately made spicy chicken risotto haha. It had been so long since I ate something strongly flavored, and it was delicious. From week two, I melted food in my mouth, crushed it, and ate however I could lol.
My break was only two weeks, so I worried that my recovery period had been too short. But when I went to school, I was just like usual. In fact, as my activity level increased, the swelling seemed to go down faster! It has now been exactly one month. I am diligently doing mouth-opening exercises and warm compresses often! The bruising is almost all gone, and the major swelling seems to have subsided a lot. Friends and people I had not seen in a while all said my impression had become softer and that the surgery turned out very well, which made me so happy haha. I am really looking forward to seeing how I will look once all the swelling is gone, and I hope it goes down soon.