One month after double jaw, chin, and cheekbone surgery: honest review (from decision to now)

■ Why I started considering surgeryI had an underbite with a protruding lower jaw due to an anterior crossbite, and people sometimes misunderstood my resting face as looking angry. Because of the malocclusion, the asymmetry and underbite seemed to stand out more and more, and I felt like the biting force of my jaw was getting stronger and stronger too. Even in daily life or when taking photos, my chin was always what I was most conscious of when I smiled. When I was 20, I wanted to have double jaw surgery, but at that time the risks of surgery felt too great, so I could not make the decision. Instead, I corrected my bite with orthodontic treatment, but it was hard to change the jaw position itself, and in the end I postponed surgery until my 30s. Then I thought that if I was going to keep worrying about it for the rest of my life, it would be better to have the surgery as soon as possible, so I started looking into hospitals.-------------------------------■ Why I decided after the consultationThe first hospital where I had a consultation for double jaw surgery was Seoul Face 21 Dental Hospital. When I first visited, the desk staff welcomed me kindly, which eased my tension a lot, and after filling out the questionnaire, having a CT scan, and taking dental impressions, I had a consultation with the director.I had written down many questions, but when I was too nervous to bring them up easily, the director explained my bite condition and facial proportions one by one first. For the first time, I properly faced my facial bone structure and overall proportions, and I also learned that it was not simply the malocclusion that was causing the asymmetry. In addition, he explained the parts I wanted to improve and the changes that would come from surgery in a very intuitive way, which made it easy to understand. More than anything, I trusted him more because the head director spoke honestly and explained everything directly from start to finish. After the consultation, I canceled all of my other hospital consultations that had been scheduled and decided to have surgery here. He also explained the part I was most worried about, general anesthesia, thoroughly and reassured me, so the idea that I wanted to have surgery as soon as possible came to me, making all that long period of worry feel almost pointless.--------------------------------■ The process from surgery to recoveryAs the day of surgery came, my fear of general anesthesia felt even greater, but the anesthesiology director came personally to explain things and eased my anxiety, and before surgery the head director reassured me once again. When I went into the operating room and opened my eyes, the surgery was already over, and I felt more relief that it had ended safely than pain. The swelling after surgery was not as severe as I had expected. On the day of surgery, I kept trying to sleep because of the pain, and the nurse on duty checked on me frequently and carefully helped with everything from administering pain medication to going to the bathroom. I was truly grateful that she came to check on me first even without me pressing the bell.On day 2, there was postoperative imaging, and the outpatient nurse carefully helped with moving and preparation, and afterward in the ward another nurse on duty took warm care of me almost like a guardian. They were always kind in response to questions and requests, so I could recover with peace of mind. The drain removal also went without much pain, unlike I had feared. I did not have a guardian accompanying me, but what I remember most is how carefully the nurses on duty looked after me during the hospitalization even without a guardian present, and thanks to that I was able to recover with great peace of mind. Personally, from after discharge onward, the pain was not very noticeable for me. Until 5 weeks after surgery, I thought it was the most important time to be careful, so I tried to follow the precautions I was given. I recorded my wafer wearing time every day and tried to wear it as long as possible, using the maximum time as my target, and I also kept up with oral hygiene and compresses. Every time I visited the hospital, I asked many questions, and the head director and the other doctors explained things in an easy-to-understand way. They told me that my current bite and recovery progress were going smoothly, which reassured me, and I continue to be careful until I am fully recovered.-----------------------■ Changes I felt after surgeryMy family and the people around me said surgery was not something I needed, but for me it had been a huge source of stress for a long time and affected my confidence. Even a small remark about my chin could hurt me, so it occupied a large part of my mind psychologically. After surgery, the biggest change was that I now take photos only with a regular camera, and I no longer worry about the face I show when smiling or facing forward. It has only been about a month, so there is still swelling in my cheeks and jawline like I am holding a candy in my mouth, and it feels like the jawline has not fully settled yet, but I think it will gradually become more natural. Right now I am getting by without any major discomfort. During the period when I was on soft foods, not being able to chew was hard, but I thought it was fortunate that I only had to endure a few weeks rather than several months. I have now started chewing exercises with soft foods, and although it still feels awkward and uncomfortable, I am gradually adapting as time passes. It was a decision I had worried about for a long time, but now I am living so satisfied that all that worry feels almost meaningless.