I had a prognathic jaw and malocclusion symptoms since I was young, so I started orthodontic treatment in second or third grade of elementary school. In fact, the dental clinic told me that, in my case, it was not something that could be treated with orthodontics alone and that surgery was necessary. But my dad still wanted me to try orthodontics, so I continued for 1 to 2 years. Then, as I reached my growth period, they said that even if I kept doing orthodontics, my jaw would continue to protrude forward, so it would be meaningless. So I ended the orthodontic treatment and have been going for regular checkups every year.
Because I had planned for a long time to have surgery right after graduating and turning 19, I got consultations around February 2025, the year I turned 19, to look for a hospital where I could undergo the surgery. I consulted at about three places, including [Clinic A], and [Clinic A] matched my goals best. First, because it was oral and maxillofacial surgery rather than plastic surgery, I felt it would be more suitable for treating someone like me who has malocclusion. Also, the aesthetic aspect matched my preferred look so well haha. I liked that they would not reduce the chin tip too much, so it would create a natural-looking chin tip, and during the consultation Dr. Lee Seok-jae explained everything well so that the surgery could be done at an appropriate level for me. That gave me confidence that the surgery could be done safely. In my case, they explained very well, along with the reasons it was needed, that I would need double-jaw surgery and contouring procedures 2 types.^^ So I set the surgery date for January 8 after graduation and started making plans for what came next.
I was a case that needed both pre-orthodontic treatment and post-orthodontic treatment. [Clinic A] also has an orthodontics department, so it would have been nice to do the orthodontics together with the surgery there, but the area I live in is about 1.5 to 2 hours from Seoul, and I was in the most important year of high school, so I decided to do the orthodontics where I live. The orthodontist and Dr. Lee Seok-jae shared my orthodontic progress and what was needed, and I went through pre-surgical orthodontic treatment. In that way, I completed the necessary orthodontic work before surgery! About one month before surgery, I visited the hospital for the required tests and was told that my body condition was fine for surgery.
Double-jaw surgery, contouring procedures 2 types (square jaw, chin) - Day 1 (surgery day) 1/8 Time passed and it was finally the day of surgery. I changed into the surgical gown, waited a bit, then went into surgery around 11 o'clock. I lay down on the operating table, breathed a few times into the breathing mask, and when I woke up I was in a hospital bed. The time I checked when I came out was around 2:30? According to my mom, I came back in a wheelchair, but I really remember nothing at all lol. And on that day, it was really, really hard. It was not so much pain as having to wake up from anesthesia, so for 5 to 6 hours I kept feeling sleepy and tried hard not to fall asleep. My throat was so dry and painful that I wanted to drink water, but they said that because of the anesthesia I could vomit, so I had to endure it for 5 to 6 hours. Everything was so uncomfortable and difficult T_T Still, since painkillers and the PCA were continuously going in, I do not think I felt actual pain. My guardian could stay until 7 o'clock, so my mom kept taking care of me beside me. After that, the nurse took care of me through the night! At regular intervals they came to check my blood pressure, and because I had a nosebleed they had gauze under my nose, which they also changed often. Besides that, they took care of all the things I needed, and they were so kind that I really liked it!! Around 8 p.m., the nurse allowed me to drink water, so I put some in a Daiso sauce container and drank it. It really felt like a lifesaver. But drinking water was so hard that I could not drink much.. I fell asleep because I was so sleepy, and when I woke up, only about 20 minutes had passed. All night long it was like that, sleeping briefly and waking up again and again T_T It was really hard, but I was also happy because the malocclusion and the appearance issues that had been my complex until now had been resolved haha.
Day 2 1/9 The urinary catheter, the hose that had been in my nose, and the blood bag were removed. Luckily, it did not hurt when they were removed. Removing the urinary catheter and using the bathroom afterward did not hurt at all. Removing the hose and the blood bag from my nose was only a little uncomfortable, not painful. Once everything was removed, I finally got to see something like a proper face after surgery. There was still a lot of swelling, but even so, I could see that the jaw length had been reduced and that the jaw looked more tucked in from the side, which was so amazing. Seeing the jaw that had been protruding throughout my entire teens tucked in made me keep laughing haha. I wanted time to pass quickly so the swelling would go down and I could chew tasty food well. Also, Dr. Lee personally removed the blood bag and showed me how to align my bite with the wafer, and that was not particularly uncomfortable. I did not use rubber bands, and honestly, other things were more uncomfortable, so I did not really feel much discomfort from the wafer haha. After that I received swelling laser treatment. The chair for the treatment was so comfortable T_T It was a recliner chair, and because on Day 1 I had been sitting in the hospital bed the whole time, my butt and lower back hurt so much. But sitting on that soft chair felt so good. They also covered me with a blanket, so I received treatment warmly. Once the hoses attached to my body were removed, I could move around little by little, but I was lazy so I did not move around much. Still, if I got too tired from sitting, I could stand up and do a little stretching, so my body felt less stiff than on Day 1. But even when I thought it might be manageable, my throat was so dry that it hurt, and I had tons of saliva. I was not good at handling it, so I choked a lot while swallowing saliva and water. I think it will probably keep happening for a while.. On this day, my dad took care of me from morning until night. My dad kept looking after me during the time a guardian could stay, and after that the nurse also took very good care of me through the night. I had a lot of nosebleeds, and the nurse kept taking care of it and gave me a hemostatic agent. After the hemostatic treatment, the nosebleed decreased and my condition improved. But on this day, perhaps because my body was not accepting the medications well, I kept feeling a bit nauseous T_T And both on Day 1 and Day 2, Dr. Lee Seok-jae came by from time to time to check my condition!
Day 3 1/10 The day of discharge had come >< Going back home to a comfortable place felt so good haha. The nurse gave me detailed instructions about precautions after discharge, and I prepared to go home. That morning, I washed my face. It felt so refreshing. Of course, it was only a cat-face wash level.. haha. The laser treatment I received that day was also good. I will say it again, the chair was so comfortable T_T It was the happiest time while I was in the hospital ^^ It was nice to go home, but at the same time I worried that because I would not be getting IV fluids anymore, it might hurt a lot.. But contrary to my worries, it did not hurt. I ate all three meals and took the medication, including painkillers, and I did not really feel pain. At the hospital, they said many people could not take the liquid medicine because it was so bitter, so I was prescribed pills instead. I thought swallowing pills would be really hard because even the act of swallowing felt difficult, but contrary to my worries, I took them well. If I can give a small tip, if you send the pill to the very back of your throat, right to the point just before it goes down, and then swallow, it goes down well! The compression band hurt a little, but it was bearable. In fact, breathing, drooling, and sleeping were really uncomfortable, so I had a hard time.. The discomfort was much bigger than the pain. And the swelling was really intense. They said it would swell even more until 2 to 3 days later, wow... On the way home I had already booked a hair salon appointment, so I went there, washed my hair, and took a body shower too, which felt refreshing haha. When the medication effect wore off, I felt physically weak, but when it kicked in again, I felt like I could live. Still, by the time it starts wearing off, it is almost time to take the medicine again, so it is manageable lol. But really, managing everything alone seems like it would be very hard. I think I can get by because my mom and dad keep taking care of me. Also, I think I swallowed too quickly when taking the medicine and liquids, because I got something stuck in my throat T_T Luckily, after massaging my hands a bit and sitting up straight with my back properly aligned, I felt better. From now on, even if it takes longer, I think I need to eat slowly. I could not brush inside my mouth with a toothbrush, so I only rinsed like mouthwash. I rinsed a lot with water and finished with hexamedine. I do not know whether it cleaned well, but I did my best lol.
Day 10 1/17 It was the first return visit. I nearly fainted while showering that morning.. Right after the shower, I had no strength in my body at all, so I just put on clothes carelessly and collapsed in the living room.. My breathing got very rapid, my body felt tingly, I had no strength, and my eyelids were drooping.. My body was already so exhausted, and then suddenly my stomach started hurting so badly. It was honestly the worst abdominal pain I had ever experienced. I thought it was bloating, but it turned out my period had started. I am not someone who has severe period pain, only back pain, but because I had not been eating properly for over a week, my body must have weakened, and the menstrual cramps became extremely severe. My mom saw that my condition looked so bad that she forced me to drink water and some beverage and quickly took my painkiller, and I slowly came back to life. Before taking it, I could not support my body by myself and kept leaning on my mom. Now that I think about it, I should not have taken such a long hot shower. I ended up doing it for almost 50 minutes without realizing it.. I guess I wanted to wash up properly because it had been so long since I showered.... After double-jaw surgery, your stamina is at rock bottom and you can get dizzy, so shower as quickly as possible with lukewarm water!! Later, when my mom and dad told me, they said my face had looked very pale. Thankfully, after some time passed, I got a little strength back in my body and managed to prepare and go to the hospital. After getting IV fluids and laser treatment, I felt alive again haha. But disinfecting the wound area hurt much more than I expected... Dr. Lee checked the wound area and disinfected it, and wow, it really hurt. Luckily it ended quickly, but I have no idea how painful it will be when the stitches come out T_T And from this day on, the hospital said I could now take the wafer in and out, so there were more things I could eat haha. When I got home, I ate some soft tofu-like egg dish dipped in soy sauce, and I was so happy. I also ate cake soaked in milk, ice cream, and some broth from fish cake soup. Everything was so delicious Finally I could use toothpaste and brush my teeth too, and when I did, it felt like heaven. Freshness itself!! Before that, I had only brushed my tongue a little and for the rest I rinsed with a syringe and used a Waterpik, but brushing my teeth for real felt so, so refreshing. Also, that day was my first outing in a week, so I went to look around IKEA, and I thought maybe I should also take a walk because it was so cold and I had not been able to do that until then. But after walking for about 2 hours, wow, it was so hard. I really do not think pushing myself all at once is a good idea.. But when I watch YouTube vlogs, there are people who go on 2-hour walks alone, and I really wonder how they do it... they are truly amazing!! Since I had not been able to eat, all the muscles in my body had disappeared and my stamina was at absolute zero. I could not go around by myself. Still, now that there were more things I could eat, I felt like I could recover my stamina again haha. On this day, compared with the day before, there was no difference in swelling, so it felt like the swelling had stopped going down T_T It only slowly went down from the night of Day 5 until Day 7, and now it is not going down anymore T_T T_T I wish it would go down faster. To be honest, if I had worked hard with the compression band, maybe it could have, but I guess it is because I was not diligent about it lol. To make an excuse, when I wear the compression band, I cannot open my mouth, and my nose is not fully open yet either, so I cannot breathe well. It was hard.. With the compression band, it pulls and hurts a bit, and I can endure that much, but because I cannot open my mouth, I drool a lot, and it squeezes my cheeks so the inside flesh gets pinched and hurts T_T It was hard.. Still, I promise that starting tomorrow I will work hard at swelling care!!
Day 17 1/24 It was the day of my appointment! I arrived a bit early, so I received swelling laser treatment first. When I came out after that, I started getting really scared. I knew the stitches would be removed, so I was extremely nervous. From what I saw in reviews, there were more people saying it hurt than saying it did not, so I naturally thought it would hurt too, and I was really scared T_T I was sitting in the treatment room waiting, and I was so tense. What if I scream? What if this happens, what if that happens? All kinds of thoughts were running through my head. Dr. Lee came in and said, today we will remove the stitches, and it will sting a little. Compared with how tense I had been, it did not hurt at all. I just heard the clicking sound of the stitches being cut and felt like, ah, they are cutting and pulling them out. It did not hurt. But I knew it would hurt more toward the center of the face, so I did not let my guard down. In particular, I was worried because the upper labial frenulum looked a little swollen and like something had broken out there, but fortunately that part went smoothly. The problem was the area next to it!! The moment they lifted my upper lip, I thought this was going to hurt, and sure enough, it hurt.. Maybe the stitches were not cutting well, or maybe I kept moving slightly, so they tried several times T_T Anyway, that area got through too, and one or two spots in the lower area hurt like the upper area did, while the rest were all fine... I was glad I did not scream lol. I had been worried the upper labial frenulum looked inflamed, but since he did not say anything after looking at it, I guess it was okay. After the stitches were removed, the pain thankfully lessened a bit and the swelling had gone down a lot, so I felt reassured that things were okay. But the area under my left cheek? felt a bit tight and hard, like when the salivary glands are stimulated, so I asked about it. He said it would gradually loosen with mouth exercises. And that day I also had X-rays and a CT scan. After the appointment, I was about to leave when my mom and dad went to eat, so they gave me swelling laser treatment one more time haha. After all the treatment was done, before leaving I asked whether I could start chewing exercises, but they said no, so I was very disappointed T_T They said I could only do that starting at the next visit, one month later T_T T_T T_T I had been looking forward to it T_T T_T T_T refused T_T T_T T_T I just hope time passes quickly. Still, from today I can eat spicy food too, so that was nice. When I got home, my dad had boiled a big cup of shrimp soup and I cut the noodles with scissors and ate a big spoonful with the broth. The first bite was so delicious, but also so salty and spicy. Shrimp soup being spicy hurt my pride lol. Still, I ate it quickly while making hissing sounds haha. Thinking back now, it seems not so much that my tongue was reacting to the spiciness, but rather that my lips were burning. Anyway, after more than 2 weeks of only eating bland things, eating something flavorful was unbelievably delicious ><
Day 29 2/5 It was a visit day. After arriving at the hospital, I had photos and X-rays taken and then had a consultation. I said I would go to the orthodontic clinic in the second or third week of February, and they said then I could just wear the wafer until then and throw it away after that. I also asked how much swelling had gone down, and Dr. Lee said only about 30 to 40 percent of the swelling had gone down. I guess I should say that was a blessing in disguise. Every time I looked at my face, I felt like the flesh had sagged too much, and I was sad, but thinking it might still be swelling made me feel a little better haha. From now on, I was given permission to chew foods that were not too hard or chewy!!!! I was so happy >< And I asked whether the screws would be removed, and he said they could be used during orthodontic treatment, so they would not be removed. But every time I smiled, the two screws located on the upper and lower right front side got caught and hurt so much that I told him about it. Then he said that those two should be removed, so he removed them right away. I had heard it would hurt to remove them, so I was very worried, but the upper one came out and honestly did not hurt at all, so I was like, what, this is easy. But the moment he touched the lower one, I thought something was seriously wrong, because it really hurt so much. I think it hurt more than removing the stitches.. After it came out, I guess you could call it an odd laugh? The upper one had not hurt at all, but the lower one hurt so much that I laughed in disbelief. Then the doctor next to me said, do you like having the screws removed that much? lol. I did like having them removed, but I was laughing because it went from not hurting to hurting T_T It hurt way more than I expected T_T T_T Anyway, after safely finishing the hospital appointment, we went to Outback for dinner. For the appetizer, I ate Bushman bread. If you cut it all up and eat it, it goes down without any trouble. The bread kind of melts in your mouth, so you do not need to chew very much. But the ends of the bread looked a bit hard, so I avoided them haha. We ordered pasta and something like a tortilla, and when the tortilla came warm, the dough was soft and the vegetables and meat inside were all cut into small pieces, so it was perfect for eating without forcing myself to chew. The pasta was also easy to eat without trouble! Even the shrimp in it could be chewed without difficulty. As someone who really loves shrimp, I was so happy lol. And I tried biting off a shrimp with my front teeth, and it did not feel like it put any strain on my jaw!! Wow, after living almost 20 years, it was so amazing to bite something with my front teeth. I was deeply moved T_T Anyway, after that happy meal, we returned home safely. And looking at the photos that day, I could really see how successful the surgery was, and I was glad that Dr. Lee also checked my progress and condition well. The next hospital visit is at the 3-month mark, and he said that when I take photos then and compare them to now, it will look very different haha. I was already a little excited about that lol.
Day 31 2/7 I went to a bar to meet my friends!!! It was the first time I had gone since January 1 lol. Since I cannot drink alcohol until 3 months after surgery, I went and ate a ton of snacks instead. Tteokbokki, fish cake soup, peach slices, rice balls, and more, I ate everything well!! But with rice cakes, it felt like I was rolling them around inside my mouth and then swallowing them? I could chew them, but they did not chew well, so it felt like I was gulping them down. The friends I met that day kept telling me my face had become smaller >< Since I still thought I was very swollen and had been looking at my face every day, I had gotten used to it and could not compare it well with my old face anymore. But because my friends were seeing me after a long time, they all said my face looked smaller, so I felt good haha. And I do not think I had much facial pain, though of course it hurts when I open my mouth.. Right now only about two fingers fit in. And strangely, sometimes I get a tingling feeling near my cheekbones? It is just something that catches my attention and then passes. It is such a tiny sensation that I can still live normally with it. Also, sometimes the tip of my chin feels itchy. But because the sensation has not fully returned yet, scratching does not solve it T_T It feels like part of the healing process, so I just think time will take care of it. My ears still hurt a little.. When I lie on my side or sometimes turn my head, it hurts, maybe because of pressure differences, but it gets better quickly again. And there is a cracking sound in my ears sometimes, and they get muffled too, but I think there is nothing I can do about it. Time is the medicine for this too, so I guess I just have to wait haha. Also, I still have a runny nose, but since I can carry tissues and wipe it when it runs, it is not that inconvenient! The problem is that because I keep wiping my nose, the skin under my nose hurts so much T_T Applying lotion or something like Vaseline often helps a bit. Still, apart from these little issues, there is nothing particularly inconvenient!! The pain is not severe, and the discomfort does not last long, so compared with my old daily life, it is just a little inconvenient, and that is about it^^
Day 37 2/13 This was my first visit to the orthodontic clinic after surgery. When I went inside, the nurses looked at me and kept saying I had suffered so much, that the surgery went well, and that I looked pretty. I was so touched T_T Even though I had heard similar things a lot since the surgery, thinking about the times when I had been going to the dentist and receiving treatment since I was young made me a little emotional haha. The orthodontist also said, let me see your face for a moment, and told me I had really suffered a lot and that the surgery turned out very well.^^ And since they said they could not do intensive treatment yet, they briefly checked how to set the future orthodontic treatment direction. They said my dental midline still did not match and my molars did not bite together completely, so they would work to improve those parts. And since they said I needed to wear elastics, I put on the rubber bands and came back.. I had been excited because after the orthodontic visit I would not need the wafer anymore, but then another friend came to me... This one also has to be put on and taken off, and I still do not have the hang of it and cannot open my mouth well, so it is a little hard T_T T_T Still, since the surgery built the bone well, I hope I can get the right bite soon by doing orthodontic treatment properly haha.
Final review so far!! The first 1 to 2 weeks after surgery were really, really hard, but after enduring that period, I feel so happy that the prognathic jaw that stressed me out so much as a student is now gone. Because of the malocclusion, I could not even cut food properly with my front teeth, and there were a lot of appearance-related stress factors too, so I am very satisfied that it was all resolved. After surgery, whenever I meet friends, relatives, or acquaintances, they all say it turned out really well and that my face got smaller haha. Among my friends, there are even some who say they are jealous. Every time I hear that, I feel so happy. Also, every time I bite food with my front teeth, I feel moved and go through each day like that, of course within a range that does not strain the bones^^ And right now I can open my mouth to about two fingers' width. From now on, I need to practice hard and open it wider haha.
Also, after the one-month mark, I started going out a lot!! If I work hard for just that one month, enduring the things I want to eat and do while taking good care of my body and stamina, it feels like a really happy daily life waits for me from the one-month point onward ><
Although some sensation has not fully returned yet, double-jaw surgery is something you need to look at over as long as a year, so I just have to wait. And now, a little over one month later, if I do not say I had double-jaw surgery, people barely notice the swelling, so I no longer wear a mask much when I go out lol. I was told the swelling is still less than half gone, so I am even more excited to see how it will look as it goes down further ><
The reason I chose [Clinic A] was that it is an oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic and because they do not over-shave the bones but perform the surgery at an appropriate level. I am very satisfied with that choice. The surgery ended safely, and I am very satisfied with the way I look and with my daily life. And all the staff at [Clinic A] are so kind >< During the recovery period, they contacted me to check my condition carefully, and when I asked about concerns like noises from my jaw during recovery, they answered kindly and said not to worry, which helped me put my mind at ease. Because of them, I was able to get through the recovery period without carrying such a heavy worry. I am truly very satisfied that the prognathic jaw and malocclusion that had been my complex for a long time were resolved both aesthetically and functionally. I think I will be even more satisfied once sensation returns and the swelling goes down even more ><