Since I was young, I had a Class III malocclusion, commonly called a protruding jaw. No matter which dental clinic I went to, the doctors would recommend orthodontic treatment or double-jaw surgery, but because I had been that way since birth, I had never really thought that my face or teeth had any major functional or aesthetic problem. I just thought living like that was normal. But after becoming an adult, my temporomandibular joint pain gradually worsened when eating, and as I saw my facial asymmetry becoming more and more severe in the mirror, I thought, ah, now I really do need surgery. When choosing a surgical hospital, I began looking mainly at oral and maxillofacial surgery clinics rather than plastic surgery clinics. Double-jaw surgery is basically a surgery to correct occlusion, so collaboration with orthodontics is extremely important, and I felt that oral and maxillofacial surgery had strengths in that area. I had consultations at several hospitals, but among them, “EU Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery” felt the most trustworthy. They diagnosed me much more objectively and conservatively than other hospitals, had extensive surgical experience, and the smooth collaboration with orthodontics was a major advantage for me. So in the end, I decided to have surgery at EU Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The day of surgery passed in a blur. Until I got onto the operating table, my whole body was shaking from nerves, and after receiving the anesthetic injection and opening my eyes, I was already lying on the bed in the hospital room. Right after surgery, even breathing was extremely difficult, and I suffered from tenderness around my jaw, throat pain, nasal congestion, phlegm, and swelling. The first 48 hours in particular were so difficult that even breathing felt overwhelming, and because I had to sleep sitting up, I barely slept at all. On days 2 to 3, breathing gradually started to become easier, and although there was nosebleeding and discomfort, I felt that my body had become much lighter. Especially on day 3, when I was discharged, I felt relieved thanks to the kind care at the hospital and Director Shin Hee-jin’s detailed explanations. After returning home, my face continued to swell more and more, but after a long sleep, my energy definitely came back. Days 4 to 7 were a turning point in recovery. About half of the nasal congestion cleared, the throat pain and phlegm improved, I could drink New Care more easily, and the swelling went down day by day. On day 6, I was startled by sudden bleeding, but after contacting the hospital, I felt reassured, and after that, both swelling and pain noticeably decreased. On day 7, I received disinfection and laser treatment at the hospital, confirmed that I had lost 5 kg, and began eating soft porridge. I still had no sensation in my jaw, but my nose was more than 80% open, and I could feel that my overall condition had improved a lot. By week 2, my stitches were removed, and I received disinfection and laser treatment again. The wounds had healed well, and there was no issue with my occlusion. The wounds inside my mouth had also recovered a lot, so I became able to eat soft foods without blending them, and since I could remove and reattach the wafer, I could brush my teeth with toothpaste. My nose was also 100% clear, and as sensation in my jaw and lips gradually returned, making facial expressions and breathing became much easier. I also began the mouth-opening exercises the hospital had instructed me to do in earnest. By week 3, life really became manageable. I started getting hungry, and because I ate everything I could that didn’t require chewing, I gained back about 2 kg. There was still swelling under my jaw, so it looked like a double chin, but as the overall facial swelling went down, my jawline slowly began to appear. I think it was thanks to consistently going for walks. People around me also told me a lot that the surgery had gone well, and I gained a lot of confidence in my appearance. Finally, month 1. I went for the long-awaited 4-week hospital visit. I was truly relieved when they said the bone was healing well without inflammation. Since I am still not used to my occlusion, I need to wear the wafer for about 2 more weeks, but I became able to chew soft foods that can be mashed with the hand. Chewing still feels awkward, so meals take a long time, but I was really happy just to be able to taste food. Sensation in my lower jaw and palate has also returned by about 50%, so the feeling that they were like someone else’s flesh disappeared, and it changed into the feeling of touching skin with slight tingling. A lot of the facial swelling has also gone down, so making expressions or opening my mouth has become much easier, and I could open my mouth about two and a half fingers wide. It was a difficult and unfamiliar time, but I truly think I made the right choice in choosing double-jaw surgery. Functionally, I have become much more comfortable, and my confidence in my appearance has also increased. I am still recovering, but as I feel myself getting better day by day, I hope this can be even a little helpful to people who are 고민ing like I was.
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This is a surgery review pursuing natural beauty.