A long time ago, a long time ago, a long time ago, a long time ago, a long time ago, a long time ago, a long time ago, a long time ago <Reason for surgery> In school I had a normal bite, but after I became an adult, my lower jaw suddenly started growing and my bite began to misalign. I developed an underbite, and that was when my stress began. Friends I met after a long time would joke about why my jaw had come out like this, and my stress kept building. I wanted to have surgery, but at the time it was hard to afford the cost, so I gave up and kept living. I resolved that someday I would save up the money and definitely have the surgery, and I lived carrying that stress with me. As I started working, I slowly became more financially comfortable and could afford the surgery, but once I actually saved the money, it was such a major operation that I hesitated... Then one day my tooth hurt, so I went to the dentist. The doctor said it wasn’t a cavity; because my bite was misaligned, my teeth were hitting each other and straining my gums, which caused the pain, and recommended double jaw surgery. Right away I started looking into double jaw surgery, and while researching several hospitals and clinics, I decided to visit WX Dental Clinic and Y Oral Surgery for consultations. Both were fine, but the reason I chose Y Oral Surgery was that, first, I liked the director’s experience and the kind, warm words during the consultation, and I also appreciated how friendly the consultation manager and staff were.
<Before surgery> After deciding on the surgery, I chose pre-orthodontic treatment, which lasted about 4 to 5 months. Seeing my jaw for the last time before surgery felt bittersweet. But thinking about how I would look after the surgery made me a little less nervous and more excited.
<Double jaw surgery and contouring x2 (chin, square jaw) on the day of surgery> Honestly, I didn’t know it would be this hard. It hurt more than I expected, and the hardest part was breathing. My nose was completely blocked, and I had to breathe only through my mouth, but even that wasn’t easy. I was so sleepy, but I had to get the anesthesia gas out, so I endured it with a real will to live. The first day was honestly extremely hard. But the staff kept checking whether I was uncomfortable or in pain, so I was able to hold on. And then the long first day ended.
<Day 2 after surgery> Compared with the first day, it was really manageable. They removed all the gauze and devices from my nose, removed the urinary catheter, and also removed the blood drain under my lower jaw. Once everything attached to my body was removed, it felt like heaven compared with the first day. My condition was much better than on day one, and since I had been lying down all day, on the second day I got up and walked around the hospital a little, drank Newcare, drank water, and lived a somewhat human life. I was able to get through the second day much more easily with my improved condition.
<Day 3 after surgery> By day 3 I was feeling even better than on day 2, and the pain had almost disappeared. The director checked my condition and said I could be discharged, so I prepared to leave, bought the prescribed medicines on the first floor of the hospital, and additionally bought an ice pack. Since I figured I might not get another chance, I took a deluxe taxi home. I really recommend trying it at least once when you go home on discharge day. As soon as I got home, I took the medicine prescribed by the hospital, kept using ice packs, took a light 30-minute walk around the neighborhood, and ended the day.
<Day 6 after surgery> People say swelling is worst around days 4 to 6 after surgery, but my eyes didn’t swell at all, and only my cheeks and lower jaw swelled. Compared with others, I guess I had a bit less swelling. I had been walking regularly for about an hour twice a day, so maybe that helped. It was so hard to eat only protein drinks, so I bought castella, soaked it in water, and let it soften before eating it. It really felt like I could live again... I wanted to eat it with milk, but I was told milk isn’t good when taking antibiotics, so I soaked it in water instead. I also did oral care with mouthwash and took a warm shower. It was my first shower after surgery, so it felt unbelievably refreshing and like I could live again. While showering, I washed my face without pressing on it as gently as possible.
<Day 14 after surgery> The stitches inside my mouth were removed. In reviews, people said stitch removal hurt more than the surgery, so I went to the hospital very nervous, but surprisingly... it didn’t hurt at all. After the stitches were removed, I felt really refreshed. The director said everything was healing well and that I should start practicing opening my mouth, so I practiced hard and ate soft foods like soft rice, steamed egg, and fish. The swelling has gone down a lot, but there is still some around my cheeks. Still, compared with before, it’s so much better, and my changed appearance feels a little unfamiliar, but now that I have a normal bite, every day feels new and I keep looking in the mirror often.
<Day 20 after surgery> Now there’s absolutely no problem working at the company. I just don’t push myself too hard, and speaking is still a little slurred, which is inconvenient. My coworkers looked awkward at my changed appearance, but they still praised me for having the surgery go well. Honestly, that made me feel good. For lunch at the company, I still eat a normal meal, but I’m still choosing soft meat or thinly sliced beef like chadolbagi(?) and eating only the leafy parts of kimchi. Anything even a little hard still makes my jaw feel stiff. This is still a time to be careful, so I’m not overdoing it and am practicing slowly. The swelling was going down well, but it feels like it has plateaued. Other people say it has gone down a lot, but to me it feels a bit slow. Still, since it doesn’t interfere with daily life, I’m not worrying about it and just thinking it will go down eventually.
<Thoughts after surgery> I worried and stressed over it for more than 10 years, but the satisfaction is even greater because my appearance has changed that much. I had a lot of concerns because double jaw surgery has often been portrayed in the media as a scary and dangerous operation. I think those reports were common because people with normal bites were overusing the surgery for cosmetic purposes. But for me, who had long accumulated significant stress from malocclusion and an underbite, it was not simply for cosmetic reasons but one of my life goals. A lot still feels uncomfortable and unfamiliar, but when I look at my normal bite and the normal shape of my jaw, all the painful memories from after the surgery disappear. In conclusion, I am extremely satisfied with the surgery, and I sincerely thank the medical staff at the hospital who did their very best for the surgery and treatment.
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This review is a post-surgery review pursuing natural beauty.