@Kmarty14
This is a complicated response for me, but having lived both sides of this, I’ll share my honest feedback. In short, the long-term complications I have faced following jaw surgery have left me regretting my decision to move forward with it.
I had braces for four years during middle school. Soon after they were removed, my bite became misaligned. I then underwent braces a second time for another four years during high school, where I was told I had an underbite that would require maxillofacial surgery to correct.
The surgery was performed when I was approximately 22 years old. The recovery was one of the worst experiences I have ever endured. Keep in mind, I had a relatively “minor” case that did not require my jaw to be wired shut. It took me over three months just to control the immense swelling, and I lost more than 15 pounds. I weighed approximately 90 pounds at the time.
My bite remained stable for less than a year, despite having both upper and lower permanent retainers.
Over the next eight years, I focused on school. Despite the relapse in my malocclusion, I was not in pain and would never have reconsidered retreatment of any sort. I cannot truly describe the level of PTSD I experienced following the surgery.
During the first 8–10 years post-surgery, despite the relapse, things remained relatively stable, and I had no “TMJ” pain.
Fast forward to age 32, when I started developing “TMJ” issues. I experienced progressively worsening jaw pain accompanied by uncontrollable clenching. I was placed in a mouthguard, which controlled my symptoms for approximately one year. During the second year, however, my symptoms flared to an entirely new level. I was placed in various mouthguards and underwent rounds of Botox for months. Nothing alleviated the pain, and every treatment further displaced my bite. I was left feeling mutilated and had difficulty speaking and eating.
As it turns out, the TMJ diagnosis was actually a misdiagnosis for Eagle syndrome. The treatment intended for a TMJ disorder—when TMJ was not the underlying issue—ultimately created additional TMJ problems.
I also consulted with Dr. O and shared my jaw surgery journey with him, but he was unaware of the potential correlation. I recently sent him some information and insight regarding this connection; please see the thread Jules attached.
Dr. O also performed my styloidectomy approximately one year ago. The alleviation of my jaw pain was immediate. There was no longer impingement on my trigeminal nerve, and once my chronically tight neck muscles began to relax, I was no longer clenching.
My recovery following the styloidectomy was a walk in the park compared to my jaw surgery. I was back at work in less than a week, and essentially all of my jaw-related symptoms resolved.
My bite, however, was still left severely misaligned. The thought of undergoing braces for a third time gave me debilitating anxiety. We ultimately elected to seek care from an integrative dentist/orthodontist. I’ll admit that I was extremely apprehensive about entering that world, but after traditional medicine failed me more than once, I knew I needed to explore a different approach.
She focuses on cranial abnormalities and the proper alignment of the facial bones, head, and tongue. She was able to quickly align my jaw using “splint therapy”—not mouthguards. She explained to me that jaw misalignment can lead to compensatory abnormalities in the neck and that my surgery had essentially “cut and pasted” my jaws in a way that was not anatomically correct for my overall structure.
She also identified and addressed an underlying tongue tie. She explained that allowing the tongue to rest properly may help support and expand the upper jaw without the need for invasive expanders. One year into treatment, my bite is better than it ever was following surgery. My upper jaw has expanded, allowing my teeth to align more naturally, and my airway has reportedly opened fourfold.
She has helped me understand that Western medicine often focuses solely on tooth alignment rather than the underlying jaw and cranial structure. She received her training in Germany, where the focus was more heavily placed on addressing underlying structural issues, as opposed to the approach in the U.S., which she believes often focuses primarily on cosmetic dental alignment.
Given her holistic approach, she is strongly against surgery. She has concerns about the placement of my titanium screws and hardware and worries about potential future complications associated with them.
***Her theory is that my jaw misalignment, resulting from my tongue tie, caused my neck to compensate, ultimately contributing to the ossification of my stylohyoid ligaments. Honestly, I don’t completely disagree. I have seen my cervical spine regain its natural curve during treatment. However, Dr. O has also diagnosed two members of my family with Eagle syndrome—my father and my sister. My father has “TMJ” issues, whereas my sister has absolutely zero jaw symptoms or issues.
Something else worth adding is that my brother-in-law is a dentist. His son also suffers from a malocclusion and requires the same surgery. He has expressed extreme concern, stating that this surgery has a significant risk of complications and relapse. His primary concern is continued jaw growth, and he has argued that if he allows his son to proceed with surgery, he would prefer to wait until he is closer to age 30.
I am currently suffering from chronic sinusitis. I have undergone two balloon sinuplasties and was recently diagnosed with a severe maxillary infection that requires surgical treatment. As it turns out, some of the titanium screws have penetrated my maxillary sinus and may very possibly be the source of these chronic infections.
My ENT is now concerned that removal of the screws may be necessary. Time will tell, but that is the last thing I want to endure.
Roughly 15 years later, it seems that I am still suffering from the consequences of this surgery. I contacted my jaw surgeon regarding my concerns about screw penetration into the sinus, and his response was essentially, “Oh, that is very common.”
He seemed completely unaware of the potential secondary consequences. Why? Because it is not his specialty—and, as you know, providers often do not communicate with one another.
Given what I know now, I would have never proceeded with such an aggressive surgery. I also had no idea cranial dental treatment existed. Unfortunately, if underlying structural issues are not identified and addressed during childhood, surgery may sometimes become difficult to avoid.
Dr. O is incredibly conservative, and that is one of the things I love most about him. However, my styloidectomy was far less invasive than my maxillofacial surgery.
I do not know your individual situation, the severity of your bite classification, your age, etc. Those are all critical factors that need to be assessed. I also do not see how vascular decompression can be treated with out proper styloid removal.
I would consider a consultation with Dr. King at complementary dentistry or another integrative specialist. Most importantly, make sure to do your due diligence before making this decision. I am still unfolding and discovering the long-term consequences of my own surgery, even 15 years later.
Wishing you all the best in your journey.
