1st Jaw Surgery meeting with Dr. Gollohan in May
During the first meeting with Dr. Gollohan we talked about the basic details of the surgery. I had my wisdom teeth extracted by him 1 1/2 years prior so I felt comfortable talking to him immediately. I asked him the exact process of what he was going to do during surgery. He asked me if I wanted to know the gory details and I said yes so he told me. He said he was going to make cuts above my upper gum to separate my skin from the bone. Although it did gross me out, I was glad I knew and I reminded myself that I would be asleep while it happened. Then, he showed my parents how my nose was misaligned and how doing the surgery would actually align my nose with my mouth. While the topic was serious, Dr. Gollohan's demeanor was friendly and casual making me feel more comfortable. I appreciated becoming more knowledgable about my upcoming surgery.
June 8, 2016 (2:30-3:30) - My last pre- surgery meeting with Dr. Gollohan
During my pre-surgery meeting my parents signed a contract and consent form detailing everything that could possible go wrong because I was 17 they would have to sign it for me. The nurse took 2 top impressions and 2 bottom impressions to make a cast for the final position of my teeth. The composite goo tasted bad and was uncomfortable but not painful. I got a pediatric toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste to use after surgery. Its bristles were more gentle and its small size would ease brushing as I will have limited ability to open my swollen jaw and I will have bands on my teeth to navigate around. Then, the nurse took my blood pressure and gave my mom a recipe booklet for soft foods. I, also, got prescriptions antibiotics to take before surgery to prevent germs from creating infections during surgery and prescriptions for liquid medicine after surgery for pain.
When Dr. Gollohan came in he made the point to emphasize that I was the patient and he would answer my questions first, then my parents. He told me exactly what would happen on the day of my surgery and the overnight in the day surgery recovery center. I learned the surgery will last 1.5-2 hrs. The process would include going to a day surgery center where nurses would check my vital signs and get me changed into a hospital gown for surgery. Dr. Gollohan will be available to answer any last questions. Then, I would go to the surgical theater where I will get comfortable and they will put me to sleep. Before I know it I will be waking up in the recovery room. I can only stay in hospital for 23 hours and 59 minutes for insurance reasons. A parent will be allowed to stay overnight with me and will be provided a meal. The next day I would go to Dr. Gollohan's office for a 1-day post surgery check. This visit will include showing me how to put rubber bands on the buttons and brackets to help guide my jaw into relearning where to close. My orthodontist will place the little buttons and brackets on my teeth the week before surgery. I will come back a week later, a month later, and then when I am done with Invisalign.
When Dr. Gollohan came in he made the point to emphasize that I was the patient and he would answer my questions first, then my parents. He told me exactly what would happen on the day of my surgery and the overnight in the day surgery recovery center. I learned the surgery will last 1.5-2 hrs. The process would include going to a day surgery center where nurses would check my vital signs and get me changed into a hospital gown for surgery. Dr. Gollohan will be available to answer any last questions. Then, I would go to the surgical theater where I will get comfortable and they will put me to sleep. Before I know it I will be waking up in the recovery room. I can only stay in hospital for 23 hours and 59 minutes for insurance reasons. A parent will be allowed to stay overnight with me and will be provided a meal. The next day I would go to Dr. Gollohan's office for a 1-day post surgery check. This visit will include showing me how to put rubber bands on the buttons and brackets to help guide my jaw into relearning where to close. My orthodontist will place the little buttons and brackets on my teeth the week before surgery. I will come back a week later, a month later, and then when I am done with Invisalign.
After Dr. Gollohan described the whole process in detail, he said I would be numb in my face for about 6 months but the numbness will recede over time. I will be on a clear liquid diet for the first 48 hours after surgery, then 2 weeks of liquids food including smoothies and milkshakes, followed by another 2 weeks of food textured like scrambled eggs, and finally 2 weeks of food the texture of soft spaghetti. If all goes well, he will then give me approval to eat whatever I want that does not cause me pain.
Dr. Gollohan told us some history of LeFort 1 surgery. He said it was named after a French man named Lefort, who lived in the 1800's. He dropped heads from high buildings to study how bones in the face broke. The places where they broke is where they make cuts for surgery now because those are the weakest and easiest areas to cut. So the areas Dr.Gollohan will cut are based on the areas that broke when Lefort dropped the heads. I thought that was pretty crazy but also totally ingenious.
Dr. Gollohan told us some history of LeFort 1 surgery. He said it was named after a French man named Lefort, who lived in the 1800's. He dropped heads from high buildings to study how bones in the face broke. The places where they broke is where they make cuts for surgery now because those are the weakest and easiest areas to cut. So the areas Dr.Gollohan will cut are based on the areas that broke when Lefort dropped the heads. I thought that was pretty crazy but also totally ingenious.
At end my parents made payments, figured out the insurance, and got information about the surgical center.
Orthodontist puts on buttons and brackets pre-surgery
A week and a day before my surgery my orthodontist put the buttons and brackets on my teeth, an un-painful process. After the hooks were on, they felt like what I thought braces would feel like. The buttons and brackets were extremely annoying and painful afterwards because they were rubbing against the inside of my mouth creating sores. Luckily, after a day my mouth got adjusted to them and they do not bother me anymore. So life is good! Then the orthodontist took a bunch of photos of my teeth from all angles. Pretty simple and uneventful. My orthodontist told me I would see him two weeks after the surgery. Right now I can open my mouth wide enough that he can stick two of his fingers in it, but after the surgery until the swelling subsides I will only be able to open my mouth wide enough for him to insert one finger.
What a brave little soldier you are. It is amazing that someone so young can face the tough times so well. Glad to read the dental procedure went so well and that there were no issues coming out of it. I hope when my child is older, they will face the situation as well as you did.
ReplyDeleteMarco @ Natural Dentistry