First ever post!

Hello all!

After reading so many other peoples blogs online about them having the same experience as me, I decided it would be fun and a great stress reliever to start one of my own.  I hope that I am helpful like other people have been in easing my anxiety and increasing my knowledge of the dental work that I will be soon be starting!

My story begins when I had become in a lot of pain around my jaw area.  This was all due to some TMD problems that I have been having for about a year or so.  I talked with my mother and thought it was best that I visit the dentist to get this figured out.  The dentist was in shock over my bite, or teeth alignment.  I have what is called a Class 3 Malocclusion, underbite. She referred me to an orthodontist that would talk with me further about what needed to be done.

I finally had my appointment with the orthodontist and within the first 10 minutes of our meeting they knew exactly what the plan was.  First, I needed to set up an MRI with an oral surgeon to see about a possible disc displacement on my left side, which if necessary would involve surgery to fix.  Then, I would need to have a surgery for a Surgically Assisted Palatal Expander.  After that, I would have braces for about a year.  Next would involve a Maxillary Advancement with Mandibular Setback Surgery.  Then I would have to have braces for awhile longer and finally the process would be over.  THIS was all a huge mind blow to me! Needless to say I left the office in tears, scared of all of this, especially having braces at age 21!

Now, I'm just waiting for my next consultation with my ortho and my parents so we can determine the plan for all of this... Im scared, nervous, anxious, but excited to see what the results will be.  After researching online all the other people that have had these changes, it seems that everyone is very pleased with the results.  I hope I will be the same!