At a recent dermatologist appointment I was asked politely about my braces (how long? etc.), and I mention that I have to get jaw surgery - not really wanting to go into too much explanation, considering my current stress with it all. But immediately, and with complete confidence she tells me all about some orthodontist and doctor in Pacific Palisades that a lot of her patients' children go to ... supposed to be "the best," they have all this high-tech imaging that will show you what you will look like before and after (I have to admit I have been more than slightly influenced by Holly's experience in having such a dramatic facial change after surgery). She encouraged me to at least just go and get the imaging done, even though I already have my doctors. I don't know why (I feel like I'm a pro on the subject by now and there's nothing new you can tell me), but I went ahead and made an appointment. I went to the orthodontist and sure enough there is an entire darkened room with all 4 walls projecting facial images in 3-D. It is such up-to-date technology they can move your entire head around at every angle and essentially perform the surgery virtually before they ever touch you. (My current surgeon has only ever referred to my teeth models when showing me what he's going to do.) It felt sooooo much more professional and got me all concerned that I should have done more research on my own doctor. I only met with the orthodontist because the surgeon he works with is actually out of Standford and comes down once a month to perform the operations. But I was absolutely sold me on someone I'd never met. Dr. S is not only an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, he's a Plastic Surgeon with expertise in: surgical correction and the study of growth and development of craniomaxillofacial anomalies and deformities, Histochemical Analysis of Facial Muscles, Cranial Sutural Manipulation, Stability of Mandibular and Maxillary Surgery, Growth Factors in Infant Cranial Sutures, Virtual Surgery, 3-D Biocomputation, Osteodistraction ... AND he travels to impoverished countries to perform and teach on techniques for cleft palate surgery. Oh yeah, AND he takes no longer than 3 hours to do the surgery, when the average is 6 hours for most surgeons! You can google him (this is my newest obsession) - he is top in the field. Thus enters my temptation to switch surgeons, especially considering I'm not even sure if I'm going to use insurance to cover any of the costs - in which case I'd have to stay "in-network." But the catch: he costs three times as much! Ugh. I have a consultation set up with him September 25 (next time he comes down to LA). The orthodontist office says he'd likely be able to do my surgery the following month - around the 3rd week of October. And in the meantime I'm still working out my options with my current surgeon, who now says with his schedule he couldn't do surgery until September or October either. Either way people - this is going to happen!
