Re: Genetics of participants and what % of Americans do this?

[Guest guest]

> 1. What are the long term affects if I do or do not have this

> surgery? I heard that it is possible to wear out your teeth if you

> avoid it.

Lots of things can happen. Yes. a bad bite can wear your teeth badly.

Also can lead to cracking the teeth, periodontal disease, joint

deterioration and other troubles.

> 2. What is the average age of surgery? Also, what percent of

> Americans or people in the world have to go through jaw surgery

like

> this?

I have no clue on these points. I would think that a lot of people

have the surgery in their late teens or early 20s, because that's

when the growth is usually complete. But you will find some people

outside those perimeters. Me for example. When I had my first round

of ortho, back in the '50s, they didn't really know much about

matching up the jaws, and there was not the technology to do the

rigid internal fixation. So these procedures were seldom done.

> 3. I was told that this surgery is genetics but NO ONE in my family

> history has even had an underbite. Could it be because I have grown

a

> lot since my sophomore year in high school or even my sleeping

> patterns? Personally, I inherited my pop's jaw. Bad breaks, growth

spurts or other issues can lead to surgery, though.

> 4. Finally, WHAT % of AMERICANS GO THROUGH THIS SURGERY? Maybe I

> haven't noticed the problem but I don't know anyone that has this

> problem. Is it most common to a specific race and/or country of

> origin?

Again, I don't know stats or figures. I can tell you that here in the

building where I work, and I would guess there are at least several

hundred employees, I know three people who have had it done -- and

there may be others I don't know about. As I noted above, the surgery

is done more and more often as it gets easier for the patients (and

presumably, the docs as well). I would suspect that the percentage

will increase in coming years, as the surgery is more available to

more people.

> 5. I was reading about a three day recovery...ten days until you

can

> start eating again. True? If not, what could the possible

> complications be?

I had lower only. My recovery was definitely longer than three days,

and my surgeon didn't want me chewing for weeks -- and then nothing

difficult.

As for the group -- Yahoo didn't set this up. A young woman named

did. Yahoo does provide what used to be clubs, and later

became groups. But should get the credit for letting us link

to each other, even if she is seldom around any more.

Cammie

>

> Thank you for reading this post. I would truly appreciate if people

> could respond soon as this is something I consider important. I

hope

> to keep this on favorites for a while...we are fortunate that yahoo

> set this up(wish AOL would too). Take care everyone...happy

> Valentines Day and GO SUNS!

>

> Mkmca2@a...

> or e-mail me at my yahoo:

> Sunsin04@y...