Hi - I am New Here, But Second Go-Around w/ Treatment

September 13, 2005

Hi All,

I am a 38 year old woman facing orthognathic surgery - again. Let me

explain. Five years ago I started ortho treatment on my upper and

lower jaws. After 2 years in braces, the ortho and the oral surgeon

both thought that the problem had been corrected orthodontically and

that I was not going to need surgery. So, after all of the fighting

and appeals to the insurance company to have the procedure approved

(which it finally was), I never went through with the surgery (at the

surgeon's recommendation!).

So, guess what? Here I am 3 years later, back in another ortho's

office (we moved - we are military) being told that all of the

treatment has regressed and I am needing surgery - sooner better than

later.

I am so frustrated. Like I said, we are military and having the

initial ortho and surgery approved was such a long, difficult, drawn-

out process. I am dreading having to go through that again - I think

I dread that even more than I am dreading having braces put back on.

People here aren't too optimistic that we will even be able to get a

second approval since I did not go through with the surgery the first

time.

Is anyone else here working through TriCare? I would love any advice

that I can get on how to re-work this whole approval process. Like I

said, I have already visited the ortho and I have a referral to an

oral surg for a consultation - I have to call him first thing in the

AM to see if I can get in to his office quickly to get this ball

rolling.

We are kind of working on a time-crunch. We are slated to move again

next summer and I would like to have as much of this done as possible

before we go. My ortho said he thought we could get through the

surgery and partially into the post-op before I have to move, but we

would have to start in the next couple of weeks.

Sorry about the long post - I appreciate your patience. I really am

a very happy person normally, but this is weighing heavily on me

tonight.

Cindy

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