How did you first find out that you need/want orthognathic surgery?

[tdawg]

I cant remember how I realized it oddly enough.

[stevek216]

My orthodontist had told me since I was about 10 years old that I would need it, so I had it easy in that respect.

[Antbee]

I was told aged 13/14 and ignored it. Then told again age 35 and after spending my life covering my mouth, this time I listened.

[neferkitti]

An oral surgeon convinced me that it was necessary, that braces would not be enough. I believe he was wrong.

[Ducky]

I googled "lips don't close at rest," which brought up all sorts of information. At first I thought, "no way am I having my jaw broken so I can close my lips." But after some more reading I discovered that a ton of my problems were related (recessive lower jaw, huge gummy smile, jaw pain, trouble keeping mouth closed at rest, sleep problems, teeth coming together in an unsatisfactory way with excessive wear on the molars, muscle fatigue from trying to hold my face in a normal position around others - even by myself, really). I knew I had an overbite since my teenage years, but it was very eye-opening to discover that this one problem leads to so many difficulties. I'm so happy it can be fixed!

[Krista]

Ducky.... Do you know who your having surgery with?

[treevernal]

I guess I'd have to say since I was about 10 or so.  I remember seeing pictures of myself and thinking that I just didnt look right (retruded lower jaw) but I didnt yet know what it was.  When I got braces on a few years later they confirmed the class 2 malocclusion, open bite, and narrow palate.  The herbst appliance they used really screwed with my TMJs and cause lock-jaw and ever since then, I didnt know where my lower jaw was supposed to sit.  I could slide it forward into a class 3 or seat it way back into a class 2; it was very frustrating.  When I went on my first surgical consult 3 years ago, they seated my lower jaw waaay back so my TMJs were in the upper fossa with a wax bite and told me that was the true relationship between my upper and lower jaws. 

[Ducky]

Krista - I don't yet. I'd like to have it done at Mayo in MN. I'm currently in a situation of waiting to move from Finland back to the U.S., though, so I'll have to wait a few months before I do anything.

[CK]

however old i was in 6th grade. 12?