I had upper and lower jaw surgery and genioplasty in September to open my airways due to pretty bad sleep apnea. My surgeon did an 8mm movement on the upper and lower since I had no bite issues and an additional 7mm with the chin. About a day after the surgery when the surgeon removed the breathing tube from my nose, within a few hours my nose turned to the side and fell off my nasal bone. That same week he had me come to the office to stitch tubing into the left side of my nose to brace it straight. A week later he removed the tubing but I noticed my nose felt like it was barely hanging to the left side of the nasal bone and looks straight only because the cartilage is all deviated, which I had fixed in a previous surgery for my apnea. The next day my antibiotics finished and within 24 hours the ride side of my face swelled up like a watermelon and I landed in the ER with 103 fever.
That started a process of 8 weeks of antibiotics and 3 more procedures. 3 weeks in he drained the side of my face which swelled again, and I found out for the first time they had used bone blocks to help stabilize the bone structure which I never knew about. At 5 weeks he reopened the right side and found the lower screws by my nose were floating around in my face. At 8 weeks he removed the remainder of the hardware and finally a week later the infection subsided.
Ever since the surgery I felt like my smile has been completely off. I thought it was the swelling but it's been 8 weeks post infection and my right side still looks puffy and lopsided and when I smile my left side opens wide compared to my right. I had my first orthodontist appointment last week and he confirmed I'm about a 2mm off my midline, but it also feels like the right side of my teeth are farther back than my left and my upper jaw is on an angle. My orthodontist wanted me to start wearing bands to rotate the teeth around but I've read horror stories about that, and he said he's never seen someone have so many complications. I haven't started wearing the bands because I'm not sure this is even the correct treatment plan.
I have a follow up appointment this week with my surgeon and I don't know what to do. I feel like getting my records and finding someone else but I don't even know where to begin. This surgeon came recommended by my ENT so I figured I was in good hands. Every time I've mentioned things don't feel right he says that's what post surgical orthodontics is for. The surgery was a success on the sleep apnea front but my jaw is clicking and hurts when I yawn or chew at all. My septum is so twisted it hurts when I sneeze. I still can't eat more than mush almost 4 months later. I feel at a complete loss and don't even know where to begin.
