First time poster here. I have my first consultation with a maxfax surgeon in a couple of weeks but would also like to get feedback from members of this forum.
After over 20 years of being self-conscious about my jaw/chin area I've finally resolved to do something about it. I've always been fine with the way I look from the front even though I know my facial proportions aren't perfect. My main concern has always been the lower third of my face, especially in profile. Shortly after my braces came off in high school I began jutting my lower jaw forward constantly to make it look stronger. This causes strain on my jaw, but I think the worst part is the psychological space it takes up. Just the constant awareness of it is exhausting. As I get older, it's clear that a lack of bone structure in the chin/jaw area is causing me to look prematurely jowly even though I take good care of my skin. I also have extra skin/fat under my neck even though I'm in good shape
and not overweight.
Despite my braces as a teen, I still have an overbite. I've had my wisdom teeth out but no other extractions. I have a dead tooth in the front that I haven't done anything with because it's only mildly discolored.
Based on the research I've done, it sounds like there is a compelling case for me to go the route of jaw advancement surgery (not sure if I'd need just the lower or both). However I'm concerned about going that route on a couple of fronts.
First off, my husband and I are planning to try for our second child this year, and I'm not at a point in my life where I want to push that timeline out while I wait months or even years for orthodontia and surgery. I'll probably have to wait another two years at least to be ready to start the jaw surgery journey, if that's the route I end up going.
Secondly, I'm concerned about undergoing a surgery that could potentially cause a permanent change in my
appearance for the worse.
Ultimately it may be worth it to correct the underlying structural issues, both from a functional and aesthetic perspective, but I just don't know that I'm there yet.
Other options I've considered are a chin implant, neck lipo, and sliding genio. In some ways I'd rather err on the side of something that wasn't drastic enough, but that still kept me looking like "me", even if it meant being further away from ideal proportions. I've also thought about doing chin fillers as a one-time thing to "test drive" what a chin implant might look like.
I'd welcome any personal experiences or feedback.
I've attached some pictures for reference. The first ones are with my jaw pushed out like normal, the second ones are
my real bite if my back molars touch.
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NOTE from mod: The user requested deletion of her photos. That is why they are gone.