Good affordable jaw surgeons? Feasible to go to Europe?

[skullremodel]

I've seen the big name surgeons mentioned like Wolford, Arnett, etc but they carry large price tags. I don't have 50-70k to drop on just jaw surgery considering I need other procedures as well.

Are there any surgeons just as good that are affordable? I've heard Dr.Z thrown out often, he's in Germany - would it be feasible to head to Germany and get jaw surgery done? Even with the check-ups and post operative care? Seems like it'd be rather afforadable with him though


Am I making a mistake not choosing someone reputable like the big names?

[UnderMunch]

I've seen the big name surgeons mentioned like Wolford, Arnett, etc but they carry large price tags. I don't have 50-70k to drop on just jaw surgery considering I need other procedures as well.

Are there any surgeons just as good that are affordable? I've heard Dr.Z thrown out often, he's in Germany - would it be feasible to head to Germany and get jaw surgery done? Even with the check-ups and post operative care? Seems like it'd be rather afforadable with him though


Am I making a mistake not choosing someone reputable like the big names?

Well, I read on a German forum that quite a lot of Americans travel to Zarinbal for the U.S. to get surgery. I don't understand how that works out logistically, but maybe it's something a long the lines of them flying to meet him once or twice for initial consultations and then having him work with their orthodontist via email back in the U.S. before surgery. I don't know.

You just have to keep in mind that Zarinbal can be quite hard to get ahold of and that most of his staff(secretaries) aren't the best English speakers.

But if the doctors you just mentioned charge 50k-70k for just bimax alone then you almost can't afford to not travel to Zarinbal even considering the travel expenses. Going with doctors like that would be incredibly irresponsible if you value your money or even have 50k+. Just know that no single orthognatic surgery should cost that much unless it's like Lefort III or something beyond that. The doctor might charge it and the results may be amazing, but it's overpriced.

The pricing of surgery and medicine is very different in Europe because most EU countries have a lot of "free"(tax payer funded) surgery and care available to citizens which private doctors then have to compete with, which to a degree means that private practitioners and surgeons have to set their prices in relation to the actual cost of the surgery and can't just go nuts and charge an arm and a leg. In the U.S. it's very different where doctors nearly charge whatever they want simply because they can.

So although I'm sure that many doctors in the U.S. are really talented and capable, I do think many of the "top players" charge too much trying to imply that you get the World's best surgery and care if you pay 2-3 times more than you would in Europe or at a less well-known surgeon in the U.S.

I'd definitely consider going to Europe if you can manage to set up consolation with a doctor.

Good luck!

[ditterbo]

Does Dr sinn stand alone in the world with his modified lefort 3?  He's quite pricey too I hear.

[ppsk]

"big names" in US = 50-100k USD
"big names" in EU = 10-30k USD

Its not only feasible, but probably advisable. Specifically for the patient whose result is almost purely aesthetic, "surgery first" or minimal orthodontics approaches are very common in europe, even the surgeons who don't explicitly advertise them will do so (zarrinbal for example) and in this case it makes europe a realistic option because if your bite is relatively normal you will probably only spend ~3 weeks post op interacting with the surgeon's ortho.

[ditterbo]

What's also intriguing to me, but need to research more, is at least some of these big name euro guys offer a chin wing in the same surgery. 

[Milli_Meters]

Does Dr sinn stand alone in the world with his modified lefort 3?  He's quite pricey too I hear.

No . Know 4 others who do it.

[skullremodel]

"big names" in US = 50-100k USD
"big names" in EU = 10-30k USD

Its not only feasible, but probably advisable. Specifically for the patient whose result is almost purely aesthetic, "surgery first" or minimal orthodontics approaches are very common in europe, even the surgeons who don't explicitly advertise them will do so (zarrinbal for example) and in this case it makes europe a realistic option because if your bite is relatively normal you will probably only spend ~3 weeks post op interacting with the surgeon's ortho.

Can they still accomplish a bimax if the bite is class 1 via surgery first?



 

Well, I read on a German forum that quite a lot of Americans travel to Zarinbal for the U.S. to get surgery. I don't understand how that works out logistically, but maybe it's something a long the lines of them flying to meet him once or twice for initial consultations and then having him work with their orthodontist via email back in the U.S. before surgery. I don't know.

You just have to keep in mind that Zarinbal can be quite hard to get ahold of and that most of his staff(secretaries) aren't the best English speakers.

But if the doctors you just mentioned charge 50k-70k for just bimax alone then you almost can't afford to not travel to Zarinbal even considering the travel expenses. Going with doctors like that would be incredibly irresponsible if you value your money or even have 50k+. Just know that no single orthognatic surgery should cost that much unless it's like Lefort III or something beyond that. The doctor might charge it and the results may be amazing, but it's overpriced.

The pricing of surgery and medicine is very different in Europe because most EU countries have a lot of "free"(tax payer funded) surgery and care available to citizens which private doctors then have to compete with, which to a degree means that private practitioners and surgeons have to set their prices in relation to the actual cost of the surgery and can't just go nuts and charge an arm and a leg. In the U.S. it's very different where doctors nearly charge whatever they want simply because they can.

So although I'm sure that many doctors in the U.S. are really talented and capable, I do think many of the "top players" charge too much trying to imply that you get the World's best surgery and care if you pay 2-3 times more than you would in Europe or at a less well-known surgeon in the U.S.

I'd definitely consider going to Europe if you can manage to set up consolation with a doctor.

Good luck!

My case is almost purely aesthetic, I could get some airway benefit but really I'm looking at mostly a aesthetic case. I just have that lingering concern of "what if" I don't or do go with a big name - how would the results turn out and could a cheaper surgeon get there...but yeah, I mean with a 50k price tag I could pay for a surgery with Dr Z and multiple other surgeries.

[ppsk]

Can they still accomplish a bimax if the bite is class 1 via surgery first?

Thats makes you an ideal candidate for surgery first.

Bimax is simply cutting and moving the jaws, theres nothing inherent to bimax that actually necessitates orthodontics especially since the advent of plate and screw fixture (like 30+ years now).

[UKMaxfac]

Thats makes you an ideal candidate for surgery first.

Bimax is simply cutting and moving the jaws, theres nothing inherent to bimax that actually necessitates orthodontics especially since the advent of plate and screw fixture (like 30+ years now).

Why doesn't everyone just offer surgery first?

[ppsk]

Why doesn't everyone just offer surgery first?

I'm not sure. But I suspect it is more widespread than people might think, for example Zarrinbal can do surgery first even though he doesn't explicitly advertise it. Coceancig in Australia said braces wouldn't be necessary.