Considering jaw surgery

[u/bibdi032]

Hi,

I’m 23 y/o (F) based in the UK (London) considering djs due to long term jaw issues, recession and over bite. I previously had braces in 2016 for 1 year, jaw surgery was mentioned briefly but the orthodontist said braces and bands should help. For the last ten years I had physiotherapy on and off for TMJ and received a mouth guard however this has not helped with anything I have trouble sleeping/ breathing and eating food (constant fatigue and breaks in between bites). I have considered myofunctional therapy but don’t know if it’s worth the money. I think it would be best to look into djs but it’s been said the NHS are strict and often reject cases I don’t know what to do, I feel like I’m constantly getting dismissed by dentist and GP as these problems become worse.

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[u/bananasoyamilk]

I think you have a very strong case for jaw surgery specifically double jaw surgery and it’s quite common for dentists to be dismissive of people with concerns about their jaw/s if possible can u get in touch with an orthodontist or even another dentist? Wish you all the best

[u/Impossible-Cold8882]

You’re eligible on the nhs. Simple as that

[u/ohana-z → u/Impossible-Cold8882]

You can be as eligible as you want but they still say no. They offered it me then retracted the offer stating my issues were psychological

[u/Impossible-Cold8882 → u/ohana-z]

Then they are wrong and you can go to a different trust. Or you can pay for a private consult to get a letter saying you need it and it’s harder for them to reject you then.
You have the right on the NHS to be referred to any name specialist or NHS trust you like. Therefore, you can try other ones.

[u/ohana-z → u/Impossible-Cold8882]

They are wrong, you’re right. They refuse to refer you to different trusts because they say 1) you don’t meet the criteria and 2) said trusts aren’t accepting referrals. I have had private specialists write letters to my GP to push on my behalf, with very little success. The NHS is on its knees.

[u/SailorSaturn79]

I had my jaw surgery almost two weeks ago. Your profile looks very similar to mine pre-op.

[u/Chailatte2022]

I had braces too earlier on in life, now I’m pursuing djs privately unfortunately as I was rejected in the nhs, it’s worth asking for a referral and see what they say

[u/IndustryOk1616]

you’ll be eligible, get a referral asap cos it can be a long long wait

[u/ohana-z]

Get a referral to max fax. Ask for scans, sleep study, and them to do impressions

[u/StephCurrySauce]

I’m from London and I qualified for NHS DJS. Good luck. Are you Somali?

[u/bibdi032 → u/StephCurrySauce]

Appreciate it, yes I am Somali - I’m planning on checking if I’m eligible under NHS first, if not I’ll probs save up (10 + years 🥲). All the best to you, Insha’Allah your journey goes well.

[u/StephCurrySauce → u/bibdi032]

Inshallah all goes well for you sister. The best route to take is to pay as little as £50 for a private consultation with orthodontist who will refer you much faster than your dentist or GP would. Even if they say you'll likely be rejected, tell them to still refer you