A friend once remarked, in a good-natured manner, that I’m handsome “from certain angles.”
I laughed it off but knew exactly what he was talking about.
We all have our things, and we no doubt think about them way more than anyone else. This has long been one of mine.
If you ever happen to take a selfie with me, don’t be surprised if I deftly force myself into an arrangement that allows the camera to capture my good side. As photographers know, angles (and lighting) are critical.
My friend’s witty observation stems from a congenital skeletal defect that resulted in what’s known as a Class III malocclusion.
After years of putting it off in fear of the amount of recovery that would be necessary, I recently had the privilege of consulting with a remarkable oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
Even with major orthodontic interventions during adolescence such as those shown below (rapid palate expanders and headgear give you character, I promise!), these defects typically persist in the absence of surgery.
At age 38, I finally have the courage and time to consider surgical intervention.
After one of my patients spoke highly of a specific surgeon who practices about an hour from where I live, I requested a consult and learned from him about the remarkable technology used to optimize the surgical approach and the risks that accompany it.
I told him how grateful I am for people like him who have gone through the tremendous amount of training and commitment required to be able to perform life-changing procedures like this, including for those who suffer from genetic syndromes that cause much more significant defects than I have.
I’ll need braces before and after the surgery (adult braces also give you character!). Hopefully there are even more colors now than when I was a kid. 🌈
As this is a relatively rare problem that can cause numerous health problems and insecurity about one’s appearance, I’ll be sharing my journey in hopes that it helps someone else struggling with something similar.
Many thanks to Zere et al. 2018 (PMCID: PMC6016584; PMID 29950903) for the figures reproduced in this post and for their efforts in understanding the natural history and treatment of this condition.
P.S. — If you enjoyed this, stay tuned for the nose job (that’s what my wife enjoys calling it; maybe I should have her sequence me and look for a genetic cause…) I’m undergoing in late October. I can’t wait to breathe out of the left side. 👃💪💨
