Giulia Cominetti smiles. And no matter how closely you look, no scar disturbs the symmetrical face. The forward displaced malposition of the lower jaw was corrected with a repositioning osteotomy at the USZ Clinic for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Giulia Cominetti tells us why she had the correction carried out and how she experienced the operation.
Why did you decide to make the switch?
My orthodontist pointed out to me that my jaw had shifted forward considerably and that this would have a devastating effect when I got older at the latest. The consequences could include tooth loss and that I could no longer chew properly.
How did you choose the USZ for this operation?
At first, my orthodontist had suggested a surgeon who wanted to transplant a bone from my hip or head area. This approach frightened me. I was looking for an option with a less severe intervention. That’s why I wanted to get a second opinion. You put your trust in the doctors, but a second opinion makes sense for such serious procedures in my opinion. That’s how I got to the USZ.
What ultimately influenced your decision?
The solution that Dr. Gander from the USZ suggested to me meant a longer way to the goal, but from my point of view it was the better one. The jaw realignment was optimally prepared and precisely planned with the three-dimensional representation. First, the position of the teeth was optimized with braces. Even though carrying braces as an 18-year-old is not easy, I was happy to take it on. The procedure brought advantages for the adjustment, as the tooth position was already correct. In addition, teeth had to be extracted and the braces fitted. Of course this was also associated with pain, but from my point of view it was by far the lesser evil than a bone graft.
How did you experience the surgery at the USZ and the care you received?
I had no experience with operations. And the previous one-day examinations were time-consuming, one day long, and unpleasant. I didn’t notice anything about the operation itself. Afterwards I felt nauseous, my blood pressure was low and my face was swollen. What I really appreciated was the openness of the doctors. I was shown the impressive pictures of the operation. The nursing staff were very nice, explained everything well and took great care of me in my helplessness – I couldn’t talk. The hotel staff were also great and made a great effort, even though I couldn’t eat anything solid.
Were there or are there still late effects from the operation?
I didn’t really have any late effects, my chin remained a little numb. I had to get used to my new face: a slightly more pointed nose, a slightly rounder face and my teeth suddenly fit together perfectly. What’s interesting is that I didn’t have the feeling that anything was wrong beforehand. I had gotten used to the misalignment. I therefore had to get used to chewing again first with the right bit.
Looking back, would you do the operation again?
In any case! I was still afraid of removing the titanium plates, the thought of cutting everything open again. But after a week everything had healed again. I felt comfortable from the preparation to the aftercare. No false promises were made, but the function of the teeth before and after was shown in the 3D model. That was the focus and it was predicted very precisely. The changes in the soft tissue of the face can be estimated, but cannot be predicted quite so precisely, which was also explained to me. Looking back, I’m really glad that I did it and I’m glad that I did it at the USZ.
Read also the interview with the two USZ experts Prof. Dr. med. med. dent. Martin Rücker, Director of the Clinic for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dr. med. med. dent. Thomas Gander, Senior Physician. Prof. Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Martin Rücker, Director of the Clinic for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (l.) and Dr. med. med. dent. Thomas Gander, Senior Physician