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A young woman who was bullied because her severe underbite can now smile for the first time.Stefanie Grant, 25, from London, was teased throughout her teenage years because she could not smile.
Her severe underbite - which even stopped her eating properly - was so bad she had to have seven teeth removed when she was 13 and had to wear a brace until she was 23.
Stephanie Grant, 25, is now able to smile for the first time (right) after having surgery to correct her severe underbite (left). Before the operation, she was in constant pain, couldn't eat normally and couldn't smile
But now, Ms Grant has finally had her condition corrected after more than a decade of pain and misery.
When she was 11, a dentist first noticed a problem with the shape of her face.
Ms Grant believes the development of the bones in her face was affected by the fact she was delivered using forceps.
She underwent her first jaw and face surgery in August 2011 - the eight-hour op involved rotating her bottom jaw 9mm and moving it back towards her face.
The top jaw was pushed 2mm forward and 2mm to the side and finally her jaw was then held in place with titanium plates and screws.
After a further operation in December 2012 to remove the screws, Ms Grant is now almost completely recovered from her ordeal.
Ms Grant (pictured before her operation) was bullied throughout her teenage years because she always looked sad. She says people called her 'long face' and 'freak' and told her she looked miserable
Ms Grant (pictured after her surgery) said: 'Being able to smile now, and show people that I'm happy, has been life changing. I still suffer from some numbness and pain, but it's a big improvement'
The full-time blogger said: ‘Before the first surgery, my natural face just looked a bit sad. People used to tell me to cheer up and that I was miserable - but I wasn’t.
‘It was really hard to deal with, especially as a teenager, I felt like people didn’t see the real me, they just saw my face.
‘I was called a freak and long face, it was awful. The surgery was difficult and it’s been painful, but the difference is incredible.
‘Being able to smile now, and show people that I’m happy, has been life changing.
‘I still suffer from some numbness and pain, but it’s a big improvement, and the fact that I’ll now be able to eat correctly, is a huge relief.’
Ms Grant (pictured in hospital after her second operation) underwent her first jaw and face surgery in August 2011 - the eight-hour op involved rotating her bottom jaw 9mm and moving it back towards her face
Ms Grant (pictured in hospital after her second operation) had further surgery in December 2012 to remove the screws from her face and she is now almost completely recovered
Ms Grant said her face was not noticeably different until she reached the age of 11 when concerns were raised by a dentist about the shape of her face.
She said: ‘I was referred to a hospital where I was eventually diagnosed with the condition and told that I’d need major facial surgery when I was older.
HOW IS THE SURGERY PERFORMED?
About 4,000 such procedures are performed in the UK every year, Mr Luke Cascarini, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, told MailOnline.
A severe underbite can be caused by either the upper jaw growing too much, the lower jaw not growing enough, or a combination of the two.
It is most commonly caused by the lower jaw not growing enough, added Mr Cascarni, who works at North West London Hospitals and The Wellington Hospital.
This can be surgically corrected by bringing the lower jaw forward.
Surgeons achieve this by cutting through the jaw bone obliquely from inside the mouth and then sliding the jaw forward.
Sometimes the upper jaw has grown too much and needs to be brought back.
This procedure involves cutting out a segment from the middle of the upper jaw and then removing it and rejoining the bone.
The surgery is funded by the NHS and takes about two hours.
After the operation, most patients remain in hospital for one night and then need about two weeks off school or work to recover.
They have to eat soft food for up to a month.
A severe underbite can be caused by either the upper jaw growing too much, the lower jaw not growing enough, or a combination of the two.
It is most commonly caused by the lower jaw not growing enough, added Mr Cascarni, who works at North West London Hospitals and The Wellington Hospital.
This can be surgically corrected by bringing the lower jaw forward.
Surgeons achieve this by cutting through the jaw bone obliquely from inside the mouth and then sliding the jaw forward.
Sometimes the upper jaw has grown too much and needs to be brought back.
This procedure involves cutting out a segment from the middle of the upper jaw and then removing it and rejoining the bone.
The surgery is funded by the NHS and takes about two hours.
After the operation, most patients remain in hospital for one night and then need about two weeks off school or work to recover.
They have to eat soft food for up to a month.
‘The older I got, and as my face grew, it became more asymmetrical with one side longer than the other.
‘It was just awful - sometimes I couldn’t speak or eat properly - I was very self-conscious.’
Her journey to correct her underbite was tough, seven of her teeth had to be removed when she was just 13 and she had to wear a brace until she was 23 - when her jaw had stopped growing.
She said: ‘At 22 I started to develop severe facial pain - even a strong gust of wind across my face left me in agony.
‘I couldn’t eat, sleep or function on a day to day basis, and couldn’t concentrate on my studies at university.
‘It wasn’t until my jaw had stopped growing, and my teeth were in the right position, that I could finally have the operation.
‘When I was finally told I could have it I was thrilled, but it was scary at the same time. I knew I would end up looking totally different, and I didn’t really know how to prepare myself for that.
‘There are also major risks involved that might have left me with facial numbness and possibly would have made my debilitating pain worse - it was terrifying.’
Three days after her surgery, Ms Grant looked in a mirror for the very first time.
She said: ‘When I first saw my face I hated it - I was swollen and I just looked like a blown up bowling ball.
‘It wasn’t until six months later when I looked at myself, when the swelling had gone down, that I suddenly realised how different I looked.
Ms Grant (pictured after surgery) said: 'When I first saw my face I hated it - I was swollen and I just looked like a blown up bowling ball. It wasn't until six months later that I suddenly realised how different I looked'
Ms Grant (pictured after her surgery) says having the operation was terrifying as she knew she could be left with numbness in her face or with even more pain than she already had
Ms Grant (pictured applying an ice pack to her jaw after surgery) says that after years of seeing flaws in her face she can finally see it as she thinks it should always have been
‘After years of picking out flaws, it was hard at first to see that my face was how it always should have been.
‘I also had to learn how to talk and chew again which was difficult.
‘But my face was so symmetrical - it was a big confidence boost. Being able to smile, and show when I’m happy, is something I’ll never take for granted.’
She added: ‘I’m working on my confidence, and I’m slowly starting to feel like I have a new lease of life.
Ms Grant (pictured before her surgery) had to learn to eat and talk again after her surgery
Ms Grant (pictured before her operation) says she is now working on her confidence and that she feels like she has been given a new lease of life
‘The biggest thing I notice is how differently people treat me now - which is awful when you think about it.
‘People are much nicer to me, and they listen to me when I speak, rather than just stare at my face. I’m seen as more approachable.’
Ms Grant has now started a blog which details her journey, in the hope of helping other people and outlining the possible risks of this type of surgery.
She said: ‘I started my blog just after my final surgery, as I wanted to reach out to other patients.
‘There’s not enough information out there about this kind of surgery, especially for young people, and I wanted to help.
Ms Grant (pictured before her surgery) says that since her operation people talk to her more kindly and think she is more approachable. She says they also stare at her face less than they used to
Ms Grant (pictured in hospital after her second operation) is now writing a blog about her experiences
‘A lot of people think that this kind of surgery is simply for cosmetic reasons but it really isn’t - it has allowed me to be able to live normally.
‘I can eat properly and my risk of arthritis has been reduced - my blog allows me to give people this information.
‘It’s been a real privilege to talk to other people about what they’ve gone through, and it’s been a big help in my recovery too.’
For more information visit her blog at steffies-orthognathic-surgery.blogspot.co.uk
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