Girl Jaw

Treating my crooked face with a buccal massage.

You’re asking the wrong question.

It shouldn’t be, “Is FME better than MARPE?”

It really should be, “Is this the right tool for my needs?”

Here, I do my best to break down why asking if FME is better than MARPE is like comparing two different pens. They are both tools that essentially do the same thing.

If you think differently about this, let me know why.

Save this before your next MARPE consultation:

1. What’s the backup plan, and who pays?
2. How does the plan account for my existing asymmetry?
3. How do I get copies of my records?

Dr. Derek Mahony points out that the first part of the airway is the nose - so before you head to jaw surgery to fix your sleep apnea, it’s a good idea to check out your nasal breathing first.

Planning jaw surgery around the Frankfurt plane isn’t ideal in every case.

If you’re curious about the case Ji Hoon Hwang, DDS, MD is referencing here, he shows examples of the case in his video titled “Symmetry is not the goal in jaw surgery.” It’s in my reposts for easy access.

How do jaw surgeons plan for facial asymmetry? What happens when anatomy doesn’t follow the textbook?

I recently sat down with Ji Hoon Hwang, DDS, MD in my recent podcast episode to explore these ideas. Head over to my YouTube channel for the full episode. And be sure to follow Dr. Hwang Ji Hoon Hwang, DDS, MD for educational content.

And a big thank you to Dr. Hwang for taking the time to share your knowledge with me and the expansion community (and apologies for mispronouncing your last name 😭).

I am currently considering jaw surgery, however it still seems like something I won’t do, based on the risks alone. In this episode, I discuss the very real risk of nerve injury after jaw surgery, and what to do if numbness persists after a few months. Spoiler alert: you don’t have to “just live with it.”

Throwback to when I got my FME removed early. Dr. Newaz and I made the decision together to NOT backturn (38 small turns is how far I made it), remove the device, and let a little natural relapse occur. Recent CBCT scans show I got 1mm of expansion, and the device was activated 1.5mm, meaning I relapsed 0.5mm. Despite being nervous and feeling some intense pressure from the device being removed early, it was a relatively easy process. Catch the whole video on my YouTube.

Should MARPE patients also consider doing a full body assessment, and if necessary, postural therapy? This is the topic I’ve been exploring lately, as I try to find the reasons for my constant struggles with orofacial asymmetries.

Watch the full video on my YouTube channel.