Can someone help me find out what is wrong with my jaw

[Winterishere19]

Hi

I will start by explaining why I haven’t gone to the gp about this yet. I had my nose broken when I was 14 and it is still wonky so I am finally going to ask to be referenced to a surgeon. I don’t want to bring up my smile issue because the doctor might think that im just exaggerating all of these issues at once.

I will attach a diagram I just did. So when I smile I look awkward and awful people have commented to me that I have a wonky smile and I have tried to ignore it by not smiling for photos which makes everyone then comment that im so moody all the time.

When I smile you can’t really see my teeth, it’s like they are quite small do that doesn’t help. But the right side of my lips are lower and it then looks like my smile is lopsided. I’ve looked in the mirror and taken dozens of photos... I can see that the teeth as a whole so literally the whole jaw seems to be a bit wonky... it doesn’t sit straight you can see that it tilts.

Is there any way this can be fixed without major surgery? I need to have this fixed and my nose too, to top it off one side of my face is noticeably fatter than the other so I actually look completely wonky all over. I don’t under when this started but I remember my friend pointing it out around 15 years ago so maybe it’s always been there. Even when I was younger I never smiled with my teeth showing I always kept my mouth closed.

Apologies for the spelling my auto correct is annoying!

Has your dentist ever mentioned anything to you? Do your teeth bite correctly? Maybe get this checked out first, there could be a simple fix with some orthodontic work.

Contact your dentist. Maybe get some veneers?

Hi yes I had x rays done for pain years ago and the consultant said that I have tmj. My jaw clicks also and the dentist last month told me to let them know of it keeps happening or is painful. Do you think if I went to a gp with all of these requests they would think that I have body dysmorphia or something. I just feel like im sick of being ugly when it can be fixed. I will happily get a loan and pay for all of the work i need. Im just scared of the surgery... I’ve heard that rhinoplasty recovery is the worst but the thought of having something done to my jaw terrifies me. I’ve heard all sorts about metal plates being screwed in.

If the dentist has offered help and you are unhappy then go back and see them and ask to be referred to a specialist. If you are in pain then you shouldn’t have to pay for treatment. Nobody is perfectly symmetrical and most people have things they are unhappy about. It seems odd that people are making comments, they don’t sound like people you should be around.

I need to be realistic with you here - the chances of you receiving cosmetic rhinoplasty on the NHS are slim to none.

The only way you’re going to get it is if it’s interfering with your breathing.

TMJ is super common.

If you're that worried about your smile, there are options such as fillers and botox which can be done delicately to tweak things like this. Have a look on Instagram at @drninafacialsculpting - her work seems to be very good. No duck faces!

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I was wondering about the cost actually by going private, I wouldn’t mind paying I have actually looked into it. I was told that I would be eligible for nhs treatment to fix my nose but they wanted to wait until my face had stopped growing after age 21. So when it was broken aged 14 they broke it back into place as much as they could while I was under, but unfortunately it still looks bent and one side is narrow causing a slight blockage. I haven’t faced the reality as I am scared of the recovery however I am now realising that my nose is out of place and it should have been fixed years ago. When it was broken I was attacked by a girl at school in front of a massive group of class mates who didn’t even try to help me, and in a&e I made the mistake of looking in the mirror... my nose was squashed onto the other side of my face, completely broken. I have just recently requested my hospital records and have had a good read through. The doctor I spoke to last week told me that he will refer me to a consultant.

I may have a talk with the dentist and the gp about the uneven smile and see if there is something non surgical that they could recommend. Im wondering if some injections/fillers may even it out, I will take a look around. To be honest yes the comment from the friend has stayed with me all these years and the years of bullying at school after my nose was broken. I remember having to go to school the next day with two black eyes and a bent nose. I never lived it down and in the end I was pulled out of school due to the horrific bullying. I suspect that self esteem has a part to play in me hating the way I look...

Thanks guys

You’re right, go and speak to the specialists as they can make recommendations and referrals and they’ve seen it all before. Speak to you doctor to see if they can recommend anyone you can see about self esteem issues. Good luck.