(Before Surgery)
I first noticed my lower jaw protruding when I was in the third year of middle school. I didn't pay much attention to it until I was 20 years old. I saw a photo that a friend had taken of me, and I became very self-conscious about my side profile. This led me to look into double jaw surgery. Initially, I wanted to treat it with orthodontics alone because double jaw surgery is a major procedure and quite expensive. However, every dental clinic I visited said that I needed surgery.
So, I started looking for an oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic that could perform double jaw surgery. After consulting with several hospitals in Seoul, I finally found WHY Oral Surgery. The consultant was incredibly kind, and the doctor provided a detailed and friendly consultation. I decided to go with WHY Oral Surgery that day and immediately paid the deposit for double jaw surgery and two types of facial contouring: square jaw and chin.
Even after choosing the clinic, I could easily ask questions and get answers from the consultant via KakaoTalk. She was always very kind and helpful, which I greatly appreciated.
About a week before the surgery, I prepared the necessary items and waited for the big day. Many reviews suggest eating a lot of delicious food before surgery, but I didn't have much appetite and didn't eat much. I regret this now and recommend that others eat as much as possible before surgery. I'm currently watching mukbang videos on YouTube non-stop.
For surgery preparation, I packed a humidifier, lip balm, donut pillow, Otrivin, and a mirror. However, the hospital had everything clean and ready, so I used their humidifier and pillow during my stay.
(Surgery Day 11/28)
On the day of the surgery, I arrived at the clinic with my mother, changed into the hospital gown, and had a final consultation with the doctor before entering the operating room. I didn't feel nervous or scared because the reality of having surgery hadn't hit me yet. I remember lying on the surgery table, hearing someone say, "Your arm might feel stiff," and then I fell asleep.
I felt like I had only slept for a moment, but when I woke up, I was in the recovery room. The nurses kept waking me up, telling me I needed to expel the anesthesia gas, but I was very sleepy and had difficulty breathing. It was tough, but I endured it, believing the doctor's words that it would get better after one day (that day felt incredibly long).
(Day After Surgery to Discharge)
The next morning, the duty nurse removed my nasal and urinary tubes, and the doctor removed my drainage tubes. From the second day, I started feeling much better. The nurses frequently brought ice packs and administered painkillers and other medications at set times, allowing me to take short naps while waiting to be discharged. On the day of discharge, the nurse gave me detailed post-operative care instructions and a prescription before I left the clinic. I took a taxi home and immediately showered, which felt incredibly refreshing.
(Days 4-7 After Surgery)
At home, my face swelled more, and I had trouble sleeping because my nose was congested (the congestion lasted for about a week and then alternated between being blocked and clear). I survived on New Care drinks. Until day 4, I did cold compresses, and from day 5, I switched to warm compresses. I didn't feel dizzy or weak, so I went for a 1-1.5 hour walk every day.
(Day 8 After Surgery)
I visited the clinic for the first time after surgery to have my mouth disinfected and received laser treatment. The doctor told me to gently brush my teeth with a toothbrush starting from day 8, so I started brushing my teeth carefully from then on.
(Two Weeks After Surgery)
I visited the clinic to have my stitches removed. Before removing the stitches, my mouth was disinfected, which was very painful—more painful than the stitch removal itself. Some parts of stitch removal hurt, while others didn't, but it was bearable. However, I wouldn't want to go through it again. After the stitches were removed, I started eating soft foods like sponge cake and cake with milk, and I ate porridge without blending it. I'm planning to try soft noodles like ramen soon. When I met a friend for a walk two weeks later, she said my face looked slimmer, which made me very happy. I hope the remaining swelling goes down quickly.
(Four Weeks After Surgery)
From two weeks to a month post-surgery, I continued to eat porridge and protein drinks. I finally removed the wafer and restarted my orthodontic treatment. I had my orthodontic treatment done at a different clinic, but at WHY Oral Surgery, you can have both the surgery and orthodontics done in one place. I recommend this if you live in the same area. My mouth was still very swollen, and I couldn't open it wide, so it was painful and difficult when I had my braces changed. I had never felt pain from orthodontics before, but this time it was excruciating.
After my one-month follow-up, the doctor said I could start eating soft rice, so I began eating rice and other soft foods. Eating rice for the first time in a month brought tears to my eyes. I lost 6-7 kg after surgery, but after eating more rice, I quickly gained 2 kg.
After a month, I returned to work and resumed my daily life. My colleagues said my new face looked different but good, which made me feel great. They also mentioned that the swelling had gone down a lot, but I still felt quite swollen, so I wore a mask when I went out. By the one-month mark, I had no issues with daily activities. The feeling in my nerves hadn't fully returned, but I could feel them gradually coming back with occasional tingling sensations. The doctor advised me to do warm compresses regularly to reduce the swelling at the chin tip, so I did warm compresses daily.
(2-3 Months After Surgery)
After 2-3 months, I could eat almost everything except very hard or chewy foods like almonds or squid. Now, I can eat even those without any issues. After six months, the swelling was completely gone, and I started going out without a mask. People around me kept saying my face looked much smaller and my jawline more defined, which made me very satisfied.
 
(6 Months After Surgery)
Not only did the surgery have great results, but losing weight also made a big difference. I'm most satisfied with the improvement in my malocclusion. Before the surgery, it was difficult to bite off small foods or noodles with my front teeth, but now I can easily do it, which makes me very happy! My orthodontic treatment isn't finished yet, but my bite has almost been corrected, and the external changes are significant. I'm very satisfied. The pre-surgery and immediate post-surgery periods were tough, but now I even think I should have done it sooner.