[ispinkso]

Hi All,

In response to the last post, I have been informed by my orthodontist here in Scotland(who happens to be Irish himself) that there is a shortage of surgeons in the Republic, and that these surgeons also work in the area of facial reconstrustion, etc, hence their workloads are big and waiting lists are long. . he mentioned that there is maybe one such surgeon in Dublin, and another in Limerick. Im looking into it myself, will pass on any info I come accross

[day dreamer]

Hi there

There are 5 or 6 surgeons doing max-fac work in Dublin area, 2 in Cork, 2 in Limerick and 1 in Galway. There are also surgeons based in Belfast and Derry.

You cannot just phone and make an appointment. It needs to be done via an orthodontist and planned with both orthodontist and surgeon. The referrals come through the public system via HSE orthodontic clinics or privately through your own orthodontist.

The waiting list for private patients is not long but the availability of beds can be an issue sometimes. Most private patients will have health insurance. Best thing to do is ask the orthodontist when you see them, they will usually work with a particular surgeon in the area and be familiar with procedures and costs.

[PokeHerKing]

Sorry, I'm sure there are plenty of surgeons in Ireland willing to take your money and have a bash. I more so meant only a handful of surgeons around the world have the reputation of being good. So I'd be skeptical of our tiny island having several surgeons who do this procedure to a high standard. It's your face after all, aesthetics will be important, so make an informed choice rather than just going for the guy your Ortho recommends.

[Oral Surgeon]

Originally Posted by PokeHerKing

Sorry, I'm sure there are plenty of surgeons in Ireland willing to take your money and have a bash. I more so meant only a handful of surgeons around the world have the reputation of being good. So I'd be skeptical of our tiny island having several surgeons who do this procedure to a high standard. It's your face after all, aesthetics will be important, so make an informed choice rather than just going for the guy your Ortho recommends.

Wow, there are actually some excellent maxfax and plastics guys doing this in our tiny Island and while this may seem like the biggest job to you- it is quite routine to them.

[PokeHerKing]

Hi,

Sorry I didnt mean to sound flippant, admittedly Im only going off Internet research. I will be delighted if I can have the surgery here as the hassle of going abroad, is just that.. Hassle.

Could you PM me who you consider the top guys in Ireland as finding info is quite difficult as I've posted previously?

As I said, finding past patients of prominent US/UK/European surgeons is simple. Loads of video blogs on YouTube and write ups with pics on jaw surgery boards.

Finding past Irish patients is virtually immpossible, I presume at my consult I'll be shown past patient pics but you know your always going to get the best results as opposed to the surgeons average. I also can only presume Irish surgeons do not do as many surgeries per year as there US counterparts.

I appreciate your input though, I could do with all the help I can get finding the right surgeon!

[day dreamer]

Hi

your orthodontist will recommend whoever they work with a lot. You will probably not be able to pick someone else.

I am sure you would not be referred to someone who was no good. Remember there are risks with every surgery and no surgeon or orthodontist can give you a guarantee that nothing will go wrong. When you find things in the web it is usually from an advertisement and is no guarantee of success either

[PokeHerKing]

My info is mostly gleaned from blogs of people who have documented there surgery and from boards like this only in the US hundreds of people get this surgery every month, so lots of real life results from real people and not some marketing spin.

As stated, I wish to have surgery here but I'm wary. I will definitely not have a surgeon shoved down my throat and I will choose the person I feel is right for me, if my ortho has a problem with that then I will seek a new ortho.

I understand there are dental professionals on this board and I mean no offence to anyone. However, much like Irelands soccer team will never possess the same skill as there Brazilian counterparts, I fear the same is true of our surgeons when compared to there US or even UK counterparts.

I will be seeking the best possible surgeon I can find to crack open my skull and rearrange my face. When you say it out loud it just makes sense!

[Dianthus]

The most severe orthognathic cases in Ireland are treated via the HSE/healthboard, as opposed to being paid for privately by the patient.
Ireland is a small place, and patients are not necessarily as publicity hungry as their US/UK counterparts. You could understand why many wouldn't feel comfortable posting up their "before and after" picture& accompanying blog, particularly if there's no financial incentive to do so.

Re MaxFax surgeons here/in the US or UK....it's one thing "cracking the skull and rearranging the face" of a complete randomer/stranger, quite another when it's your neighbour/colleague/first cousin/daughters' friend (as it generally tends to be in a small country). No pressure for good results in Ireland?!

On a final note, your orthodontist should not "shove a surgeon down your throat", however he will likely recommend someone whose work he has knowledge and experience of. Equally, he's unlikely to jeopardise 2+ years of his own work by sending you to someone he doesn't have confidence in himself. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to show you some (consented) before/after surgical cases on his own files.
All surgery brings risks, it's understandable you're anxious to be in the best hands. MaxFax surgeons piece peoples' faces together after road traffic accidents though- I wouldn't underestimate their ability just because of their geographical location, or because they or their patients aren't doing jazz hands on YouTube.

[PokeHerKing]

I'm not sure what you mean by financial incentive. Are you suggesting patients who have documented there surgery and recovery mostly for a record for themselves and then decided to post it on YouTube or other blogs to show people what it's like to go through it are being paid in some way?

I think the fact that US/UK surgeons do countless more surgeries per year then there irish counterparts, solely based on there geographical location is reason enough, after all, practice does make perfect.

I have ultimate respect for the surgeons who piece faces back together after accidents/cancers/deformities and I'm sure Irish surgeons are very capable in this regard.

However I draw a distinction between a capable surgeon rebuilding a destroyed face to restore functionality and some sort of normalcy for the patient and a mostly cosmetic procedure which is what I am seeking, where aesthetics will play a huge role in the success of the surgery.

I appreciate your input and I have a consultation with a Dublin surgeon in a few weeks. I will post my experience here.

[day dreamer]

You are right to be cautious when considering orthognathic surgery and are entitled to as many opinions and consultations as you feel necessary to make up your mind. It is elective surgery after all.

I am not sure what criteria you will use to choose a surgeon. Is it qualifications, years of experience, where they trained, cases finished, published research etc?

You say that surgeons in the UK and USA do countless more surgeries than the surgeons here. If this is based on surgeons per head of population then given the scarcity of HSE resources, the Irish would be the best in the world.

There is always a risk no matter who does the surgery. Remember that relapse can occur after surgery even if it was done by Obwegeser himself.