Andrew M

Review of Los Angeles Center for Oral an...

When you wake up, you won t have an underbite , is...

When you wake up, you won t have an underbite , is what Dr. Relle said to me as I was rolled into the surgery room. He smiled and introduced himself. Dr. Walline was studying his notes and diagrams which were taped all over the walls of the surgical room. The team propped my head, starting the drugs into my IV and as I nervously took deep breaths, I knew with each inhale and exhale that I was closer to my life changing forever. When I woke up, I was tired, but not very swollen. I could tell immediately that the surgery was a great success as the nurses and my mother expressed their disbelief. The swelling wasn t bad at all for the first 24 hours, but by the second day the swelling came, as expected for double jaw surgery. I had no pain. I don t recall taking any pain meds on the 3rd day (Day 1 and 2 painkillers were just given through my IV). I experienced no pain in my jaw or mouth; it was just that the back of my head was killing me from how they have to tie you down on the surgery table so that they can ensure excellence . On their website that is what LACOMS claim, and I can say that with Dr. Walline, excellence is what they achieve. The only pain I experienced was in my throat from scratches from the endotracheal tube (which happens in all if not most surgeries) and the pain in the back of my head. It was all manageable. I only needed the prescribed pain killers on a few occasions, mostly to sleep due to being uncomfortable. By Day 7, I was feeling good and no longer had a headache. After that everything got better.
Overall, I had an amazing experience with Dr. Walline and his staff. I do not believe that my surgery could have been performed to any greater degree of perfection. It is obvious that Dr. Walline is passionate about what he does; and he is skilled. He studies meticulously, he has a wealth of experience and good hands, and he is the person to go to for double jaw surgery. The feeling of biting into food like normal is so satisfying. I can eat much better now. I can close my mouth. I even breathe differently. I can chew food without it falling out of my mouth. I can eat pizza, sandwiches, apples, anything; and it is no longer a struggle to bite down on my food using my bottom teeth and my tongue. I can go out and eat in public and not feel embarrassed. I can smile with confidence. I can talk and flirt with women without letting a Class III malocclusion hold me back from being myself. Before my surgery, I never wanted to smile. I never wanted to talk and avoided eating many foods because I couldn t. I cannot thank Dr. Walline and his staff enough for improving my quality of life. Words cannot describe how thankful I am for being blessed to have found a surgeon like Dr. Walline. I d also like to thank Jacquie and Karen for all their help and support. LACOMS staff strives to make all of their patients feel like family. That is exactly how I felt. Every time I d come into the office, several people would greet me and ask me questions and make me feel comfortable. After the surgery, they all reassured me that the swelling and eating (or lack thereof) would get better. Thank you to Jerry as well, for assisting Dr. Walline. And thank you to Dr. Relle for doing whichever part of the surgery you performed. I didn t ask many questions, if any, prior to or after the surgery. Honestly, there was no need to. The doctors and staff at LACOMS are skilled, professional, and on top of everything. They work as a team and have two surgeons working together for their patients. I could not have asked for a better experience or a better new face. I recommend LACOMS to anyone who can travel to Los Angeles. Again, Thank you Dr. Walline. You are THE man!