Hello all:

I'm so glad to have found this forum.

I had surgery as a child - now am a middle-aged adult and need to decide between a second surgery or getting a new prosthesis (partial) which a dentist broke. (Ok it was getting quite old anyhow.)

Any thoughts on deciding? Also, a big part of me is hesitant to have surgery. Yet, I've always looked at this as a hope - that I could look better if I did this. But now I think maybe I need to better accept the disfigurement I experience and get on with my life. Somehow, I'm not as good at this acceptance as I used to be.

It should be better w. age - but I'm gaining weight and it makes my face look more unsymetrical. Other issues too are making more self-conscious than normal. For example, I have to make presentations in graduate school and just have super stage fright due to my disfigurement - many people say it's not that bad but to me it is. I want to feel confident professionally, but can't with this self-consciousness.

Any thoughts / experiences that can help?
I probably could use some counseling on this, I realize, but I'm thinking you all may have some excellent things to say.

Thanks immensely.

Cathy V.