Common Questions
Following is a list of the most common questions I’ve received about double jaw surgery. If your question is not answered below, feel free to ask about it in the comments and I’d be happy to respond there.
Before the surgery:
- Why should I get jaw surgery?
- Is jaw surgery painful?
- How long does it take to recover from jaw surgery?
- How much does jaw surgery cost?
- What should I buy to prepare for recovery?
After the surgery:
- Will I look different after jaw surgery?
- How much weight will I lose after jaw surgery?
- Will I experience numbness after jaw surgery?
- Will I get all of my feeling back after jaw surgery?
- What can I eat after jaw surgery?
Cries for help:
- Help, I’m experiencing pain!
- Help, my breath is terrible!
- Help, my teeth are no longer touching!
- Help, my jaw movement is not returning!
- Help, I don’t look like myself anymore!
Why should I get jaw surgery?
There are several reasons to undergo jaw surgery:
- To be able to chew with all your teeth
- To speak without a lisp
- To speak without spitting
- To stop your mouth from hanging open
- To stop breathing through your mouth and start breathing through your nose
- To change your appearance (side profile)
These reasons are all explained on the Reasons to Get Jaw Surgery page.
Is jaw surgery painful?
Jaw surgery is usually not painful. This may be difficult to believe, but since your nerves become bruised and numb during the surgery, you don’t actually feel any of the pain. By the time feeling returns to your face, most of the pain is gone.
Granted, you’ll experience a bit of pain when you yawn, sneeze and cough. It’ll also hurt when your jaw spasms (and it will spasm for the first month), but for the most part, you should not experience much pain at all.
How long does it take to recover from jaw surgery?
It will take 90 days (3 months) for a full recovery after jaw surgery. Most of your feeling and energy will be back after 2 months, but it takes a full 90 days for your bone to fuse back together. A full range of motion in your jaw will return depending on how much you’re moving it around, so make sure you follow the exercises your surgeon gives you.
How much does jaw surgery cost?
Jaw surgery costs roughly $5000 in Canada, but that price may differ significantly in other provinces and countries. If your surgery is deemed cosmetic (instead of “medically necessary”), the cost will be higher because you’ll be required to cover the hospital bills. Sadly, patients in the US have seen jaw surgery bills in excess of $50,000.
What should I buy to prepare for recovery?
You can find a full list of items that with help you through the recovery at the Must-Have Recovery Products page.
Will I look different after jaw surgery?
You will notice subtle changes in your appearance following jaw surgery. Your overbite/underbite will no longer be present and your cheeks, nose, and chin may take on a different shape as well. My cheeks filled out a lot as a result of my surgery.
How much weight will I lose after jaw surgery?
Most people lose between 5–10 pounds during the first month of their recovery. The general rule of thumb is that you will lose weight until you reach your natural body weight.
Will I experience numbness after jaw surgery?
Yes, you will experience extreme numbness following jaw surgery. During the operation, several nerves in your face and chin have to be moved around. When you move a nerve, it becomes bruised, and when a nerve is bruised, it stops providing sensations, thus giving you that numb feeling (more on this in my Day 20 post).
Will I get all of my feeling back after jaw surgery?
70% of patients regain full feeling, while 30% may experience slightly numb areas in their cheeks, chin and lower lip for the rest of their lives. The feeling you have after 6 months post-op is likely what you’ll live with for the rest of your life.
What can I eat after jaw surgery?
You’ll be on a strict liquid diet following jaw surgery. Buy lots of Boost, Ensure or Carnation supplements and learn to make smoothies, because these will be your staple foods for at least the first 2 weeks. I had to eat them for 8 weeks, but my surgery was a bit more invasive than most. You’ll probably have to administer your food through a syringe for the first week as well.
Once your surgeon gives you permission to start chewing again, you can begin to eat soft foods such as pasta and mashed potatoes. During the weeks following your re-entry into the realm of chewing, you’ll be able to eat whatever is comfortable. Don’t expect to tear into a steak as soon as you’re allowed to chew again, though.
If you have the following implements, you should survive perfectly fine:
- A reliable blender (this is extremely important, as you’ll be blending almost everything)
- Smoothie materials (ice cream, yogurt, milk, bananas, strawberries, granola, peanut butter, honey, etc.) — Recipe
- Soup (you’ll have to blend everything except tomato soup)
- Ensure, Boost or Carnation (I drank 3 of these per day during my liquid diet phase)
- Prune juice (you’ll need the fiber in it)
- Whole milk (you’ll need all the calcium you can get so your bones heal back just as strong as they were before)
- Water (make sure you drink at least 1 L of water per day; drinking 2 L per day is a much better option)
The most important item on that list is water. If you don’t drink enough water each day, you’ll become dehydrated and sick, and your bowel movements won’t feel good because none of the fiber you’re eating will dissolve into your body.
Help, I’m experiencing pain!
If your pain is chronic (ie. consistent and throbbing), you may have an infection and should schedule a visit with your surgeon just to be safe.
On the other hand, if your pain comes in small bouts, it’s likely your nerves reawakening or your teeth being pulled by the elastics. In this case, just be patient and the pain will subside in due time. If you were prescribed pain medication, that may help as well.
Help, my breath is terrible!
At times, your breath may be indicative of the fact that you are not allowed to brush your teeth or floss during the first several weeks of recovery. To aid in freshening your breath, try gurgling with warm salt water a few times each day. Soon enough, you’ll be given the go-ahead to brush and floss again.
Help, my teeth are no longer touching!
An open bite is a common problem following jaw surgery. Fear not, however, because your teeth will naturally grow until they encounter opposition (in the form of your other jaw), so this problem will slowly correct itself over time.
Help, my jaw movement is not returning!
If you have been given the green light to resume eating regular food, but the movement in your jaw doesn’t seem to be returning, try whistling and chewing gum each day. Whistling will help to break up scar tissue, while chewing gum will stretch the muscles in your jaw.
Help, I don’t look like myself anymore!
This is perhaps the most common fear people have following jaw surgery. Remember that swelling takes a minimum of 3 months to go away, so try to avoid judging your appearance until that point.
Also, keep in mind that you are your own worst critic because you’ve been seeing your face in the mirror every single day for most of your life. While the subtle changes in your appearance seem drastic to you, most people will not even notice that your face changed shape.
July 15, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Thanks Graham for the encouragement. My surgery is planned for September 19th. Fingers crossed – I’ll provide an update then. Thanks again.
July 14, 2012 at 10:06 am
Graham,
I just found your site – it is really informative. I had upper jaw surgery a year ago September and thankfully everything went well. Minimal swelling, lost 20 lbs which I have managed to keep off and my sleep apnea has disappeared. I am really happy now, but to fully correct my bite (have approx 4 mm overbite), lower jaw surgery is looming. I am reconsidering going through with it, especially concerned with the possible nerve damage. I am 54 and in excellent health, but just getting a nervous. Just wanted to share and hear your thoughts.
July 14, 2012 at 11:04 am
Hi Michael,
I’m not sure what to tell you regarding your potential lower jaw surgery. I opted to have both jaws operated on simultaneously to avoid having to make a decision like the one you’re facing.
If fixing your bite is important to you, I encourage you to go through with the operation. Lower jaw surgery usually enjoys a quicker recovery than the upper jaw because the surgeon doesn’t have to split your palette. The nerve damage is really just a minor inconvenience, and that’s if you end up with numb areas. Many people are perfectly fine. I no longer notice the numb parts of my lips and chin unless I’m shaving or someone is asking me about them.
Let me know what conclusion you come to. I’d love to hear the reasons behind whichever decision you make. =)
July 10, 2012 at 12:26 pm
double jaw surgery tomorrow morning. thanks for the blog tootz. lol
July 8, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Splint is coming off in 14 days! I can taste (solid) freedom already. I’m tired of being on a liquid diet.
Today, I tried biting into a soft potato only to realize how hard a soft potato could feel to a jaw that hasn’t been used for over a month. It’s quite amazing and daunting to think that my jaw will have to learn how to chew again.
July 9, 2012 at 9:02 am
Joe, I remember the first time I bit into Kraft Dinner after having my splint removed. It’s amazing how hard “soft” foods can be, isn’t it?
July 8, 2012 at 7:16 am
Hi Granham,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and all your useful advice on this blog . I had double jaw & chin surgery about 10 weeks ago, I just wanted to know if it is common to have a uneven jaw line, a enlarged nose and sensitivity on the cheek area around this stage of recovery?.
Should I been concerned at this point or just give it time to heal?
Many Thanks
July 8, 2012 at 11:41 am
Nadia, I was told not to worry about anything related to appearance or feeling until 3 months had passed. My face was slightly uneven and swollen until around the 14-week mark.
I would let yourself heal for another 2 weeks and, if you’re still experiencing lopsided features and sensitivity, ask your surgeon about it. I trust these issues will go away over the next couple of weeks for you, though. =)
July 3, 2012 at 9:38 am
Great to meet you, Nadeem!
I’m glad you’re finding my experience useful. The entire purpose behind these writings is to calm people down and provide them with a sense of assurance that the surgery will be alright.
Stay happy and good luck with the next week!
July 3, 2012 at 8:12 am
Hi Graham
I just want to say thanks all the way from South Africa. I promise you, your blog calmed me down and definitely had awesome tips. You deserve an award or something because you helping thousands and in future millions!! I’m on week 1 so here’s to the next 5 months and 3 weeks!!
Cheers
July 1, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Hi Claire,
I would advise you to take 4 weeks off before returning to school. I know I was unable to speak for about 3 weeks, and I certainly didn’t have the energy to make it through a day of classes after only 10 days. However, the choice is yours. You’ll survive—it’ll just be difficult for the first couple of weeks.
I experienced no pain at all when I had my wisdom teeth extracted, but many people swell up like marshmallows. The surgery is more invasive than having your wisdom teeth taken out, but if you survived that procedure, you’ll have no problem surviving jaw surgery. =)
June 30, 2012 at 9:56 pm
Hi Graham,
Thank you so much for this blog it has been so helpful! I am 16 and I am having double jaw surgery this fall because my lower jaw is too far back- I guess it stopped growing too early, and I have trouble breathing. I am TERRIFIED mostly because I am so afraid of blood and needles and such but this blog has helped calm a lot of my fears especially about the pain and I’m feeling a bit better. My questions for you is about timing. My surgery is tentatively scheduled for 4 days before Christmas right now so that I will not have to miss school but I just think it would be horribly depressing to do it at that time of year and my surgeon said I would only need a week to 10 days after surgery before I could go back to school so if that’s true, having it earlier during the year would be a possibility but I am a little worried about having a giant, swollen face at school and trying to keep up with my work. What would you recommend in my situation, knowing that I want to get it done as soon as possible but I also do not want to become overwhelmed? Also, have you had your wisdom teeth taken out and how does that compare to surgery? I know it is nowhere near the same but that is the only similar thing I have ever experienced and I would like to gauge my level of discomfort as best as I can so I will know what to expect. Thanks so much!!
June 29, 2012 at 10:07 am
Hi Mark,
I’m glad my experiences are shedding some light on what you can expect during your daughter’s recovery. She may be slightly disheartened at first, but remind her to find comfort in the fact that every day will be easier than the one before it.
Cheers!
June 28, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Thanks for your response Graham! I must say that I have been impressed with my recovery and are quite happy at the moment. Day 6 Post-op and I feel completely normal. The only thing different from normal is the diet which is slowly becoming into soft food (but mainly still soups) and my speech which is pretty good/clear but not normal. I do have some moderate pain sometimes from the 4 wisdom teeth I had out but paracetamol seems to fix that. I have taken many of your tips on board, especially the movie one! Thanks again Graham.
June 28, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Wow Graham still answering questions 27 months after your op …just fantastic….my daughter (18) had double jaw op this morning and I found the site tonight…cannot say how useful it is just to at least try and understand some of the things she is and will be going through…I already knew the technical stuff but perhaps not the practical stuff…have no doubt this will help me help her a little bit more…Thanks
June 24, 2012 at 6:04 am
Hi Rob,
These first 2 weeks are going to be the most frustrating for you due to the inability to eat and communicate. My only advice is to watch lots of movies, go for walks every single day, and try to eat and drink as much as possible to provide your body with the energy it needs to heal.
You’ll come out of this experience on top, my friend. I’m here if you feel the need to rant. =)
June 24, 2012 at 5:52 am
Karen, I would start with soft foods such as pasta and soup. Try eating Kraft Dinner and Chunky soup. Let your pain be your guide. The only foods I would avoid for the first little while are nuts, raw vegetables (steam them to soften them up), and chewy meats such as steak.
June 23, 2012 at 11:29 pm
Thanks for you blog Graham. I just had my lower jaw advanced yesterday and I must say just readIng this blog gave me a bit of a frieght in terms of recovery times however I hear it all turns out for the best. I was a bit worried however when I started vommitting blood at least 6 times after the surgery. Any tips to help me get through the next couple of tough weeks? Thanks
June 11, 2012 at 12:42 pm
what should I start eating? I am on day 54, and I should start chewing soon, but I don’t know where to start.
June 11, 2012 at 2:15 am
Hi Chrissy,
Since your mouth, tongue, and lips are all numb, you’re going to drool quite often for the first couple of weeks. Just make sure you have a cloth or paper towel with you at all times and you should be alright. =)
June 10, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Hi I had jaw surgery on Thursday I am 16years old and I am wondering if u had any problems with spit(salivia) I seem to have a lot.
June 4, 2012 at 12:24 am
Hi again, Joe!
I removed my head dressing on the third day when I went home. Everything feels weak and unstable, but you’ll be okay as long as you’re careful.
I didn’t attempt brushing until my 1-week appointment with my surgeon. I’d wait for their go-ahead before brushing.
All the best!
June 3, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Hey Graham, it’s Joe, again. Looks like I’ll be frequenting your blog a lot more now and bringing questions with me as I do so now that I’ve officially begun the recovery process!
When did you take off your headband? I still have mine wrapped around my head from the day of the surgery and I would like to wash up and breathe a bit better if I may. It doesn’t feel “right” if I take it off, though…like not enough support, you know? Not that I know what jaw support is supposed to feel like…
Also, I haven’t yet attempted to brush my teeth…Everything looks so scary inside my mouth…I can’t imagine how I’m going to stick a toothbrush in there! Gah. Any tips or tricks?
Thanks, as always!