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.
December 7, 2012 at 4:25 am
Hi Graham, first of all, i just want to thank you for having such a wonderful blog because it really helps me and i am sure many others who might otherwise feel anxious and hopeless at times. I am writing from Taiwan, WOO HOO. Am i your most distant blog fan? Anyway, i had my surgery 34 days ago, but who is counting. I am still not used to the way i look but i am trying to learn to love it. Anyway, i just want to give a shout out to thank you for this blog. It would be so great if your blog is in every language possible because i couldn’t really find any blog in the magnitude and details like your blog in my native language, mandarin that is.
December 7, 2012 at 9:05 am
Damien, I’m glad you found the site useful! I think you very well may be my most distant fan, yeah! I should really consider translating these posts into the common popular tongues, shouldn’t I? Thanks for the suggestion and good luck with the last couple of months of your recovery. See you in Taiwan one day, hey? Woohoo!
December 5, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Josh, correct and correct. your underbith will get a little bit worse but neither you not your close friends/family/people that see you once a month will realize it because it changes so slowly.
December 5, 2012 at 12:20 pm
Hey! I was just wondering if you NEED to have braces before jaw surgery? And when you got your braces for the required time before the jaw surgery, did your underbite get worse?? Was it substantial? Thanks!
December 6, 2012 at 7:26 am
Josh, most orthodontists recommend having braces before the surgery to put your teeth in a workable position for the surgeon. Usually, the braces will create small gaps in your teeth so the surgeon has an easy place to cut into your jawbone, but those gaps will be closed with braces after the surgery is complete. I didn’t notice my underbite growing more noticeable with the braces, so, as Juan Carlos mentioned, you needn’t worry about that. Go for a consultation and see what your surgeon recommends.
December 5, 2012 at 8:04 am
Hey Graham, its Juan Carlos from Venezuela again! I was supposed to get jaw surgery today, actually, I should be under surgery at this very moment. Friday night a had a terrible car accident with two of my friends, I was driving, i had some eye trouble, almost lost it but now its ok. I lost THREE TEETH, for which I already got implants and need to wait a week for them to heal to get the actual teeth on. Some bruces all over my buddy but that’s not to worry. My surgeon, who is the same who putted my implants for my new teeth, re eschudualed my surgery for the 17th. Ill get you know how it goes! Thanks
December 6, 2012 at 7:21 am
Juan Carlos, that’s crazy! I’m glad you’re okay, man! I guess it couldn’t have happened at a better time considering you were already on you way to having dental work performed, right? Good luck on the 17th and stay safe until then! =)
November 26, 2012 at 6:05 pm
Hello!
Do you have any remedies to get rid of the bitter medicine taste while drinking on liquid health supplements? 🙁
November 27, 2012 at 1:20 am
Hi Hazel. My only suggestion is to shift from supplements to smoothies. That way, you get to enjoy the taste of strawberries and bananas while still being healthy!
November 25, 2012 at 9:32 am
Hi Graham! This site has been a life-saver for me. I am 38 days post-op from having both lower jaw surgery and surgical palate expansion. It’s been the BEST info I have found on what to expect every day and reminds me that I am not unusual or going crazy! Unfortunately I am in the “I’m so done with this” and “What was I thinking?” phase. I just know there is a day in the future where my chin/lower lip won’t be numb or experiencing that oh-so-constant tingling. I day when I won’t be tired of being tired. 🙂
I am now trying to chew soft foods but unfortunately I seem to have forgotten how to…an odd concept to explain to family and friends.
Anyway, THANKS for taking the time to have this site. You have made a tremendous impact and as odd as it may sound…I don’t know what I would have done without it.
November 25, 2012 at 10:54 am
I’m glad my daily rambling has helped you along, Pam! I remember going through emotional battles similar to what you’re experiencing right now, so know that you are not alone! You’ll be nearly back to normal by Christmas time, my friend!
November 24, 2012 at 8:19 pm
Hey thanks for you reply 🙂
I tend to only have 2/3 days of lectures a week so I think I should be ok, I could always just go to the really important ones and ask my tutors to send me information on ones that I miss,
Haha I guess messy kissing won’t be good prob best that I wait till am not dribbling haha although he will hate this !!
And as for the weight I don’t know my natural weight as I put weight on due to contraceptive measures so hopefully I will lose more,
Again thank you for your advice but another question, does everyone have to have a catheter do you know ?? I think I am more worried about this and a needle being out in my hand than the actual operation haha 🙂 xx
November 24, 2012 at 10:24 pm
Jaydien, not everyone requires a catheter. To be honest, I’m not even sure why they gave me one, considering the operation is only a few hours long. Most people have said they didn’t need one, so it must be a surgeon-specific decision.
November 21, 2012 at 2:56 pm
Im confused about choosing the surgeon. I have my surgery planned for december but i found out that my surgeon is only 4 years experienced in this field and also his ratings are very bad. Should i choose another doc? And also i want to get a good surgeon, what is considered as one?
November 21, 2012 at 11:46 pm
Chelse, this is something I’m unable to help you out with. My surgeon has been in the business for over a decade, but I’m not sure if that’s worth any more than 4 years’ experience is. The most important things to note are whether or not they make you feel confident and comfortable (and are honest up front about the risk of losing feeling in parts of your face) and whether people have made negative claims about them. If you know of someone who had a bad experience with this surgeon, I would speak with them and make an informed decision based on that.
November 18, 2012 at 8:31 am
Hi Graham,
I am now approximately 5 months post op. My sensation has returned to nearly all my face however half my lower lip and chin (exactly to left of midline) is stil totally numb. Is it likely that I’ve lost sensation to this part of my face for good?
November 18, 2012 at 11:52 pm
Sam, that’s the exact same spot I lost feeling. There are cases where feeling returns up to two years later, but chances are if it’s not back by now, it’s going to be permanent. You will grow used to it very quickly, though, I promise. I don’t even notice I’m numb in those areas any longer. =)
November 18, 2012 at 11:52 pm
Sam, that’s the exact same spot I lost feeling. There are cases where feeling returns up to two years later, but chances are if it’s not back by now, it’s going to be permanent. You will grow used to it very quickly, though, I promise. I don’t even notice I’m numb in those areas any longer. =)
November 14, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Hi, firstly just want to say a masssiiivvveee thanks for you posting your story of what you went through as It has helped me think more about mine, I just received my date for my op 12th April, I am sooooo excited but at the same time nervous (of course what human wouldn’t be) I am from the uk so lucky my op is free I am also having the same surgery as you ad no one has mentioned about a catheter to me, although I am in the uk I am sure their wont be any major differences to what will happen but I have a few questions hope you don’t mind,
Firstly I am at university studying nursing and our course is a lot more intense than other courses I only have 7weeks of in a year compared to about 4 months like the other students here, I am having y surgery 3 days before I have two weeks leave from Uni which is so lucky do you think after these two weeks I will be able to return to lectures ?? I know everyone is different but if I miss certain lectures I fail my course instantly, so I am scared that I won’t be able to carry on my studying.
Also how long roughly was you numb for ?? My boyfriend is in the army and will just be getting back from Afghanistan when I have my op and I want to be able to kiss him after 6 months of being apart hahaha, proberly not going to happen but just curios 🙂
I am quiet happy at the idea of losing weight as I been trying for ages as nothing seems to work but I am crap at working out lb into stone ?? How much in stones roughly did you lose ??
Also how regular where your orthodontic and sergical oppintment a after your op ?? As I live quite far from my home and it costs me a lot to travel back and I am a poor student haha !!
Can’t think of anything else at the moment but again thanks so much for you diary of your recovery soooooo helpful 🙂 xx
November 15, 2012 at 12:38 am
Hi Jaydien,
After only two weeks, you’ll likely still be unable to communicate clearly or focus for an entire day of lectures. You may need to take an additional week away from university. I went back to work after only two weeks and ended up with headaches each day for another 4–5 days. Since lectures are short, though, you may be alright.
I was numb for about two months. Your kisses may just be messy, haha! 😛
As for weight loss, chances are you’ll only lose weight until you’re at your natural weight. For most people, this equates to about half a stone.
My checkups following surgery occurred roughly every week, but every surgeon is different. You’ll have to ask your surgeon and orthodontist on this one.
Happy to hear you have a date booked. This will all be behind you soon!
October 16, 2012 at 11:15 pm
Hey Graham, I recently had Double Jaw surgery (im 18 by the way), i was born with a cleff pallet, which stunted the growth of my top jaw, so i had to have surgery. they said i had a class 3 severe underbite (i think that is the worst) my recovery went great, i drank a whole lot of water before the surgery, i ended up lossing 15 lbs. recovery sucked, oh well. Any advice to others if they are contemplating on getting the surgery, GET THE SURGERY. BEST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE. totally worth it. you will surely regret it for the rest of yourlife if you dont do it. i love to run, so when the doc said i could run and eat normal food, i jumped right into it. after running and eating normal ive been getting stomach aches when i run. the pains are similar to, for example, you eating lasagna 10 min before you run a hardcore workout. and it feels like you are going to puke it up. that is what it feels like. the doctor said that i have acid reflux but said it is temporary. i was wondering if you have heard of this before? and how long will it take to go away?
October 17, 2012 at 3:25 am
Hi CJ,
I’m glad you found the surgery to be a benefit in your life. I’m always happy when people can look back and be proud of their decisions.
As for your stomach pains, I really have no credible insight to provide. My guess is that, since you’ve been restricted to soft foods for several weeks, your stomach isn’t ready for rich foods again yet. I’m guessing that it will go away over the next few weeks, but try adjusting your diet to be more lean and see if that helps.
Best of luck, my friend!
October 13, 2012 at 9:54 am
Just an update on my journey. My first lower jaw surgery was deemed unsuccessful, despite the use of plates and perfect alignment during the procedure. When I woke up, my lower jaw had shifted out of alignment. So, I was informed that I had to go back exactly 1 week later for another operation. Unfortunately, the same thing happened with the misalignment – the surgeon blamed it on a muscle contracting. So, guess what, they recommended a third attempt. This one was done in the surgeon’s office rather than hospital which was good. Basically, he removed the plates and screws, adjusted the alignment since the bone was still very malleable and then wired my jaws together to maintain the alignment – not taking any chances this time with that muscle. So , I have been relegated to drinking my meals through a syringe through gaps where a few teeth are missing. Lost 16 lbs to date, but after 10 days, my weight has stabilized and i haven’t spoken since the the 3rd procedure. Some people may be happy about me not speaking, but seriously I have taken to doing webex and conf calls under the moniker, The Silent One. I basically have to write my responses to questions. My work associates have been very accommodating, which is great.
I am hoping to get the wires off on this coming Wednesday, which will be a month since this journey began and 2 weeks with wires.
It is worth noting that I has the best surgeon and Orthodontist in the Philadelphia area, so it wasn’t a lack of talent. It has been a hugely frustrating process and while I continue to believe the benefit of aligning my teeth and also addressing my sleep apnea will outweigh this situation, anyone contemplating surgery should be aware that there may be some bumps in the road. Keep a positive attitude and hang in there is all we can do.
October 13, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Michael, I hope your situation improves, my friend. Having to return for follow-up surgeries is never enjoyable, but I trust that this will all work out for the best. I can fully sympathize with the whole syringe game—frustrating! I wish you a strong recovery from this point forward. =)
October 12, 2012 at 8:53 am
Hi LAURA, i’ve only just read your response thanks for that, im now nearly 5weeks post op now, im talking so much better and i’ve started chewing! 😀 the 1st week was a nightmare having only liquid diet. I spoke to my surgen and. He said tht i can eat anything i want just to be sensible with it. An doesnt need to see me for 6 months now. So its back to my orthadontist once a week now. My lower lip an chin are still numb as anything but its been itching and tingerling like crazy and its supposed to be a sign of the nerves repairing so thats good. My swelling on the other hand is non existant now well there is a minor bit but nothing noticable. Which is great news and my bruising was gone by the end of the 4th week. Even though i only had my lower jaw done to fix my overbite im recovering quite well an im back to my normal self. Id just like to point out i didnt pay a penny for this since it all started when i was 17 but had braces for years now so its taken a while to get surgury done. Here in the uk its free if your under 18. Saved myself £6000 by the sounds of it lol but for anyone who is going to undertake surgury any time soon. The 1st week/ 2 weeks you will hate but slowely but surely u will get back to yourself and feel a lot better. Im still recovering but i just finished a mcdonalds fish burger after near on 5 weeks post op. i cant complain. Good luck all! Thanks for your responses. 😀
October 10, 2012 at 12:11 pm
Hi, This website is great!
I had my upper jaw moved forward and the lower jaw moved back, this was on the 21/09/12 and im still quite swolen. How long till it goes down?
October 10, 2012 at 3:37 pm
Abbie, your swelling will stick around in a big way for a couple of months post-op. Residual swelling should be gone by the 4-month mark.
October 2, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Hey thanks a lot Graham…Yep at this point I cannot seem to change the wedding date..They said they will remove the braces. Well let’s see what they tell me today about the wafer. But the swelling part they say would be gone and as you say little bit would be there. Well my point was that I always wanted this before my wedding and kinda delayed my wedding too but now I guess God has other plans for me so lets see..By when does the swelling go. Braces I have a 6 months or so post surgery orthodontics to be carried out. Usually in photos the braces donot show currently..but well now lets see..I am soo scared and confused.. :S
October 2, 2012 at 5:11 am
Hi Graham…your website seems like a blessing..I have been under orthodontics treatment since the last two and half years , i am 26 so they said the movement of my teeth was slow as previously the surgery was supposed to be done 1.5 yrs post orthodontics, however ive had my rounds with the surgeon now and given a tentative date of 06/10/2012 for a maxillary and mandibular osteotomy, they say they would move my upper jaw backward, as currently it is in an overbite position and then bring my lower jaw forward for the perfect bite. As i also have incompetent lips, they would be cuttin a section there or giving a flare near the nose or so…not sure.. I have been advised to take leave for four weeks from work and theyve assured me that i’ll be okay in the next 6-8 weeks..My main concern with regard to the delay in surgery is that I have my wedding planned in the second week of December 2012 (ceremeonies start from the first week )and at this point in time I cant post pone it any further, nor would want to.. so yes i am quite worried and having faith in the Dr. would do me good…but what would you suggest.. I have been waiting for this surgery all this while, fought with family, n very bravely took all my decisions, and I really hoped that I’d be lookin good for the wedding pics….not that i look v bad in my exisiting state…but obviously you always want the best. I would like your advise on this and some fast recovery tips if any.
Lastly, the surgeons are working on my wafer and they said if they have any doubt over the distance..even a bit…they would call off the surgery and continue my orthodontics…maybe remove the braces during the wedding time and then again. They said they do not want to risk it. I say God is Great.
Do let me know your views on this when free… thanks… and sorry for the long long msg but am sure You will understand. 🙂
October 2, 2012 at 6:51 am
Hi Fiona,
If your surgery is in a few days and your wedding is taking place during the second week of December, that gives you roughly 9 weeks to recover before the big day. You’ll be talking, eating, and living a fairly normal life again by that point, but you’ll most definitely still have your braces on and you’ll still be a little swollen as well. I’m not sure if your orthodontist should be removing your braces that close to the operation (even if only for a single day).
The fact of the matter is that there’s never a good time to undergo this surgery—it’s always going to interfere with something. I would advice you to keep your wedding planned (because that’s an important day for you). If you’re okay with braces and having a little bit of swelling in your photos, you should be okay. If you’re set on having a brace-free smile for your photos, you may want to consider having the surgery after your wedding and having your orthodontist remove your braces for your special day in December.
Best of luck, and let me know what you decide to do! =)
September 30, 2012 at 1:49 am
What were people reactions when they saw you after you recovered ? Like people that you know, but don’t hang out with. Did they notice you ? Ask questions ? Or just acted normal ? Etc.
September 30, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Shay, people noticed the shape of my face was a little different, but they definitely recognized me. Everyone in my social circle was well aware I had underwent the operation due to this blog, so I can’t say I encountered anyone who simply noticed the change without being forewarned. People didn’t treat me any differently, though. You will still look like you!
September 29, 2012 at 7:40 pm
HI Graham,
In my darkest days of my double jaw surgery, your blog and your humor kept me hopeful, thank you! I am now 35 days post op and my face is still somewhat swollen. I know that this will pass, but what I am a bit worried about is the shape of my nose, it looks bigger, or wider… I really can’t tell which, but is different. Did your nose change after the surgery? I am really hoping is just the swelling, I really liked my former nose and hope to get it back.
September 30, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Jessica, the shape of your face, nose included, has changed, but I promise you will get used to it. I felt the same way during my recovery. Once your swelling goes down, the parts of your face will fit back into place quite nicely. Remember that you are your own worst critic. Don’t pass any judgements on yourself until the full 3 months are completed. =)
September 23, 2012 at 4:29 pm
Well, its been 4 days since my lower jaw surgery. Swelling is quite bad, although getting better every day. Still numb, but starting to feel tingling here and there. Liquid diet has been a challenge, but my wife has made some very interesting smoothies and milkshakes. Still have bands on since there still appears to be some misalignment. I am hopeful the surgeries are done, but in any event, I am glad that I went through the process (upper jaw surgery last year) and orthodontics for the last 3 years. If you are thinking about this type of surgery, get the best team around you and go forward.
September 24, 2012 at 12:46 am
Michael, glad to hear you’re on the road to recovery now! You’re lucky you have a loving lady who is trying to keep your diet interesting despite your inability to chew. Smoothies will be your best friend for the first couple of weeks. Good luck and stay positive!
September 22, 2012 at 9:36 pm
hi hello my surgery puddys
any numb gums at 6.5 weeks…?
this is getting old 🙁 wanting to go gack to normal more then anything….
September 23, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Laura, I was still quite numb up until the two-month mark. I never experienced numb gums, but I would imagine those nerves heal the same as any others. Even though it’s frustrating, try not to worry until you’re made it to three months post-op. I have faith your feeling will return! =)