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 16, 2016 at 9:58 am
Hello everyone, I am 9 days post op. On day 7, my elastics were removed and the surgical tech showed me how to take them on and off. My doctor also put me on soft foods only one week after. I’m taking it easy daily but I’m told that I am recovering rather quickly. My swelling is minimal. My family has stopped pampering me because they believe I’m 100% but I’m not. The only thing I do not like is putting the bands back on, it’s truly a mission.
December 30, 2016 at 6:35 pm
Hi CC, I had my double jaw surgery on the 6th December, so the day before yours! Just thought it might be fun to compare recoveries… Well maybe fun is the wrong word, but at least insightful, maybe? I also started eating soft food really soon after my surgery (I had mashed potatoes and gravy on the fifth day and it was heaven after days and days of only liquids). I’ve also been told that I’m recovering really quickly – my surgeon told me that my op couldn’t have gone any better and the nurses in hospital were impressed with how much and well I was able to talk on the days following the surgery. I’m also finding the elastic bands a bit of a struggle but the thing I’m struggling most with is my appearance. I don’t think my surgery was too extreme in terms of actual movement (top jaw was moved forwards 3mm and the bottom jaw moved back 3mm) but I feel like, probably due more to swelling at this stage, my face has changed really dramatically. I’m curious about how much you feel your face has changed and what your feelings are towards it: positive, negative? Hope you’re doing well and I’d love to hear back from you ☺️
February 8, 2017 at 11:48 pm
Where do you have your surgery done? Is it anything to do with surgeon for your recovery?
December 30, 2017 at 8:55 pm
It’s strange, one of my least worries is the way I look after surgery (when the swelling has gone down). My underbite isn’t that bad but my chin sticks out when I smile, so the surgery will fix that. However, I think they also have to move my upper jaw forwards. I wonder, does this bring the whole top half of your face forwards? I already have a long nose, and was wondering if this would make it appear even more projected.
Hope you have recovered fully.
December 9, 2016 at 6:55 pm
Hello everyone 🤗 Just want to share my experience from double jaw surgery… today marks my 1 yr post op and let me tell you it’s been a roller coaster of emotions 😐 I wish I could say I had a perfect outcome but sad to say I didn’t! I was 35 when I had the surgery, I’m happy with my bite but I wished I knew more in detailed about certain risks like loosing your sense of taste!! That is probably the worst thing that happen to me… it has totally change my life and for that reason I do regret the surgery… I’m still very numb on my chin and lip and also my gums are very sensitive even when I floss or brush my teeth, that’s also a bummer 😒 I think I would of been fine with the permanent numbness but not the gums hurting the way the do!!! I don’t want to discourage anyone but I just want to tell my experience and what it did to me so people could be aware that could happen!! I went to a highly oral surgeon from UCSF in San Francisco but even him with a lot of years of experience things could go wrong!! Now Im trying to adjust to my new life with no sense of taste… good luck to anyone going trough this journey and wish you the very best on your recovery 🙂
December 10, 2016 at 11:44 am
Rachel, so sorry to hear about the problems this surgery left you with. ☹️ I do want to thank you for sharing your experience. It’s important for others to be informed of the risks before making the decision of whether or not to have this surgery and comments like yours certainly help with that.
I’m a bit confused as to your loss of taste, though. I’ve always understood taste buds to be on one’s tongue and I can’t think of any part of this surgery that damages the tongue. Did your surgeon provide any explanation for this?
December 10, 2016 at 11:37 pm
Hi Graham!!
He said that they are some nerves that control your sense of taste that could get cut, bruised druing the procedure… he said is also common when you get your wisdom teeth pull out too.. he told me he also had1 other person that happen the same thing…He had me go to a ENT specialist which he did a CT scan to see if it was coming from me sinus or around me nose but I pass all the test on sense of smell but not for the taste and he also agree that it was my my nerve from my taste was compromised during the surgery and he don’t know if I ever will get it back 😞 I have seen a few people in other chats experience the same!! So I does happen but I guess not that offen 😒 So yeah it’s been really hard for me but I try to take things one thing at a time and hope and pray that some day would return to normal 🙏🏼
December 30, 2017 at 9:00 pm
Thank you for sharing your experience, as I had no idea this was a risk. This makes me more scared to have the surgery and I don’t know what I’m going to do. I think I will ask the question about how common this is and how it occurs.
Is the numbness distracting, or do you get used to it? Do the gums only hurt if touched (so you can still get on with your day without them hurting)? And is your sense of taste completely gone, or a bit duller?
On the plus side, I’ve always eaten too much and I think it would be easier to eat healthily with taste making no difference. But I’m very sorry this happened to you.
You say that this can happen in wisdom teeth surgery – I had this, and luckily survived with no long-term effects.
December 9, 2016 at 12:43 pm
I had double jaw surgery on 30 November and honestly I was scared to death. We live 1.5 hours from where my surgery was so that was another concerns especially had there been issues. Surgery lasted 3.5 hours and went very well. As of Tuesday, I stopped all pain meds (I was only taking them 1x a day) and other than the numbness and feeling like I got a bad batch of botox..I feel fine. Still tired some but that’s to be expected. I did smoothies, applesauce, yogurt, pudding and soup. Waiting on my doctor to call so I can ask about eating other things (not steak or carrots) but like noodle casserole or macaroni 😁 The major reason for my surgery was that I had between 35-40% airflow in my trachea..my lower jaw was crushing it. I honestly feel great!! Good luck to anyone who is considering this…do as the doctors say and you should be fine.
December 10, 2016 at 11:33 am
Tammie, glad to hear you’re doing well! If you’re this positive after 10 days of recovery, you’ll have no problem with the remainder of it. It only gets easier from here! I hope you’re given the green light to eat soft foods soon as well. All the best! 😊
February 9, 2017 at 11:47 pm
Does your surgery involve expanding the upper jaw? I am thinking the recovery process may tougher for people who have upper jaw expansion. welcome everyone feedback.
December 8, 2016 at 4:44 pm
Hi, I had double jaw surgery in January for sleep apnea, this fixed the problem but left me with an open bite. I had surgery on the top jaw and plate removal on the bottom jaw four weeks ago. It went well initially but then problems started occurring and on an X-ray it showed I had broken the two plates either side of my nose. The jaw is essentially hanging lose in the middle and pulling on the plates either side. They are going to redo the surgery, reposition and replace everything as a matter of urgency but I’ve no idea what caused it in the first place and my surgeon has said he’s never had it before. Have you ever heard of this ?
December 9, 2016 at 7:29 am
Ian, that sounds frustrating… very sorry to hear you’re dealing with this. I’ve never heard of plates “breaking” before. They are usually made of a strong metal such as titanium, so I’m not sure how they could possibly break unless there was extreme pressure on them. Did your surgeon provide any possible reasons for this happening?
December 9, 2016 at 8:26 am
No, he was quite honest and open and said he’d never seen it before. He did state that they were very strong and well manufactured, and the same as my first op which was fine. It seems to be a mystery. He said he will send them off to be checked after he removes them, and they might see something when they are in there that explains it.
I haven’t found anyone who’s heard of it before, although I suppose there’s got to be a first for everything.
December 10, 2016 at 11:31 am
It’s true that there is a first for everything. I’m interested to hear what caused the breakage. In any case, here’s to hoping this is all fixed and in your past soon! 😊
December 11, 2016 at 11:19 am
Thanks, I’ll let you know if I find a reason for it all.
December 9, 2016 at 2:51 pm
Hi Ian,
I had double jaw surgery a year ago and had complications too! My top jaw hasn’t healed so similar to you… my jaw is loose but hanging by the four plates. They are going to reportage with a bone graft from my hip but my original surgeon has never seen this complication before so I’ve found a surgeon with more experience. Although this means I’m bottom of the waiting list. It’s been a year since my first operation and I’m still waiting 🙁
December 9, 2016 at 3:31 pm
Hi Becky,
I’m so sorry to hear that your recovery went badly and that you had to wait so long for your next operation. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to live with that for a year, I do hope you get an op date soon. I think I’ll have a similar op as you as they talked about a bone graft from the hip as well. Just a mystery as to how I managed to break two titanium plates by sleeping and watching tv.
December 30, 2017 at 9:04 pm
How do they take a bone graft from your hip? Is it painful? I need a bone graft in my jaw which is shrinking because they removed my molars without telling me about the effect it would have. I’m alarmed at the idea, and read about receiving a cows’ bone graft instead.
It’s worrying that you have to go on a waiting list for what sounds serious. I am in the UK and the NHS is being cut so much that the waiting lists are very long. I’m afraid if anything goes wrong with my jaw surgery that my health would be left hanging in the balance, another reason I’m wary about going through with it.
Hope you have recovered.
December 2, 2016 at 11:41 am
I got double jaw surgery, due to a severe overbite . Im still not sure how im suppose to bite since i woke up with my jaw just “hanging around” being held together by only one rubber band on each side, beside the canine area. is that normal?
December 3, 2016 at 12:33 am
Hector, it is normal for your jaw to be held in place with elastics during recovery. If you had the surgery recently, you’ll have to survive on a liquid diet for the first few weeks until you have the strength to chew soft food (such as potatoes and pasta) again. Your surgeon should be able to tell you when you’ll be able to eat soft food again. Hang in there! 😊
November 24, 2016 at 3:28 am
Hi sir. im having a double jaw surgery on this 1 december which is on next week. im super scared as i read some ppl said double jaw surgery has high risks. im scared if something bad happen to me. and i wanna know how long is ur surgery? my surgeon expected that my surgery will be 7hrs long. im super scared so do u have any tips how to calm down and not to think about it too much? im sorry for my english, i dont speak english. i hope u’ll reply to this.
November 24, 2016 at 4:02 am
Hi qirra,
I’ve had double jaw surgery and a follow up surgery on my upper jaw to fix an open bite. It’s a big surgery, it feels like a high risk surgery but it’s really not. Everyone feels scared going in but try and focus on the little things, packing your overnight bag, getting to the hospital, your fasting etc etc, once your at the hospital you sign a few forms and get changed into the gown and socks and that’s your part done. They will take care of the rest (7hours to them will feel like seconds to you), personally I woke up thinking that ‘it’s done’ all the worry about should I, shouldn’t I vanished. And I have no regrets about the operation. Hope this helps and best of luck.
February 9, 2017 at 11:58 pm
Hi Ian,
Did you have upper jaw expension?
February 9, 2017 at 11:58 pm
Hi Ian,
Did you have upper jaw expension since your recovery is quick?
November 21, 2016 at 8:41 pm
How much time will take to heal the gums after lower jaw surgery? How we identify whether the gums started to heal or not?
Today is 28th day of my surgery .Some areas around the stiches are red colour even though there is not any bleeding. Is there any chance of infections?
Pls anybody have information about this?
November 21, 2016 at 11:55 pm
Ajitha, gums heal at a different pace for each person, but as long as you don’t have constant throbbing pain, you should not need to worry. If you do feel constant pain in your gums, you may have an infection and should call your surgeon’s office right away to have it checked out. If not, I would just ask about your gums during your next scheduled visit. 😊
November 22, 2016 at 12:56 am
Thanks for reply Graham.
November 20, 2016 at 8:26 pm
Hi,
Today is 27th day after my lower jaw reduction surgery(BSSO). The bones are placed together with the help of titanium plates and screws.I need to know whether the bones started to fuse together or still they are in the place with the help of screw.
Anybody have idea about this. Pls help me?
November 20, 2016 at 10:41 pm
Hi Ajitha,
It’s a bit of both. Your jaw has definitely started to fuse together again, but it would fall apart again without the screws/plates. Even with the hardware, you need to keep taking it very easy for several more months. You bone will eventually grow over the plates and screws, but that won’t be done for a few more months.
-RC
November 21, 2016 at 3:15 am
Thanks for reply
yesterday i brushed my teeth with some pressure in the molar area. Is there any problem with this? And also some times i sleep with side face on pillow unknowingly. I feel worried that whether this affect the joining of bones?
November 20, 2016 at 3:41 am
Hi Graham
I have been considering surgery for a while now to correct my underbite. It isn’t so severe that I can’t chew or speak properly, it’s more of a cosmetic issue for me as I am not happy with my smile and wish to get veneers and can only do so once I’ve had the surgery.
My question is, how long does your jaw remain entirely shut? I am prone to nausea and vomiting and am really worried to have my jaw shut for a lengthy period because I don’t believe vomiting with a shut jaw would be extremely pleasant.
Kind Regards
Jaco
November 21, 2016 at 12:07 am
Jaco, surgeons don’t actually wire your jaw closed these days. Instead, they wrap tight elastics around your braces to hold everything in place. Usually these elastics are in place for up to one month, after which time you may remove them for eating, brushing your teeth, etc.
That being said, some patients do vomit during the first few days following surgery due to swallowing some of the residual blood in their mouths. However, even though your teeth are held together with elastics, vomit will still escape through the spaces behind your molars thanks to the pressure behind it. So while it may be uncomfortable, there’s no reason to worry about choking on vomit or anything of the sort. Also, the majority of patients do not vomit and nurses will usually give you something to settle your stomach right after the operation, so the odds are in your favor. Hope this helps. 😊
November 21, 2016 at 12:30 am
Hi Jaco
I had underbite surgery 6 months ago (upper jaw only) and I was worried about being sick too as I’m that sort of person who is sick easily. I was sick twice afterwards and it was fine. I was still under the pain relief so wasn’t worried and it was over in a second. I was given an anti sickness drug and wasn’t sick again. There was no reaching or pain (felt more like I hiccuped!). You will be fine, take care, Mel 🙂
November 6, 2016 at 12:21 am
Hi!
I’m now 3 weeks post op double jaw surgery, and wondering what are the best ways to reduce swelling?!
Most of it has subsided but it seems to have come to a standstill and still unable to close my mouth comfortably (I think it’s still swollen on the inside??)
And have an event coming up this weekend and wondering what are the best ways to reduce the last bits of swelling to look as ‘normal’ as possible???
p.s. I know the swelling takes months to reduce fully 🙂
November 6, 2016 at 2:06 am
Lacey, unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to reduce swelling. You can keep it at bay by speaking less throughout the day, but that will also cause your movement to return more slowly since you won’t be exercising the muscles in your jaw as much. You can also apply an ice pack a few times each day, but at the 3-week mark, this will have little effect. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you may just have to embrace your swelling for another month or so. 😊
November 23, 2016 at 8:47 pm
Heat helps with the swelling.
November 4, 2016 at 12:13 am
Hey guys…just an update…I was scheduled to have my surgery but the surgeon said I wasn’t quite ready….I need to have an open bite on one side move more before surgery . Anyways, surgery was preapproved by insurance and now we are changing insurance companies so I’m super nervous about the new coverage….My question is how far were anyone’s jaws moved during surgery? From the coverage I’m seeing a need for 5mm I think and I was wondering if anyone could give me a link to see some pics if you had a movement that far? -I haven’t been back to the ortho and am not sure how far they are planning to move mine, but was just looking for some pics to calm my anxiety about insurance coverage. Hoping surgery comes soon and all goes well! – thanks for all the great feedback in advance!!
November 4, 2016 at 8:54 am
Gina, I sadly cannot remember my exact measurements from surgery, but you may want to ask this question in the chat group as well. There are many people in there who have just started their recovery, so this information is probably fresh in their minds. 😊
November 3, 2016 at 10:28 pm
Hello everyone 😁 I’m 11 months postop and I was wondering when does your gums get feeling back? It still feels very numb and some areas are very sensitive even at this point.. if anyone could answer that would be helpful 😊🤗
November 4, 2016 at 8:49 am
Rachel, the majority of your feeling should have returned within 6 months, so it’s possible you may have permanent loss of feeling in the areas that are still feeling numb. You can still remain hopeful as I’ve met people who received feeling back even 2 years after surgery, but know that this is rare. Sorry for the suboptimal news, but I want to provide an honest answer for your question. 😊
November 4, 2016 at 9:54 pm
Aww man 😔 That sucks! But thanks for your honest response!
October 31, 2016 at 10:25 pm
So I had double jaw surgery back in May and I’m having quite a bit of discomfort. My right side hurts when I move it to the side and it pops and grinds when i chew or just open my mouth. I haven’t seen my oral surgeon since August. But, I’ve been going to my orthodontist and I was wearing 2 small rubber bands. I told him about the pain last month and he has me wearing the biggest rubber band only on my left side. It still hurts though. I go back to see my oral surgeon in December. Should I wait to tell him then or should I get ahold of him soon?
November 1, 2016 at 12:08 pm
Hannah, I recommend calling your surgeon and asking to move your appointment to a closer date. Mention that you’re feeling chronic pain and that your jaw is making popping and grinding noises when you open and close your mouth. If they say your appointment cannot be moved, that is okay, but there’s no harm in trying to get in a bit sooner. I hope this is able to be solved quickly for you! 😊
October 26, 2016 at 9:51 am
Dear Graham
I had sarpe surgery 14 days ago and rhe area from my lower eyelid to upper lip is still numb. Is this common?
Thank you
October 27, 2016 at 12:34 am
Col, it’s common to have numb patches for up to 3 months, so I wouldn’t worry about this yet as you’re still quite early in the recovery process. Hang in there! 😊
October 27, 2016 at 12:38 am
Thank you!
October 24, 2016 at 5:01 pm
Graham, it’s awesome that you’re still responding to comments this long after the original post. I’m still five months from surgery, but I’ve been doing my research for a couple years now. You have a great blog.
October 25, 2016 at 12:45 am
Robert, glad you’re finding my ramblings on here useful! Make sure to join the chat group before your surgery so you have some support during the first few weeks of recovery! 😊
October 17, 2016 at 12:04 am
Hi Graham,
I had double jaw surgery to fix my assymetrical jaw back in 2012. Just last night I had a shooting pain from my bottom left gum all the way to my left ear. I am part of the 30 percent that lost a bit of feeling on my lips, gums and chin. Just wondering if you ever went through any pain well after the procedure. I am so worried , it kind of feels like a whiplash that you get on your neck sometimes but instead it’s from my gums to my ear. I’m dreading seeing my surgeon. Thanks again and hope everything is well with you.
Sincerely,
Mimi
Mrs.billisi@gmail.com
October 17, 2016 at 10:37 am
Mimi, sorry to hear you’re having pain in your jaw and ear again, that’s no fun at all! Personally, I have not experienced any pain since my recovery and I cannot think of anything that would cause this. The bone in your jaw was fully healed a few months after your surgery, so I doubt it is anything bone-related. If your nerves are miraculously healing years later, that should manifest as a “pins and needles” feeling (the same feeling you get when your limbs fall “asleep”).
Really sorry, but I don’t have any insight in what might be causing this sharp pain. If the pain continues, I would recommend calling your surgeon’s office to ask if anyone else has reported a similar experience. They should be able to tell you if it’s better to see your surgeon or your family doctor.
If you remember, let me know what you find out. I’m interested to learn what’s causing this. I hope the pain goes away! 😊
October 13, 2016 at 3:19 am
I am scheduled to have jaw surgery next week. During your journey you lost a lot of weight. Did all of it come back after being able to eat regularly again? Or did you maintain the weight you had become after the surgery. I have a beer gut and wonder if it will come directly back if I start to eat again when I am able to.
Thank you
October 13, 2016 at 8:50 am
Seth, most of the weight I lost was weight I had intentionally put on by working out. Once I was able to eat and lift weights again, I regained almost all of it.
The being said, if you’re able to find the discipline to eat healthy and exercise daily once your energy returns after surgery, you should be able to keep some of the weight away. I suppose you can treat recovery like a fresh start of sorts. I’ve encountered a few people who have also been able to kick their smoking and drinking habits during recovery due to the forced withdrawal for the first couple of months.
October 18, 2016 at 12:11 am
Hi seth. I had double jaw biomax surgery last October. Before my op I was a healthy 10stone 5. After surgery I went down to 9stone. About 6months after my surgery I was back to 10.5. Now, I’m sitting at 11stone5 ^_^ . It’s all good and once your jaw is healed and you actually CAN eat. You will put the weight back on in no time. Maybe even some extra. Haha!. Goodluck!
October 18, 2016 at 11:00 am
I’m trying not to back on the bad weight. I’m hoping this helps me lose some of the extra fat I have gained. Then i can rebuild with muscle. I’m in the military so I’d like to atleast look like it lol
October 11, 2016 at 1:08 pm
I want to ask u something that can i do travelling after surgert or not i have to do travelling of 4 hours daily.reply soon
October 12, 2016 at 10:46 am
Saman, if you’re driving a vehicle, I recommend waiting at least 2 weeks after surgery to ensure you have enough energy and will not fall asleep while driving. If you need to fly 4 hours, you may want to wait about a month after surgery for your swelling to go down.
That being said, remember that I am not a doctor, so it’s best to ask your surgeon what they recommend. 😊
October 16, 2016 at 2:01 pm
Thanxxs
September 28, 2016 at 9:00 am
Graham,
I just left my orthodontist and I now have EIGHT molar bands in my mouth. Is this necessary? Did you have to do this? I have 4 regular molar bands that are required for the wire to fit into and then 4 more. Why is all of this necessary? I literally have no more free teeth.
September 28, 2016 at 10:35 am
Craig, I must apologize, but I can’t remember how many molar bands I had. I think I also had 8 bands in preparation for the “arch appliance” I had to wear after surgery. This appliance was meant to hold my upper palette in the correct place while my bone healed and since it created a bit of tension on my teeth, my orthodontist had to use molar bands on my back 2 molars on each side to properly attach it.
If it’s bothering you and you can’t find an understandable reason for the bands online, I recommend calling your orthodontist and politely asking them why your treatment plan requires 8 bands. They are usually happy to explain the reason for the plan they chose. Hope this helps! 😊
September 18, 2016 at 1:19 am
Hi! I am due to have double jaw surgery on 17th of October to correct my receding jaw. I have my year 12 graduation just over 4 weeks after the surgery and was wondering what my appearance will be like and will I be able to smile for photos??
Thanks 🙂
September 18, 2016 at 11:18 am
Lacey, chances are you will still be quite swollen at the 4-week mark and I think smiling will be difficult. For reference, I wasn’t able to start smiling until 7 weeks had passed. You’ll certainly have enough energy to go to the graduation, but you will likely appear swollen in photographs.
While it may be frustrating to consider imperfect graduation photos right now, they may very well bring you a few laughs as you look back on them in the years to come and I think you’ll be happy to have this surgery behind you as you pursue university, work, travel, or whatever else life has in store for you. 😊
October 18, 2016 at 12:14 am
You could be clever and take photographs now 😉 . Then you will be able to use those as reference AFTER your surgery. You can hire the cap n gown if you contact your university/college 😉 goodluck!