Recovery Tips
Following is a summary of the most important things I learned during my recovery from double jaw surgery.
- Drink lots of prune juice and water. Your toilet time will be far from enjoyable for the first couple of weeks because you’re likely to be severely dehydrated. The prune juice will provide your body with the fiber it needs to work those bowels properly, but fiber is useless without water because it won’t dissolve in your body. I recommend a bare minimum of 1 L of water per day. Drink 2 L per day as soon as you can.
- Before you attempt to pull any dead skin off of your lips, be absolutely certain that it’s not a stitch. I learned this the hard way.
- Start using medicated lip balm immediately following your return to your own home. If you don’t, you’ll end up with flaps of dead skin that are half an inch in diameter, and I promise you they won’t feel good when they catch on your braces.
- Apply heat to your face 3-4 times per day for the first 5-6 weeks to help with the swelling. The heat will also help you fall asleep.
- Begin each day at a decent time. If you sleep most of the day, you won’t be able to sleep at night, and you’ll hate yourself for it. Get out of bed, shower, eat some breakfast and brush your teeth and you’ll enjoy each day a lot more. (This is good advice for any day of your life, but it especially applies when you’re on the verge of depression from having jaw surgery.)
- Go to bed on time. Yawning will cause you quite a bit of pain, so prevent it by getting the right amount of sleep during the proper hours.
- As soon as you’re able to talk clearly enough for friends and family to understand you, call people and be social. Go outside and enjoy nature. Whatever you do, ensure you don’t fall into a trap of loneliness and self-pity.
- Start drinking from a cup as soon as you’re physically able to. Your upwards trek back to having full energy begins the day you can throw your syringes in the garbage.
- Eat solid food as soon as your surgeon gives you the go-ahead. It’ll be a slow, tedious and frustrating process, but you need to go through with it in order to build your jaw muscles back up and learn how to chew properly once again.
- It may take some time to get used to your new smile and your newly structured face. Don’t be ashamed of yourself. You don’t look funny at all. You’re simply not used to looking like you’re supposed to.
- And lastly, don’t worry about your looks, bite or facial feeling for at least 6 months. You may have an open bite, but you’ll wake up one morning and your teeth will have migrated back together. You may be completely numb, but feeling will return almost overnight.
If you have any questions about the recovery process, or perhaps have other pointers to share with upcoming jaw surgery patients, feel free to jot them down in the comments.
April 12, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Surgical Hooks have been put on….T minus 6 days!!! I think I am done stressing and just ready to get this show on the road! I have set myself up with lots of T.V. series, lip balm, tissues, saline spray, crosswords, and Prune Juice! Go team Othognathic Surgery!!
April 11, 2012 at 12:27 pm
I am 32 days post op since i had lower jaw surgery and i will be going in to surgery again this friday so that they will remove the splint that is on my top teeth and these screws that are on my gums close to my teeth and i cant wait for them to take the whole thing off so that i can finally eat like a normal person and talk as well. I just hope that i dont get an infection or anything becquse i really want to go back to school already. Has anybody gone through what im going through, please help!
April 11, 2012 at 10:45 am
22 days post op from lower jaw surgery, doc took wires off today I was not expecting that soooo happy! Lost 15 lbs needed to so that’s okay. Lots of fiber shakes and some smoothies in the morning. Hang in there everyone!
April 10, 2012 at 9:03 pm
My Daughter is 18 days post op and has a terrible case of very small acne bumps on her cheeks, chin, jaw and moving toward her neck. So many that they look like a rash with whiteheads. It started about a week ago. Dr. wants to see her. Anyone else have this problem? She finished her meds one week post op.
April 9, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Abby, I’m so happy to hear that you’re back in good shape and eating normally again! Time really does fly, doesn’t it?
This feels like a good moment to cue up a, “They grow up so fast” sound bite, but I’m going to let it slide.
I bet you’re looking forward to the day you get to break up with your braces now! =)
April 9, 2012 at 8:07 am
Hey Graham! So one quick update…Im now about 10 weeks post op! It really does go bye so quick. The hard bit has passed though which is good. I can pretty much chew on anything now more comfortably. My jaw still kinda clicks/pop abit and I have trouble opening my mouth wide but its not too much of a concern. I made a booking with my surgeon on the 16th of April just to make sure everything is going smoothly 🙂
Im ofcourse still numb around my bottom lip/chin but I get these cold sensations alot, so dont really know what that means but I just hope I get the feelings back sometime in the future 🙂
So thanks again for your helpful tips earlier on. To whoever else is going through this journey, hang in there! It might seem tough in the beginning, but it does get better and easier and it will all be worth it in the end.
Oh and I just followed you on Twitter aswell 🙂
April 2, 2012 at 8:41 pm
Hi CJ,
My teeth were incredibly sensitive when feeling began to return. The increased sensitivity will stick around for a few weeks until your teeth readjust to temperature differences and their enamel is rebuilt to where it was before.
Try to avoid eating anything that is extremely hot or cold and you should be okay.
April 2, 2012 at 8:37 pm
That’s exciting, Jil! You’re already nearly finished the most difficult part of the journey!
As for the sores on your tongue, I know your pain well. The only thing you can do is endeavor to keep you mouth as clean as possible (which is pretty difficult with bands in). They will go away as soon as your body is able to shift some of its energy back to taking care of things not related to your jaw.
Stay positive and you’ll be back in action soon!
April 2, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Hi Natalie,
While the initial recovery is certainly a frustrating ordeal, try to reassure him that it will all be worthwhile. The recovery is only 3 months and then he’ll get to enjoy a functioning jaw for the rest of his life.
The first 2 weeks are going to be difficult, but I assure you that he will be okay. As I tell everyone, make sure you two go for walks and find a few television series to keep him entertained. Reading is difficult at first due to lack of mental stamina.
The best I can do is wish you good luck!
April 1, 2012 at 4:17 pm
back once more except this time i must ask a question after your surgery and yolur feeling finally starts to come back in your gums did some of your teeth more sensitive?
March 31, 2012 at 12:23 pm
I did it!!!! 🙂 Its been 9 days since surgery!! The first 3 days were the worst just as most people say. I’m feelin’ soo much better now though!! The swelling is almost gone and im gaining strength back quick! Im only taking ibuprophen at night for the pain (the very little that I have). I go back to the doc in a week to get the stitches out and get my bands adjusted (hopefully to where I can talk better lol)! Something that helped me soo much through the first couple days was a humidifier!! I highly recommend it!! It made my breathing soo much easier and my nose was completely clear by day 5!!
I do have 1 question. I’ve been getting these little sores on my tongue! I think its from all the metal and bands in my mouth! They hurt soo bad though!! Making it very hard to eat!! 🙁 Do you have any advice on how to make them go away?? I’ve been brushing my teeth and rinsing with peroxide and water; trying very hard to keep my mouth clean. They arent going away though!
March 31, 2012 at 8:51 am
Hiya my partner is due to have jaw surgery next week and hes terrified about it and the healing. He’s not sure wether he will b able to breathe and if he’s sick will choke as he has to be fully wired. Have you any advice I could give him etc. Read a few of your posts asmuch as my phone would let me
March 30, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Hi Tan,
You’ll regain control over your lips and be able to stifle the drooling in about a week. The first two weeks are going to be uncomfortable for you.
Once you’ve healed up, you’ll be glad you went through with the surgery. You simply need to make it through these first few weeks. Go for walks and find a few good TV shows or movies to keep yourself entertained.
You’ll be back to your regular life soon!
March 30, 2012 at 4:35 pm
I had surgery five days ago.Upper lower and my chin. I have a major problem with the drooling. As I get up I am constantly drooling.I am so conscious of this I am to embarrassed to have any friends visit me. My lips are open and are not touching. They are swollen. Are you able to control your lips eventually? My lips are widely open. My son told me I resemble an ape:( I also have a splint in my mouth that is annoying. It’s so hard to talk and be understood. I am asking myself is the suffering worth it.
March 30, 2012 at 8:38 am
Hi Graham,
The acromegaly is under control after surgery to remove a benign pituitary tumor and monthly medication, so, hopefully, I’ll have no more ill effects.
March 28, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Hi Brenda,
I honestly can’t tell you when your splint will be removed. I promise you it will be within the next month. I had mine in for 7 weeks and I’ve never met anyone who was left with a splint for that long. You’ll need to ask your surgeon about yours, though. Most people end up dealing with the splint for about a month.
I encourage you to go back to school as soon as you have the energy for it. The fact that you have difficulty speaking with the splint in is something you’re going to have to deal with for a few weeks. Keep in mind that this is temporary. The moment your full smile is returned to you, people will completely forget about “those 2 weeks you had a splint in your mouth.”
People are more understanding than you may think. =)
March 28, 2012 at 1:55 pm
Hi Graham, I had lower jaw surgery and im 16 days post op. I’m wondering when I will get the splint taken off because I really want to eat and talk. I go in for my post op appointment on april 3rd and i just want to know if they might take off the splint that day or if i will stay with it for a couple weeks longer. I also havent been going to school since my surgery that was on march 12 and I want to go back but it will be hard because people will try to talk to me but with the splint in my mouth it will be impossible for me to go back to school. Im really impatient for my doctor to tell me what i have to do next.
March 25, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Elise, I would start with soup, pasta, and steamed vegetables. Casseroles fit into this group as well.
Technically, you can eat whatever you’d like. Just chew slowly and be careful that you don’t try to chew through nuts or touch meats right away.
Let pain be your guide.
March 25, 2012 at 5:10 pm
Hello Graham
I’m going to be able to eat solid foods next week, exactly a month post surgery! I was on a mush, no chew soft diet for three weeks, and I have no idea what I should start eating when I can! Is there anythin else except for soup?
Elise
March 25, 2012 at 2:13 pm
Hi Tracie,
Once I was allowed to eat solid food again, it took another 2 – 3 weeks before it felt normal. My jaw was still really weak at first, so I had to take it slow. I started out by eating soft soups (but no longer blended!) and then moved onto pasta and steamed vegetables. Your strength and feeling will return, but it’s all a process.
Also, as soon as you have the strength to chew gum, I encourage you to do so. That is a constant workout for your jaw and will only bring good things in terms of recovery.