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.
February 17, 2013 at 10:03 pm
I waited 10 years for this surgery and now I am just dreading it. I am on my 4th day of post op now which I know is still in the early stages. My doctor said I will be wired shut for the next 4 weeks. Did anyone had their wires taken off sooner? How long after surgery were you able to brush? I find it very difficult to brush like a skin stretching feeling. Did anyone experience the same problem?
February 18, 2013 at 3:15 pm
Karen, I promise you that life will be much better for you in about a week’s time. Try to relax and get outside for walks a few times each day during these first two weeks to pass the time. I’ve heard of people having their bands removed anywhere from 2 weeks to 7 weeks, but the average is around 4 weeks. You should be able to brush after 2–3 weeks as well. Stay positive and you’ll be in much better shape soon!
February 17, 2013 at 11:24 am
I’m Maria and its been 2 days since I got overbite jaw surgery. Your site has helped me so much so far but I just wanted to ask iLife you ever did saltwater rinses and if you ever did mouth washes? Also, my face swelled up a lot more than yours.. Do you know if this is normal? Thanks!
February 18, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Maria, I only gurgled warm salt water to keep my mouth clean initially. However, once your surgeon gives you permission, brushing and flossing will make you feel much more, well, human. As for the swelling, everyone swells differently, so I would say you’re in good form, yes. Give yourself a couple of weeks before worrying about anything. =)
February 17, 2013 at 8:02 am
does the waterpik does help for the accumulation dat u have on your teeths?
February 16, 2013 at 8:53 pm
Hey!
Im Yessica and I had Upper and Lower Jaw Surgery and my problem is that I have try to brush but I just can’t because I have pain. Oh i wanted to ask what can I do to keep clean because I was told that if I dnt wash ama get surgery again and idnt want to anyways i rinse with mouthwash and do gargle od water and salt. can you please help me please because i have bad pain and i feel that i have infection because my tongue burns badly.
February 18, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Yessica, if you’re experiencing burning pain, you may want to ask your surgeon to take a look and ensure nothing is infected. The recovery should not give you an chronic pain.
As for keeping your mouth clean, gurgling with salt water is the best you can do until you’re able to brush and floss. Despite the fact that your mouth feels dirty, you can rest assured that warm salt water will at least remove the bacteria from your teeth and gums. =)
February 12, 2013 at 6:08 pm
I just got discharged from my double jaw surgery today and am finding it completely difficult to breath normally through my nose. Is this something I should be worrying about?
February 13, 2013 at 3:33 am
Khi Moua, your nose is likely plugged up with dried blood from the surgery, so you may need to breath through your mouth for the first few weeks until you’re allowed to blow your nose again. While frustrating, this is completely normal and will go away with time.
February 12, 2013 at 1:24 pm
Hi Graham,
I stumbled across your website this past weekend during my “what in the world have I gotten myself into” google search, ha. I’ll be having double jaw surgery in June pretty much the day after graduating college, and your site has definitely made me feel significantly better about everything! So, thank you for that! I know readjusting to how I’ll look post surgery will be interesting, but I am thrilled to finally have this jaw dealio behind me…and to finally be able to pronounce my last name properly ha. Thanks again!
God Bless!
February 13, 2013 at 3:21 am
Rachel, it’s always refreshing to meet someone who is eager to take on this challenge. That’s great that you’ll be finished college and won’t have to worry about running off to school or work while you look like a swollen chipmunk, haha! Stay positive and trust that everything will work out as it should. =)
February 10, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Hi again, Graham….Mary here….I am coming upon 2wks post op and thought I would give an update.
My surgery went very well:) So many people around me kept telling me that it would be a painful and depressing process — not in my case. Although I only had my lower jaw moved forward, I am just amazed at how I am handling the swelling, bruising, no talking and the liquid diet. I honestly believe that ones attitude and outlook/mindset before going in to surgery, does play an integral part of the recuperation period. I did learn one very valuable lesson during the first few days. Because I was feeling so well, I overdid activity on day 5 (trip to surgeon; did some grocery shopping; visit with a friend). By the time I got home I was not only exhausted, but also had an anxiety attack with a heavy, tight feeling in my chest; not able to get a full breath; hot and cold spells and sick to my stomach! This took me to the hospital, where I found that I was perfectly healthy, just tired and I paniced. I was given a shot of gravol and slept so well through the night. Please, please learn from my mistake, and do take it slow…rest rest rest, pamper yourself without the guilt feelings (especially women :))
I go back to the surgeon tomorrow and might be able to have my splint out. If not, that is just fine by me, as I want the best outcome I can have in the end.
I will continue to read this blog and pick up on all the little tips that will help me as I go along in this journey.
Mary
February 11, 2013 at 7:35 am
Mary, that’s so lucky that you might have your splint taken out so soon! I know what you mean with the slight anxiety attacks as well—they can be bad. Just remember that everything will work out and you’ll be back to a normal lifestyle in a few short months. I hope your appointment went well today!
February 10, 2013 at 10:21 am
Hey Guys/Gals,
Good luck to those in waiting and congrats to those who are healing, it is a brave thing to go through!
I’m 4-months post op, and feeling great. Still some numbness in my lips and nose, but I have to be patient, as it may take months to get more back. Also, I have to be ok with some permanent numbness… the price we pay, I suppose.
A quick recap of my experience with this double jaw+bone implant surgery. The first two weeks absolutely sucks! Then it exponentially improves! I started cramming soft foods (oatmeal/salmon/rice) between my teeth, that helped me gain some of the 18-lbs I lost. And I drank tons of water. Since you can only get a little in at a time, you have to essentially drink non-stop. Dehydration is very bad in this healing process.
As for my look, it has taken months for my face to settle in, they said the muscles have to learn how to drape over the new bone and that may take up to 6-months, but I’m pleased. My friends are completely floored, saying I look 10 years younger (a side benefit of the surgery). Bru.
February 9, 2013 at 4:00 pm
Side note: I really don’t think I’ll be back after my third week…it’s hard to teach with a splint in your mouth, hahah. I imagine it’ll be a month before I’m back to work.
February 9, 2013 at 3:24 pm
Hello again, Graham:
I had written on one of your forums just before my surgery on Jan. 25 and I am now two weeks post-op. I am still finding your daily posts very entertaining.
I am off my syringes, but still only “eating” soup, yogurt and smoothies. One day at a time.
I know you’ve talked about this on here, but I wanted to emphasize how important it is to have a positive attitude during this surgery and it’s recovery period. Although I felt relatively prepared (reading material, stocked fridge of Ensure, Netflix, etc.), I found that nobody really discussed the psychological aspect of this surgery.
Those first few days will be the worst. As someone who suffers from anxiety, I found myself worrying a lot. I was afraid to fall asleep, because I wasn’t breathing very well. I woke up in the night a couple of times unable to remember why my mouth wouldn’t open. I barely slept. I got bored with my “recovery kit items” very quickly..and found myself having pity parties for one.
At one point, I was feeling like I made a huge mistake in having this surgery. All these feelings are valid – but know that it will all be ok…it just takes time.
Every day that goes by makes a difference. Having a positive attitude is absolutely ESSENTIAL. The fact that there are blogs like this out there is huge – know that you are not alone.
No question is too silly – that is what your surgeon (and online communities like this) is there for.
I am a teacher and plan on going back in my third week of recovery. Not sure how well that will go, but we will see. I just received a care package from my students and it made my whole week. 🙂
Just remember, no matter how bad things seem to be, there is always someone who would gladly trade places with you. You do the best you can in the situation you’re in – stay strong!!
Also…a few “hot tips” I’ve used in the last couple of weeks:
1) Pinterest is a great time-waster (although I forgot about the abundance of delicious food on that site – le sigh…)
2) Sending emails/snail mail is great, because it’s fun getting mail back in return
3) Baby spoons are great when you’re starting to eat soft foods
4)As Graham has mentioned, prune juice is your friend…just drink LOTS of water
5) Have people over once you feel up to it…although I know too many funny people – my mouth would hurt so bad from laughing
6) I kept Proxabrushes on hand. They are great for helping to dislodge nasty stuff on the roof of your mouth…just be very gentle.
February 10, 2013 at 12:36 am
Hello again, Becca!
I’m so happy you’re at the two-week mark because everything gets better from this point forward. It’s nice to be able to dispose of those syringes, isn’t it?
Maintaining a positive attitude makes a world of difference. It helps in all facets of life, but especially during this recovery. That care package your students sent you must have made you feel absolutely wonderful. God bless the children, haha!
I doubt you’ll be teaching again in one week’s time, but I suppose that’s your decision to make. Perhaps at the end of your first month, you’ll have the energy and clarity of speech to return to the working world.
Stay happy and I wish you a speedy recovery, my friend!
February 8, 2013 at 9:18 pm
Well the count down has begun. I’m scheduled for double jaw surgery on 2/21/13. Not nervous at all so far. Trying to keep this humorous. The best part is I will be off work for 6 weeks. The worst part is I will be off work for 6 weeks. 🙂 Has anyone tried using a Gatorade bottle with the top shaped like lips. I heard from someone at work that it made it easier to squirt in the liquid.
February 10, 2013 at 12:30 am
Wayne, make sure you enjoy your favorite meal at some point before going in for your surgery. I haven’t heard of anyone using a Gatorade bottle to squirt liquid in their mouth. The problem is that, since you’re teeth are banded together, the only real gap for liquid to pass through is in the back of your mouth, so the syringes are necessary for most people to get the liquid all the way to the back of their mouth. The bottle is worth a shot, though. Best of luck on the 21st!
January 27, 2013 at 4:58 am
Hey Graham! I’m on Day 2 of the surgery already. Haha I feel like crap but hopefully things will look up. Really grateful for your blog which is alleviating my misery to some extent 🙂 My question is that how do you know if you’re brushing your teeth well? My orthodontist says she doesn’t want the wound to be infected from not brushing well and I fear it’s gonna happen but I have no idea if I’m brushing the correct way >< Thanks!
January 27, 2013 at 7:51 pm
Reira, the truth of the matter is that you won’t be able to brush really well for a few more weeks. If you simply brush very lightly and gurgle warm salt water around after each meal, you’ll have no issues. I didn’t fall victim to any infections and that is exactly the method I used. Stay strong! =)
January 24, 2013 at 6:34 pm
Hello Graham….I just stumbled across your blog this evening while searching for information w.r.t. recovery following lower jaw surgery. Your blog is an amazing eye opener for me, as I am due to have surgery on Wednesday the 30th (Jan.)and am becoming rather anxious.
I am 58 yrs. old and have had braces for almost 2yrs. now. My family isn’t really in full support of my surgery which isn’t helping with my stress level. I am actually finding comfort in reading your blog and the amazing words being shared by so many others who have gone through much more than I will experience.
I am a tiny woman to begin with, but in good physical condition and no underlying health issues. I have worked hard to build up my muscle strength, but honestly have no idea as to how much weight loss to expect and muscle loss? Thoughts on this please?
I still have not been given a full list of items to have in stock before next Wed. Do you have a list of ‘must haves’?
Thank you for sharing your journey so that others can be aware and find encouragement and comfort from you and each other.
Any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated 🙂
Mary
January 25, 2013 at 9:43 pm
Mary, if you’re in good health, you should have no trouble with the surgery at your age. Your body will probably settle at around 5 lbs below your natural weight, so you need not worry about losing too much weight. (I only lost 30 lbs because I had intentionally gained weight beforehand.)
As for food, I would honestly stock up on Ensure (or any drinkable meal supplement) and thin soups, such as mushroom and tomato. Make sure you have a blender to make smoothies with as well.
You’ll do great, Mary! As long as you can keep a positive attitude, get outside for walks each day, and know that this is all temporary, you’ll come out the other side smiling and happy. =)
January 23, 2013 at 12:26 am
Hi Graham!
It is official, as of today the ONE WEEK count down begins,eek!!! I’m due for double jaw surgery on Tuesday the 29th! I’m so excited yet so nervous at the same time!!! I don’t know what to do with myself. I’ve literally waited half of my life for this moment (12 years to be exact)…and the truth is never thought it would ever happen due to the expense..yikes! But by the grace of God, my insurance will take care of a major chunk…enough where I don’t have to stress about it #feelingsuperblessed!
Anyway, I’m on this other level of energy right now, so I apologize in advance for the plethora of exclamation marks and of the length of this comment.lol. Just want to share with all of you brave souls who are either pre/post/ veteran jaw operations! So thank you all for sharing your stories & giving me some calm and ease (& the occasional scare.lol.) during this journey. You have all given me extra hope that “there is a light at the end of this( long, scary, & evolving) tunnel! But seriously Graham, I know you hear it often…but I want to give extra kudos for creating such an informative & encouraging site! Blessings!
P.S. I am contemplating on doing my own personal blog (obviously won’t reach the awesomeness of your site.lol). But yea I think it will be a nice way to keep everyone updated without having to repeat myself.lol. any advice? tips? etc. #totalblogrookie, #overallyexcitedpreopgirl 🙂
January 25, 2013 at 9:32 pm
Mayra, congratulations on having your insurance handle the majority of the cost! That’s actually a huge win, judging by some of the battles people have had to rage with this providers. And thank you so much for your kind (and excited) words! I truly appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Blogwise, my advice is to be completely transparent and honest. I’ve learned that people find value in writing that exposes the true thoughts and feelings of the writer. When I look back at some of the photos I posted and thoughts I shared, I’m not sure why the world doesn’t think I’m a crazy person, haha!
January 22, 2013 at 6:19 pm
I had my surgery 3 months ago now and I’m stil not overly satisfied with my appearance. People tell me I look a lot different, some say I almost look the same as before. My smile is definitely not the best so I was wondering will that change? I still hve the feeing where my mouth is restrained and I can’ smile as wide as I want to. When will be the final look? The surgeon tells me he only takes photos at the end of the surgery recovery (12 months) to get a full indication of the changes. So I’m asking you from experience when did you get the full feelings/smile/look? My braces come off in about3 months.
January 25, 2013 at 9:09 pm
Tony, my appearance settled after about 5 months. However, once your braces are removed, you’ll look much different all over again. Keep in mind that you’ll only look subtly different than before. Everyone experiences different results, and part of the recovery process is learning to appreciate the new shape of your face. You’ll likely be much more satisfied with your appearance once your braces are no longer in the way.
January 20, 2013 at 9:09 pm
Hi Jeff, I’m 24 days post op from upper jaw surgery, septoplasty and turbinate reduction. Although our surgeries aren’t the same, I do have a splint which has kept me from really chewing things, so my diet has still been very soft and liquid. First, you’re most likely going to lose your appetite for at least the first week, no matter how much you love food. In that time period it’s crucial to make yourself sip on some ensure or spoon a milkshake into your mouth. I hate processed and unhealthy foods but sometimes you just have to do what’s necessary. Second, I’d recommend getting a protein powder with fiber and a higher fat content. I use syntha6 for these reasons, and make a shake every day with that, carnation instant breakfast/ensure, a banana, spinach, milk, and a heaping spoon of pb. That should help a lot in keeping muscle mass up, plus, it’s freakin delicious and I have yet to tire of it 🙂 I went into my surgery with holiday weight which I intended to lose, and at most I only lost 7 lbs. I’m assuming you’ll be wired shut, so ensure (dont forget they make a juice now too!) and blended chunky soups really will be your go-to for high cal foods. Good luck Jeff! Hope you’re excited!
January 19, 2013 at 7:58 pm
Graham, or anybody else that’s been through a similar surgery, I will be getting double jaw surgery on Feb 12. I’m a small guy mass wise (6ft tall 150lbs, or 1.8288m 68.039kg for metric folks) and can’t reall afford to lose much weight. With a high metabolism, I need to figure out the best way to ingest as many calories as I can a day. I understand this will probably be difficult while on a liquid diet. I saw that you posted a recipe for a smoothie, and you mentioned a lot of soups being blended with milk, but are there any other “recipes” or foods that you might recommend? Any other tips?
On a side note, for anybody that may be interested:
I’ve noticed when browsing online to find photos/videos that a vast majority of these surgeries are to correct underbites among other issues. Mine is actually one of the few that to correct a severe overbite(in order to line up my front teeth, I’ve got to shift my jaw forward over an inch, and wind up with a half an inch gap between my upper and lower molars). According to the surgeons/orthodontists, it is due to an underdeveloped lower jaw. They also say that I’ve got a narrow palate and a high arch. Any other readers in the same boat? If so, how much of a change did you see in your facial structure? I imagine I’ll probably see quite a difference with the extent that my jaw has to be shift forwards and widened.
January 17, 2013 at 9:44 pm
graham- ive had braces as a child for 4 years.. fixed my underbite, then it came back after i grew which resulted in me going back to plan surgery for myself. i am 20 and am getting double jaw surgery next month.. do you think its possible for them to remove my braces after 3 months if i ask them to? i just want them off as soon as possible post surgery..
January 18, 2013 at 7:45 pm
Taylor, I can almost guarantee they won’t remove your braces quite so quickly following surgery. Most orthodontists like to keep braces on for 6–9 months post-op. Remember that this is just a chapter in your life and, once your braces actually come off, you’ll never have to deal with them again. You definitely don’t want a lack of patience to land you with a nearly perfect bite when a few extra months can push you to never having any jaw-related issues every again. =)
January 17, 2013 at 6:35 pm
Graham – thanks for this ongoing blog – I had double jaw surgery at age 55 on 17 Dec 2012 – so today is week four on the road to recovery. My splint comes out 5 Feb 2013. All your comments on recovery etc. made my life much easier to bear. Operation went according to plan – bite was good enough not to need elastics. I’m in the very soft chew and gulping mode. I lost 15 lbs and have recovered 5 lbs, so far. Looking forward to getting back to exercising etc. Swelling down, but still numb in nose, chin, and lips. Thanks Again.
January 18, 2013 at 7:42 pm
Daniel, it sounds like you’ve got the right attitude to win this recovery game. I bet you’re counting the days until Feb 5!
January 17, 2013 at 6:46 am
Hey Graham, so I had my surgery on Mon jan 14. They let me go home tues. I ended up having double jaw surgery with septoplasty and genioplasty. I really don’t know how you managed to write everyday. Today is the first day I can actually concentrate on anything! I don’t have splint which I guess is good, yours sounded uncomfortable and a pain to clean. My face pretty swollen hopin this will start to subside today.
Just want to say thanks again for this website, it’s really great to have it for all the little questions that keep us awake at night!
January 18, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Teresa, trust me when I say that concentrating for long enough to actually write a blog post during those initial days was extremely exhausting. I had the entire day to tackle these little projects, though, so patience won the day, haha!