Metal Mouth Message Board

It's amazing how much time heals things and how few the times are now that I come on this website. I was always more of a lurker than a regular poster anyway, but in the first few weeks after surgery, I did come on here all the time and post many questions and look for support in the darkest days af...

No, it doesn't hurt when they unband you after 4 weeks. I was worried about that too. It was the strangest feeling - after he cut the bands, he told me to open my jaws and it felt like my jaw was going to fall off of my face! (Not in a bad way, just very odd.) When I opened up as much as I could (wh...

I'm at 6 weeks now and there is still definitely residual swelling that is hanging around, but I knew there would be and don't expect it to fully go away still for months, but it really doesn't bother me now. It's definitely worse in the mornings and worse when there's rainy weather, anything with a...

That's a very good question, and I think my best guess is that it's totally random and depends on every individual's situation with how they heal perhaps. I know, that sounds like such a generic answer, doesn't it?! I do think there is likely more strain put on the muscles and tendons from the surge...

The appointment went well. The OS said that he was really pleased with my bite still and he changed up my elastics a bit because my teeth are moving a little bit where my orthodontist changed up my archwires and put "buttons" on, on the insides of the molars up top to attach to my hooks on...

It's definitely coming along, thanks. It's a slow process, but there are definite improvements each day. This weekend in fact was the first time I had real food somewhat, other than just mush! Everything is cut up into teeny tiny pieces and I'll try to chew as much as I can, and then swallow. It's i...

I unfortunately did have a splint.....and it stayed in for 5 weeks. I was banded shut for 4 weeks along with the splint.

James0099, I just wanted to reassure you that it's all worth it and then some once the bands come off and the splint comes out. I was in the same scenario as you - I am 5 weeks post op and my bands came out last week at 4 weeks and the splint came out today. I'm now in elastics for the long haul. Th...

September 13th

I just got my heavy duty bands off on Tuesday, and have my splint in still, and where my jaws were shut tight for 4 weeks, I can still open my jaw just a little bit, so I'm still stuck on liquids only!! It's brutal. Last night I stared longingly at my husband's bowl of pasta, and he told me it didn'...

I'm glad to hear this is normal; it's such a strange feeling wanting my jaw to open more and more, but it just won't! I do however notice a difference even now vs. day one after the bands were taken off, so it seems like it's a slow process for this, just bit by bit, day by day - I'm assuming this i...

So is it fair to guess that at this point (day one of getting the bands off, splint still in), I shouldn't be hard on myself that it will only open up a teeny tiny bit? I just want that jaw to drop open and throw a cheeseburger in there!!

So I had my 4 week appointment today; my OS took off the heavy duty bands that kept my jaws completely shut for the past month and the splint is still in for another week. It felt like my jaw was going to fall off my face when he took those bands off! Currently, I can just move my jaw open a tiny bi...

Isolde and James0099, wanted to send you best wishes for tomorrow. Today is one month post for me, so I can attest as to how quickly the time goes on after surgery, and I'm one of the suckers who has had a splint and heavy bands, totally shut since that day, and it still has gone quickly! You will b...

I don't think there's any way you can prepare for what it will be like, but the mind and body are amazing machines, and I found I adapted really quickly to the situation - I had no choice! My tongue is constantly moving around in there, and it feels weird not being able to get past the teeth, but I ...