Elastics post surgery

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#1 Post by **Supermax** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:34 am

I know these are questions to ask my surgeon, but I'd like as much info upfront as possible. I'm doing my BSSO on the 24th of July. I know that I'll have elastics to keep my jaws together as my ortho is putting in "hooks" for them the day before...just wondering how long after the surgery do the hooks and the elastics get removed, and you just have your normal braces again?

#2 Post by **Gem** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 5:32 am

The amount of time depends on the individual and the team of drs. I had Leforte I on April 26 and had to wear bands from recovery to 6 week mark all day except 2x a day for cleaning and eating. Then when I complained of spasms they switched me to a looser band for sleeping. After 2 weeks I started experiencing headaches when I woke up so on Friday the released me from bands. I go back to Ortho in 3 weeks and at that time he said he may give me a bite plate for sleeping.

#3 Post by **nvcarissa** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:45 pm

And I was wired shut for a week, had double elastics for four more weeks, and then single elastics on each side for four more weeks after that.

Like Meryaten said, every OS seems to have a different way of doing things. You'll just have to ask yours.

Good luck!

#4 Post by **TheUnk311** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:43 am

The only hardware changes I had before surgery was my usual power-chains and such replaced with wire ties to keep everything exactly where it was when they took the impressions for splints, and some wires tied on to make some loops/hooks on my upper teeth. I'm not sure if those were used during the surgery, but now they are used for elastics. The OS never had me in elastics, just the splint. My ortho gave me elastics a few days after the splint came out.

6.5 weeks later I still have all wires and the only thing my ortho has done is change positions of my elastics every time I see him.

#5 Post by **Supermax** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:54 pm

Thanks guys..I should have looked more closely at the topics. I see this have been covered before..apologies...Thanks for the replies, I'm making a list of questions but this board has been extremely helpful.