lets talk about surgical hooks and one year ortho apts

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Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:54 am

just a couple questions for people have been through surgical hooks:
1. When did you get your surgcical hooks (how long before your surgery?)
2. How long did it take for them to put the hooks on?
3. How do they put the surgical hooks on?
4. HOw long were the hooks on after your surgery?

One Year Braces Ortho Apt!:
1. What happened at your 1 year apt with having braces on?

I know everyone experiences will be different but I just wanted to see what some of your answers are.

#2 Post by **suetemi** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:34 pm

1) the day before
2) about 15 minutes
3) mine were these thin wires that they just tied tightly onto the archwire. I don't know how to describe them but they looked sort of like very thin, tiny silver hair pins (bobby pins) and they just twisted them into hook-shaped .
4) I still have the hooks in because I'm only 10 days post-op and haven't seen my ortho yet. Will probably be wearing them for a while because my oral surgeon has me in elastics.

#3 Post by **Emaciated** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:24 am

1. When did you get your surgcical hooks (how long before your surgery?)

I got mine on 1 week before. Then had to go back 2 days later because my surgeon wanted more than the ortho had put on.

2. How long did it take for them to put the hooks on?

A few minutes, like a normal braces adjustment app.

3. How do they put the surgical hooks on?

Mine were just wires, each end was wrapped around a bracket and then twisted into a little twisty hook.

4. HOw long were the hooks on after your surgery?

I went straight from getting my splint removed 3 weeks after surgery, to the ortho the same day and had them remove the hooks and fix all the braces-brackets that had broken during the surgery. (They also replaced the top wire which was cut in 2 places during the 3-piece LeFort).

One Year Braces Ortho Apt!:
1. What happened at your 1 year apt with having braces on?

Do you mean 1-year in braces or 1-year after surgery? If you mean the later, I had my braces off by then but the surgeon basically looked me over, felt around my face and sent me on my way never to return again.

#4 Post by **blindboarder2008** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:11 pm

Thanks for the responses, I have always wondered what they mean by surgical hooks. and I meant one year in braces

#5 Post by **megs29** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:29 am

1. I got my surgical hooks on two weeks before my surgery. Which sucked because I had to eat with them on. Annoying!

2/3 ten, fifteen minutes max. Depending on the kind your ortho uses. My hooks almost looked like little letter T's. He simply clamped them on to my archwire and it was done!

4. My ortho just told me today that he can take them off in two weeks. Which is a relief because they trap food like crazy..and make it impossible to floss.

#6 Post by **Twinjoy** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 1:28 pm

My ortho put my hooks on 31 Mar for what we thought was a surgery date of 15 Apr, I went to my pre op with my surgeon next, who, annoyingly told me the date had to be pushed back to the 27th of April, so now I am stuck with these annoying hooks for an entire month! then after the surgery I have to keep them for 6 weeks, but I am traveling to the US around that time and will be stuck on a soft chew diet the entire time....only because he moved the surgery back. It would have been after 6 weeks if he kept the date the same! UGH

#7 Post by **blindboarder2008** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:42 pm

Thank you for all of your wonderful responses: twin joy: that sucks that you are stuck with your surgical hooks for an entire month! I can't even imagine how that must feel.

What about 1 year ortho apt with braces? What happened to you at that apt? I have an ortho apt this thursday and its my one year braces apt and its a longer apt then usual so I'm just trying to figure out what happened for you all. I am guessing I will probably get x rays and perhaps impressions becauses its getting closer to my surgery. But was wondering if they did anything else or not

#8 Post by **newsboysgrl777** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:53 pm

I can't really help with ANY of your questions because I've only had my top braces on for 8 months and (luckily) am not getting jaw surgery...at least not at this time. I'm told things can be fixed without the surgery, and I'm happy to hear that. What I did want to say, though, is that you might want to post your question about the one year check-up appt. on the 'metal mouth' forum because there are many more views there (at least thats what it seems). And, you might want to run a search on this site and see what comes up.

Also, does anyone have pictures of what these hooks look like? I suppose I could google or search the site, but I'm just curious and thought it'd be convenient if they were added to this topic/thread.

And twin - I'm so sorry to hear about your surgery date. Did the surgeon give any reason why he changed this, or no? I hope everything goes well for you...before surgery, during, and after, and on your trip to the US. (Where in the US will you be going? I am assuming you are in the UK? But, this is just an assumption...LOL)

#9 Post by **Twinjoy** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:11 am

The reason my surgery was postponed is because I am in the military, going to a military doctor. The doctor was told that even though the hospital is having an inspection that week, that he would still be allowed his normal O.R. time.....but the day I went in for my Pre OP he was told he MUST cancel any O.R. time during the inspection and reschedule. Because it was so late there was no way to do it any other time but TWO WHOLE weeks later. To say the least I am upset...but I am getting this for free so I guess I can't complain much. eerrgg

#10 Post by **Twinjoy** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:12 am

Newsboysgrl777

I am in the Air Force Stationed in Japan...near Tokyo. I will be heading to California to visit my husbands family with my husband and twin sons.