Plate has broken - second op needed!

[Marian]

Hi everyone

I had surgery three months ago to advance my bottom jaw forward by 9mm. All went well until a two weeks ago when the left side of my jaw started to feel different - when I swallowed it seemed to be pushed down. Also there was a clicking from the site of the surgery sometimes when I was eating.

I went to see the ortho about this today and she arranged for x-rays to be taken. It seems that one of my plates has broken and my jaw on that side hasn't healed at all - it's still in two pieces - I have a broken jaw!!!

So surgery is now booked for the 24th January to repair it (and I have to have some bone taken out of my chin to help fill the gap in my jaw).

Has a plate break happened to anyone else? Has anyone had a bone graft from their chin - how did that go?

Bit freaked out by this!!!

Marian

[oldwbraces]

Thats quite crazy! I wish I had some knowledge to share, but I wish you luck! That's terrible...I hope it will go well the 2nd time, and be all healed properly !good luck to you

[streo]

Is it the actual rigid fixation that has broken, or has the screw popped out of your jaw?

I'm worried about this myself as the TADs on my right side kept on popping out. It only succeeded after the third attempt!

[Marian]

Hi Streo

The actual plate (which looks like a row of 6 circles on the x-ray) has snapped - There is one 'circle' attached at the end nearest to my left ear and the other part, the 5 circles has sort of slipped down so is pointing downwards.

It didn't feel odd to the orthodontist when she had a good feel around to see what was going on - I was really only sent for an x-ray as a precaution and that's when the problem revealed itself.

It doesn't hurt at all, however I can feel the movement when I eat and it turns my stomach!

Marian

[Marian]

Well the surgery to do my bone graft and replace the plate was due to happen yesterday, but the good old NHS have postponed it until the 28th Feb. Still, it's only a broken jaw!!!

[Anastasia8]

[quote="Marian"]Well the surgery to do my bone graft and replace the plate was due to happen yesterday, but the good old NHS have postponed it until the 28th Feb. Still, it's only a broken jaw!!! [/quote]

Bloody hell, that's rough. Really feel for you x

[Huggypillow]

Are you in australia, just because you said NHS oh my gosh, your right though its only a broken jaw, i mean its not something on your body that you need to function with.

As serious as this is for you i cant help but make fun of the system, honestly i know there are people dying who might need surgery ahead of you, but im sitting here with my mouth open ( no joke intended) .

How could any health proffessional expect a person to just make do with a broken jaw.

Just leads a person to think that i guess you lucky one of your fingers isnt half severed, i guess their response would be " well youve got 9 more what are you worried about".

[Marian]

This is the good old British NHS.

I am just thankful that I am not in pain and that I'm not having to take time off work because of it - I don't think work would take too kindly to that. I feel quite vulnerable at work because I work in a college with lots of boisterous teenagers around so I tend to try and stay in my office most of the time.

I've received my letter today for my op - they detail the date of 28 Feb as a 'provisional date'!! It seems that until you are lying on the theatre table you cannot be sure the op is going to go ahead!

[Marian]

Well after a meeting with 9 doctors/consultants today it was decided that the plate which has broken was not faulty. It seems that for some reason the break on the left side of my jaw did not heal at all - therefore there has been movement, which the plate has been trying to hold together for the past 4 months, and it eventually just snapped.

The doctors are puzzled why my jaw has healed beautifully on one side and not at all on the other.

My op is booked for 28th Feb so I hit the vitamin aisle in the supermarket today and have stocked up on calcium and vitamin tablets - anything to help the bone regenerate after the net op.

Please everyone be reassured though - none of the surgeons that I saw today have seen a plate break before.

(Why couldn't I be one in a million winning the lottery instead!!!)