hardware removal
Moderator: bbsadmin
hardware removal
Has anyone here had their hardware removed because it was causing pain in their jaw? I had a sagittal split osteotomy end of August 2016. Starting beginning of March 2017 I began feeling a soreness in my jaw on the left side right near my back molars. It doesn't feel muscle related but rather nerve irritation or irritation of the area around the hardware. My doctor doesn't feel the pain is from the hardware (I have a history of TMJ disorder, too, and he thinks it's related to that). But it's nothing I've ever felt before with TMJ disorder. It also appeared around 6 months post-op and I had regained feeling prior to this happening so it's not like the numbness was covering it up. I am getting a second opinion, but my gut feeling says it's the hardware irritating something. The pain can get pretty intense and nothing really helps it. It also is not there in the mornings when I wake up but starts to hurt during the day- perhaps because that's when I use my jaw the most? Also, the scar in that area can bleed sometimes if I touch it. Something doesn't seem right but the doctor brushes it off as nothing. I would love to hear from anyone with any experience? Thanks!
Re: hardware removal
HI there - I'm sorry for the delayed response, but I didn't have anything to add to this discussion until today when I had my lower right plate and screws removed. I'm six weeks out from double jaw surgery, and unfortunately I had an infection over the plate which caused the gum tissue to not close, which left a small part of the plate exposed.
Compared to jaw surgery, the removal was a treat! It was done quickly under conscious sedation with local anesthetic in the office. I think from the time I went back to the room to the time I rode in the chair to the recovery room (where I spent five minutes) was just about an hour. That includes hooking up the monitors, ,starting an IV, getting me sedated, and performing the procedure.
Pain has been very minimal and managed almost entirely with Aleve and ice, though I did take one Norco when I first got back and the local was wearing off.
I hope you find an answer to your pain issue. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Compared to jaw surgery, the removal was a treat! It was done quickly under conscious sedation with local anesthetic in the office. I think from the time I went back to the room to the time I rode in the chair to the recovery room (where I spent five minutes) was just about an hour. That includes hooking up the monitors, ,starting an IV, getting me sedated, and performing the procedure.
Pain has been very minimal and managed almost entirely with Aleve and ice, though I did take one Norco when I first got back and the local was wearing off.
I hope you find an answer to your pain issue. Let me know if you have any other questions.