How soon to normal speech?

[dubnobass]

I am 1-week post-op and had a checkup today. They took out my bite wafer, so now it's a little bit easier to speak, but I still sound like a cross between Elmer Fudd and Sylvester the cat.

Part of the problem may be due to numbness - a numb lower lip, numb palate and gums, slightly numb tongue. The top lips are fine and as normal. I am also still swollen, and my stitches above my front teeth are pulling a little bit too. My teeth have, of course, also moved - the upper teeth have moved up by a few mm and my lower jaw has come forward by 11mm, and has also moved up. I can open to about 15 mm, but have fairly heavy elastics on.

This means that all my 'tools' for speech are in complete disarray. I'm sure it will come back with time, but I'm just curious as to how long it took people to start talking more normally again?

[HighandLo]

I was surprised by this, too! It took me until about Week 4 before I sounded like myself again. My jaw was moved sideways so my teeth also met in a different place and my tongue had to adjust.

I think the speech impediment was mostly sue to swelling and numnbess, since I talked like that when I had Novocaine for dental work .

Good for you, getting the splint out!

Lo

[dubnobass]

I was really pleased about the splint

I asked why it had been left in, and they said it was important for the first 2-3 weeks to retrain my bite and muscles. Then when they looked, they realised it was actually slightly catching on one side and wasn't really training my bite they way they wanted it to anyway, so they said it could come out. It's so strange to have teeth back again - and drinking is an awful lot easier!

Without the wafer, my teeth at the front meet, but I have an open bite at the back on both sides, by about 3-4mm. I dunno how usual this is for bimax surgery, but they said it could be corrected with elastics.

Thanks for the reply - just as long as I won't be lisping and spluttering my way through the rest of my life!

[HighandLo]

My surgeon also told me that elastics could move my bite several mms. I had to get used to the elastics at first, but now I talk the same with or without them. And they do move teeth. I now have a slight gap because of them, but that should be gone by next month?!.

I think you're doing great and so early in your recovery!

Lo

[dubnobass]

Lo
Thanks for your reply - makes me feel a bit better. It seems really odd to have gone through all this, only to find that my teeth don't meet properly

I dread the spectre of being told that the surgery will need to be re-done..

[Supermax]

This is an interesting topic because I'm now 4 weeks post op and find that I can talk "almost" normally, however I find that this is actually compensated, and I wonder if anyone has had to go for speech therapy when everything comes off.

Reason i say this is that i seem to have taught myself to speak holding my jaws together and all you see is my lips move. This is actually not normal because when a normal person speaks their jaw opens and closes and moves from side to side. At 4 weeks post op that is pretty much impossible for me especially the side to side motion, when I take the elastics off and try to speak "with" jaw movement...I sound terrible.

Also watch yourself speak in the mirror, you'll find that everything seems to move in an exagerated way.

I know that one's body is excellent at compensating, and wonder if when everything is okay again that I'm going to have to retrain myslef to speak properly and to look normal whilst speaking as well

[WhiteLurcher]

dubnobass I see you too had maxillary impaction, I just wondered if you all so now find your voice sounds rather more nasal than before?

The roof of my mouth seems so high I wonder if there is any room left for sinuses!