Metal Mouth Message Board

hello, so today i got my splint off, its been three weeks since surgery. i thought after the splint came off my lips would meet, but they only meet if i force it, did anyone else experience this? will my lips ever meet naturally? and my upper lip looks funny when i smile, it looks crooked, like one side is fatter then the other.

first off congrats for getting the splint out-i found my mouth felt so much better once i had that big bulky thing out...As for teeth meeting mine didnt either but now after a couple more weeks they do-i am guessing its the swelling that keeps your lips slightly apart..swelling should go down more and more each day so hopefully you should see an improvement very soon-all the best..

thanks emma. i was kinda freaking out. like you said, hopefully its just alil swelling, and when that goes down my lips will meet again!!

Not sure about the lips not meeting issue but I can relate to the crooked asymmetrical lips for sure. Mine straightened out after around 6 weeks. I was still WAY off at 3 weeks so don't worry too much about it. I've realized that is entirely a result of the numbness. I had a cavity filled the other day and he numbed up half my face and I went right back to that crooked smile again until the novocaine wore off.

See center photos:
Me at 3-weeks, 4-weeks, 6-weeks

Karl,

I felt relieved once I saw your post on lips/numbness and uneven smile. I'm two weeks post op and the left side of my lips are still numb. When I smils, it's crooked. I thought, gee, all this for a crooked smile. I feel better now. I guess it all takes time.

Hi,

Its too early to tell if ur lips will ever meet, depends how far they are at the moment. For sure the meeting will improve but this will take time, maybe upto the point when u take ur braces off, thats when u can really tell if they meet, as the braces will bulk out ur lips slightly. If u dont wear braces but i assume you do it still needs time for all the muscles to conform to their new position.

So give it plenty of time, if ur maxilla (upper jaw) has been repositioned downwards a gap would have appeared due to the lengethening but this will improve.

My lips didnt fully meet until my braces came off, so took almost a year.

Thanks for that reply, Doddares. I am having a similar issue which I think has to do with my muscles conforming to their new position. It makes me feel much better.
OM