How many fingers?

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#1 Post by **DotCat** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:04 pm

I am 3 months post-op after Le Fort I, but I still can not get my mouth to open more than 2 fingers. No matter what I do, I can not train it to the 3 finger space that my ortho requires from me.

Any tips how to train my jaws to open more? I need at least about more 5 mm

#2 Post by PJ » Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:42 pm

I am about 4 1/2 months post op and still struggle to get all three fingers very far past the opening of my mouth. Try literally stretching your jaw using opposing pressure with your hands. I would do this gently and for about 30 seconds each time. It helped me to get past 2 fingers.

#3 Post by **OzzysMom** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 6:38 pm

I did the same exercises as PJ suggested.
Someone else here once mentioned that their OS had them doing exercises stretching their jaw w/popsicle sticks taped together.

It seems that the 2 finger ROM lasts for awhile with a lot of people.

#4 Post by **2bpositive** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:08 pm

At my second post ob appt my surgeon told me to help open my mouth more is to: put my thumb on my upper teeth and my middle finger on my lower teeth and open my mouth to where I can not open anymore and hold it there to do this 10 times and do it 5 times a day or more.

#5 Post by **DotCat** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:41 am

Well... I had ortho appointment last week and they managed to do everything they needed with just 2 fingers space, but said I should exercise more.

My surgeons on the other hand said that it is nonsense, that a 3 finger room would strain my joints and I am not permitted to do it if I do not want to end with disjointed TMJ.

According to them, I have small/delicate facial bone structure and 2 fingers and few more mm opening is the max my face is made for.

Crazy

#6 Post by **Skitters** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:58 pm

My ortho also was very concerned and worried that I was not opening wider than what I was. However, when I contacted my surgeon about it, he told me I was actually opening alittle wider than he would have expected at that point. Each doctor is different, but in many cases I don't think the orthos quite understand the extent of what our poor jaws go through with these surgeries. Listen to your surgeon!

#7 Post by **teylix** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:40 pm

4 months here and i can put 3 fingers in to the first digit (bending point). this happened rather recently because i remember not tooo long ago (maybe 2 months ago) i was trying to eat a costco hotdog and BARELY being able to do it. good stretching exercise though.

i just tried today and noticed 3 fit in now. i didnt really exercise my jaw... i just try to stick my favorite food in and stretch it if it doesnt fit at first