Metal Mouth Message Board

Considering upper jaw surgery and was wondering if anyone had any wierd sensations/complications with all the nuts, bolts and screws in the upper jaw. I've previously had lower jaw surgery and I can feel the plates in my lower right jaw when I touch my jaw, but can't feel them on the left side. Consequently if I happen to bang my right lower jaw it's a bit more sensitive. Other than that, I forget they're even there. However, I was wondering what's it's like to have all this hardware in the upper jaw. Does one eventually get used to it and forget it's there or is there a constant awareness, tightness, sensitivity, etc, to it?

Also, I've heard so much how upper jaw surgery changes the shape of the nose, which I'm worried about. I plan on only having a tilted maxillary cant levelled without moving the upper jaw forward or backward, but in my experience, you never can totally predict what's going to happen once the surgeon gets in there. I'm worried about flared nostrils and the tip pushed upward. Sounds monkey like to me. Has this happened to anyone? And if so what was your experience.

Anyone just have a maxillary cant levelled? What was your experience on that procedure?

I appreciate all the replies I get.

Kind regards, Peskywabbit

Read my reply to your post about leveling out the cant with orthodontics only. I believe it can be done and it is being done for me in the next couple months. I think as long as it is 3mm or less, it can be done...

If however yours cannot be fixed with orthodontics alone and you go the route of upper jaw surgery, I can tell you that I do not find my hardware anymore annoying on the upper jaw than I do the lower. I had upper impaction, lower moved forward, and a genio. I find my chin to be the most annoying by far. My upper jaw healed so quickly that I don't even think about it. As far as the soft tissue changes like the nose, etc...I don't think you have to worry about this if you are just getting the upper jaw leveled and not moved forward, backward, up or down but that much. I was so worried about my nose given that I was impacted 5mm. But honestly, my nose looks the same, if not better. It is not at all wider. My surgeon used an alar stitch to prevent widening and it totally worked.

Hope that helps.

@bracedfaced: your post helps a whole lot!! thank you. will talk to the maxillo about the ortho option. However, I had braces with my lower jaw surgery, but the cant was never addressed. Wierd. Thanks so much, again.

When the surgeon took measurements for my surgery, he told me I had a 1mm cant (very minor), but enough to throw my midline off. He fixed this when he did the impaction and moving the upper jaw forward.

I have to agree with everything Bracedfaced says, the genio is the most annoying. My surgeon stitched the muscle to the bone in my case, which feels very tight and hard. I had a 4mm upper jaw impaction and do not notice any nose changes. I am 3 months post op and I still have a lot of sensitivity around my nose, upper jaw and chin. I had a facial yesterday and I asked the esthetician if she could feel my hardware, she could not. It is just a little freaky knowing it is there.

I only had my le fort 1 procedure 8 days ago, but I have been feeling around for the plates because I think it'd be cool to feel it. I can't feel a thing! However, I can feel that the swelling is somewhat thicker around the areas where the plates are. (or at least where I think they are...) Hope this helps!