One day post surgery - elastic band has snapped!

[Changes]

Hi everyone

I just got lower jaw surgery yesterday, and unfortunatley one of my elastics has just snapped. I'm worried this is going to cause a problem with my jaw setting in the correct place?

Might be over reacting but I'm scared about this and its the weekend so dental hospital is shut just now.

Any advice?

xx

[Changes]

Hello again, got an update on this

I called the hosptial where the op was done - the nurse said it should be fine. Wasn't happy with this so got put through to a doctor. She said that with the other 2 elastic bands in place in the centre and left side of the mouth, along with the waifer, and the metal plates then it should be fine, but she would contact the surgeon who did my surgery and see what he said as I was still unsure. I wasn't trying to give them a hard time but my main concerns are:

1. The band that snapped covered the whole of my right hand side of mouth. Main concern is that the jaw will not set correctly in place
2. This happened one day after surgery. What if the other two bands are snapped by Monday?
3. If the bands are not important then what are they used for?

The doctor said that the bands work in conjunction with the waifer and the plates to hold everything in place. This sounds like it is important!

She advised that the surgeon said it wasn't too much of a concern but if the other bands snapped it would be a concern and they would have to be replaced. They also advised that if I was still concerned about it to go in tomorrow morning and they will replace it. It seemed like a bit of a struggle to get this result but I am definately going in as I would just stress until Thursday if I had to wait that long. Dont want to take any risk with my jaw setting incorrectly.

[BracketBaring]

Hello again, got an update on this

I called the hosptial where the op was done - the nurse said it should be fine. Wasn't happy with this so got put through to a doctor. She said that with the other 2 elastic bands in place in the centre and left side of the mouth, along with the waifer, and the metal plates then it should be fine, but she would contact the surgeon who did my surgery and see what he said as I was still unsure. I wasn't trying to give them a hard time but my main concerns are:

1. The band that snapped covered the whole of my right hand side of mouth. Main concern is that the jaw will not set correctly in place
2. This happened one day after surgery. What if the other two bands are snapped by Monday?
3. If the bands are not important then what are they used for?

The doctor said that the bands work in conjunction with the waifer and the plates to hold everything in place. This sounds like it is important!

She advised that the surgeon said it wasn't too much of a concern but if the other bands snapped it would be a concern and they would have to be replaced. They also advised that if I was still concerned about it to go in tomorrow morning and they will replace it. It seemed like a bit of a struggle to get this result but I am definately going in as I would just stress until Thursday if I had to wait that long. Dont want to take any risk with my jaw setting incorrectly.

Don't sweat it. My doc said not to worry if a band broke. At my one week follow-up, he was actually surprised that they were all intact.

[Changes]

Thank you BracketBaring. Its good to hear that. I'm going to go in tomorrow and get it put back on, because they have offered and it will just make me feel better. Am already going to stress over night about this never mind waiting til Thursday! But thanks for the info and I think I will just turn the computer off now and take your advice and try n chill out about this. Phew! xx

[stunner]

I'd be totally stressing too actually. I don't blame you. Hope you get some solace on this forum. So these bands--does everyone get them? Is this why they told me I wouldn't be wired shut that "they don't do that anymore."

How big are they? Do they hold your mouth shut in position with the split/wafer in place? Is that how it works?

[Changes]

Hi Stunner, i think it depends on what surgery you get. I just got my lower jaw advanced, so havent been wired shut or anything. The bands are pretty small but they're v strong (except the one that snapped!) and yep they work alongside the splint/wafer to hold everything in place. I went in to the hospital on the Sunday and they replaced the missing band. Just felt better in myself getting this done. They gave me an appointment with my surgeon for Monday (yesterday) and he checked everything out but the main point of the appointment was for him to tell me to chill out!! Hehe. So maybe I overreacted with the band snapping. But just better to be safe than sorry