Metal Mouth Message Board

and after surgery did you still do it? I'm a tad worried that I'll continue doing it after the BSSO and le fort 1 and will look as though I have an underbite instead of the perfect smile :s

It'll take some getting used to, but by the time post-surgical ortho is complete, you should have a "well-integrated" bite that will naturally encourage your jaw into being in a neutral position.

have I ever told you how much I love you sirwired? you always have great responses and reassurances.

I was worried about this too, after my bimax before the bands went on I kept pushing my jaw out, my surgeon said it's just because of muscle memory which will adapt in time. The bands work well to hold the teeth together until you get used to the new bite.

You just do it because it's what you've known all your life, dont worry. Trust your ortho/surgeon

xx

I've personally had a lot of problem with muscle memory but my surgeon said it is normal. Your muscles are in shock of their new position. The rubber bands help a lot.

Hi!
My surgeon called it 'posturing' when you hold your jaw in a certain position, didn't even know it was a 'thing'!
I did it ALL the time unconsciously before surgery.

For me I felt like surgery made everything a blank slate. Eating felt weird because it didn't feel right and I had to relearn how to move my jaw to eat. Then when I was just normal, like watching TV, I didn't know where to 'put' my jaw. The elastics were AMAZING because they hold your jaw in place for you, and eventually, after they came off, I just had a 'new jaw'. No posturing at all, and I didn't even think about it.

Hope it all works out for you

Been doing that forever, and have been told that it could contribute to my chronic TMJ. Curious to see what happens after surgery.

My ortho is preparing a jaw repositioning splint pre-surgery to get me ready for my new bite. Don't know how common that is. I do stick my jaw out, and every time the ortho or surgeon hold/push my chin back to assess how much over jet I have it feels weird, but I assume it's because I'm used to the bad bite.

I didn't receive a splint until after surgery, and I can only imagine how long bite integration would have taken without it.

That said, I hated that thing (non-removable, made me talk with a lisp, and trapped food, so my breath was horrible), so I hope that pre-surgical splints aren't nearly as annoying.

After the splint came out, elastics were absolutely required to keep my jaw in the correct place; it was really obvious when I forgot to put them in after meals. After four months of at least part-time elastics wear, I'm all "re-trained" and get the braces off next Monday.

I do it, but I haven't had surgery, and I'm not expected to. (Orthodontically speaking, at least. I will most likely be getting all 4 wisdoms out in 5-8 years)

I push my jaw forward quite a bit. To the point where I don't even know I'm doing it, until my orthodontist says something... I am always re-posturing my jaw, as it will lock in one position, or I won't be able to open my mouth wide enough to get food in when I'm in a certain position... I am constantly moving it forward, or to the right, or to the left. I know it isn't good for my joint, but it's primarily an unconcsious thing... and I don't know how else to get my jaw to open / close, so....

lissybear22 wrote:I push my jaw forward quite a bit. To the point where I don't even know I'm doing it, until my orthodontist says something... I am always re-posturing my jaw, as it will lock in one position, or I won't be able to open my mouth wide enough to get food in when I'm in a certain position... I am constantly moving it forward, or to the right, or to the left. I know it isn't good for my joint, but it's primarily an unconcsious thing... and I don't know how else to get my jaw to open / close, so....

I do the exact same things!