Metal Mouth Message Board

Just realized there isn't a post for June or even July buddies!!!!! I've been here and there posting around but I'm feeling a little anxious now that surgery is right around the corner! Would like a spot to go to just talk with fellow buddies going through the same thing at the same time instead of searching for hours and hours...even though im sure I will have plenty of time to once im home from surgery! I'm an odd case...no braces....had invisalign for 2 years now that i'm done im ready and finally have Kaiser to do this surgery so my Dr is willing to put arch bars on my teeth to wire me shut! Super excited since braces were going to cost me around $2000 JUST to have put on for a few months for the surgery! I was given a few surgery dates to choose from over the summer and literally scheduled 30 days in advance! So haven't had a ton of time to take it all in. I also may or may not have searched the lefort 1 surgery online which popped up a few videos...I DID NOT watch them but I did ask a friend to and kind of let me know what they do....BAD IDEA! Totally freaked out! AHHHH! And judging from her faces and screams it isn't that beautiful of a surgery. A little freaked but a little excited as well!

Hi hostet25

Not a June buddy but a July one. I've got my surgery on 2nd July, really glad it's finally here, I've been braced since March 2012 and got given my date about a month ago. I have 3 pre op appointments to go this month at the hospital and I've been told that it'll be an afternoon operation.

I will have my lower jaw moved forward and will stay overnight. I had my surgical hooks put on my braces today so the surgeon can put elastics in, never had to wear elastics during my treatment so that'll be all new for me.

Good luck with your surgery.

Hey colbrit7! Well we aren't too far off from each other. My surgery is this Monday the 23rd I also have an afternoon surgery! Which suckssss! Can't eat after midnight is what they just told be been though I don't check in till almost noon. I'll be staying overnight as well. It feels like it's coming so quickly! Had my jaw surgery class thurs with about 10 other patients getting the surgery sometime this summer...guess kaiser wants us all to go over everything before surgery. Showed us some techniques for eating and gave us all of our syringes and ice pack holders. I'll let u know how it goes!

Good luck with surgery

Colbrit7 wrote:Hi hostet25

Not a June buddy but a July one. I've got my surgery on 2nd July, really glad it's finally here, I've been braced since March 2012 and got given my date about a month ago. I have 3 pre op appointments to go this month at the hospital and I've been told that it'll be an afternoon operation.

I will have my lower jaw moved forward and will stay overnight. I had my surgical hooks put on my braces today so the surgeon can put elastics in, never had to wear elastics during my treatment so that'll be all new for me.

Good luck with your surgery.

Colbrit7 how is everything? Swelling? Numbness?

Hi Hostet25

I have posted my updates and some photos on the July Surgery thread. My lower jaw was brought forward by 10mm.

Quick recap, it has been a very good recovery, very little yellow bruising on jawline and neck. The huge swelling went down after about 10 days. My mouth was very sore, opening etc washing for about 2 weeks. I slept upright for about 10 days and I had a 5 day course of antibiotics, did daily salt rinses, took the prescribed mouthwash. They gave me some soluble pain relief (codeine + paracetamol) which I took for about 5 days and then to be honest I wasn't in pain so I stopped taking it.

I was on a liquid diet for a week, the dietitian at the hospital gave me milkshakes which I took home and a booklet which I used as a guide for my eating. I am now on a fork mashable diet, I find the eating so tiring, it's just such a hassle poking/sucking food through this tiny hole.

I have sensation back to my face on my jaw lines I have currently numbness on whole chin area, lower lip and lower gum line. I was banded up on both sides with a box formation on my uppers and lowers since the next day of the surgery. A week later in my follow up appointment they replaced the elastics. The elastics are doubled up, 2 on each side. This is a pain as I've never used elastics and I had a panic as one of the elastics on the right hand side snapped and my orthodontist is not available until 22nd July but I had the staff call up the hospital and they said it was ok to leave it as was.

I was originally signed off work for 2 weeks but I went to my GP and have been signed off for another 2 weeks as I'm still tired in the day and my speech isn't so good. Today I went out out to a town on the coast and just in general talking / trying to chat away with everyone and going home my jaw ached ouch!

How's your recovery going?