Post-Surgery FUN!!!

Message

#16 Post by **TheUnk311** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:34 am

Phil, it sounds like it has been a rough time for you, I really sympathise. When you feel a bit low or in pain, just remember how much you used to hate your underbite and how you will NEVER have to worry about it again, its gone forever!!

Best Wishes
Happysmiler

Yep, just whip out a pre-op profile picture and you feel better in no time

#17 Post by **sillikitti** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 11:42 am

Great results Phil

#18 Post by **Graceful58** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:38 pm

Congratulations Phil!! You look great!

#19 Post by **phil** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 5:04 pm

Hey Meryaten!

Yes, good advice. Not that I HATED my old face (at least not in this stage of my life!), but I do like the new one better, for sure. And when the OD is done with my new bite, it will be fabulous!

I finally figured out the source of a lot of my pain. The bracket on my right lower 8 molar band is digging into an incision! I would put some wax on it, but in my current state I'm afraid of choking. I just keep telling myself, "this will not be for ever, this will not be for ever!"

I feel like I'm eating nonstop, and so far I've lost five pounds. YIKES!

#20 Post by **phil** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 6:11 pm

Hey, Meryaten!

Did I say 8s? I meant 7s, of course.

I think the protein powder may be a good idea. I'm already doing whole milk--not sure I want to go to heavy cream!

#21 Post by **WhiteLurcher** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 1:10 am

Hey Phil!

I can really sympathise with bracket in the incision pain

My Lower right (It's always my right side

) 8 bracket was firmly imbedded in my incision and kept getting inflamed. My ortho removed it last Tuesday

no more pain but the scar sure is lumpy! All you can do really is keep with the mouthwash until you can get the wax on it.

All the best!

#22 Post by **Thathrill** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 7:18 pm

wow those are some fantastic results. i hope mine turn out that well

#23 Post by **phil** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:37 am

Hello all! I made it to day TEN! It really is the magic day. Last night, NO pain meds. I just took some liquid tylenol this morning when I woke up.

I discovered that I could open my mouth wide enough for a baby spoon, so I ate (yes, ate) a scrambled egg for breakfast. It was all over my face like a two-year-old, and I had to look in the mirror while I ate, but I did it!

Here's a profile pic. I don't think things look too different from the last pics. I think I'm having a little rotation issue with my mandible since I got the looser elastics, and my bite doesn't quite fit well. I'm seeing the surgeon on Monday, so I think it can wait.

Oh, and by the way, in case you were wondering about the beard: my motto is, "when I can FEEL it, I'll SHAVE it!"

#24 Post by **MetalMouse** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:41 am

Wow, your profile looks amazing now!

#25 Post by **phil** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 7:03 am

Well, I went to see the surgeon this morning instead of waiting until Monday, mostly because of anxiety surrounding the shifting in my bite. He assured me that this is all normal, my molars and canines are still in Class I relationship, and the discrepancy created by the shift can certainly be taken care of by the ortho team. It is NOT an exact science, getting those condyles precisely where your muscles want them to go!

He also put a little firmer elastics on (fine by me), and told me that I can begin to eat soft foods at my 2nd week mark. Of course, with these elastics, that will be a non-issue, because I really can't open my mouth very wide!

I am able to suck through a straw now, and I think I surely can eat with the zip n squeeze. So, maybe I won't lose too much more weight!

Still no pain, or muscle spasms. Doing great on both counts.

I'll post another pic in a day or two.

#26 Post by **loulou123** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:19 am

hi phil

congratulations on some amazing results.

and on managing to eat something so soon, even if it has been put on hold my the tighter elastics.

heres hoping you dont lose to much weight.

#27 Post by **HighandLo** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:00 am

Phil,

You're looking great! I just now got a chance to catch up on the posts I missed last week.

I was wondering about the bite question, too. Mine seems to change a bit during the day and I wear my elastics all day, except for eating or brushing. I'll have to ask my OS tomorrow.

You'll just get better from here!

Lo

#28 Post by **phil** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 5:00 pm

Lo,

My surgeon was pretty noncommittal about my bite shift. I think he's not exactly sure what's going on! His general comment to me was, "remember, we've really tipped the apple cart here." I interpreted that to mean that drastic changes usually don't occur smoothly, and I should expect lots of little bumps in the road along the way. I just hope ALL the apples don't fall out again!

#29 Post by **phil** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:31 pm

Hey, Meryaten!

YOU don't like it? Try living it. It really hasn't been terribly pleasant. At this point, I really don't have a choice but to live with it, and see how things pan out. I really don't think "all the apples will fall out" again, but the fact that my muscles can't make up their mind is starting to bug me.

My strong suspicion is that in my case, with the 3 mm rotation of my mandible in surgery to correct the assymetry, the muscles just tend to go back where they were before, and it's going to take a while for them to settle down, and learn to work in a different way. It is also possible that the position of the temporomandibular joint was not precisely in the right place at surgery. Either way, it's a small shift, and my good orthodontist should be able to come up with the best solution. In the meantime I'm using moist heat frequently!

I'm going to try to get a little more information out of my surgeon on my next visit. Maybe he'll temporarily put me on a muscle relaxer. Then after that, I see the orthodontist four days later. That should be enlightening!

#30 Post by **phil** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:58 am

You're right, Meryaten. It makes perfect sense that things shift around awhile after surgery, but my surgeon mentioned nothing about this, nor is he really addressing it to my satisfaction afterwards. Why is it that this issue is not addressed with a simple statement, such as, "now remember, we've made big changes to the structure of your face. Until the muscles adjust, your bite might not be stable." I would be satisfied with that.

Last night, I asked a good friend of mine, "do you think it's going to be like this for the rest of my life?" His answer was, "No. Everything seeks equilibrium. It's a law of nature!" What wise words.

Did you find muscle relaxers helpful with this issue?

Phil