Stability Questions, LeFort I--Life with a delayed Union

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#1 Post by **phil** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:45 am

Well, tomorrow is week eight. I thought I should be more healed than I am feeling, but...

...maybe I'm just noticing it now because I haven't done any biting to speak of, but my upper arch seems a little loose! I'm hoping that I'm just now noticing this, and I'm having the surgeon look at me tomorrow, but...

...has anyone else with LeFort I still felt wobbly in their upper teeth after eight weeks?

Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:37 am

I had Sarpe, and I thought it took a coupla months for the upper jaw not to feel a bit. . .strange.

Was your upper jaw moved more than most people's are moved for lefort?

#3 Post by **mamabracito** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:44 am

Just to let you know Phil I asked my doctor this last week as I was thinking about it in general and he told me after 2 months it should be solid and fine, but it takes a full year for the bone to re-grow and attach fully.

How does it move like? You mean it feels like it's actully moving abit like back and forward?

Anyways I'm sure you will be fine, all the best.

#4 Post by **phil** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:45 am

4beauty4symmetry,

Well, it's been "a couple of months." I had a fairly typical LeFort I--5 mm advancement, basically sliding it forward. I would say that's not a huge distance--somewhere in the middle of most cases I've heard of.

mamabracito,

It moves just a little "up and down" when I occlude my teeth, not forward and back.

#5 Post by **mamabracito** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:51 am

Well now I am very interested to hear what the doctor tells you tomorrow, I suppose like they say no two people are the same and healing times can be very different depending on many little factors in life.

#6 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:58 am

Hey Phil,
Be sure you factor in the age factor in your healing. I think it takes about double what it would for a younger person for us older folks to heal completely. With that being said, I'm 3 months post op and everything feels pretty stable and solid now. I was not allowed to chew until 6 weeks though, and even then it was only soft chew for another 6 weeks. So I was just released for full chewing.

I do think at 2 months though I remember I could still feel my maxilla move a bit, especially in the front. I would notice it most when I would remove my rubberbands. It did go away fairly rapidly within a couple of weeks though.

Hope this helps!

Brandy

Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:07 pm

You know, it may have felt loose after that.

Honestly, I was so petrified of 'breaking' it and so creeped out by that 'loose' feeling I kept on soft food for probably 3 months.

It was when I went running that I noticed it.

Think Brandy is right--you're older, it's just taking awhile for bones and what not to fuse.

I was 46, btw, when I had the sarpe.

#8 Post by **phil** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:38 pm

Thanks, everyone, for your responses.

I decided to opt for a phone call from the surgeon tomorrow, and save myself the 20 minute drive, as well as him the time to talk to me in person. This way, he can call me whenever he has a moment.

I'm trying not to be neurotic about this, but it's not easy! Being a professional singer, I get a little nervous when it comes to my chops.

#9 Post by **HighandLo** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:39 pm

Hey Phil,

I felt the same way with my jaw after BSSO. It wasn't until I started almost full chewing that my jaw felt "stable." It felt like if I tried to bite fairly hard, my teeth would come out! It only feels like my bite has stabilized in the last couple of weeks.

I'm interested to know the reason for the feeling you have!

Lo

#10 Post by **phil** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:14 pm

Well, my surgeon returned my call tonight, which really surprised me! I was not expecting to hear from him until tomorrow.

I described what I'm feeling, and he said he wants to see me tomorrow, so I'm going in first thing in the morning. I'll keep you all posted. Wish me luck, and/or say a prayer!

#11 Post by **phil** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:12 am

OK, here's the scoop, everyone. It's not good news.

My surgeon says that the maxilla has not healed properly, and that in all likelihood I have a fibrous union. He says that this is rare, and he has only had one other case in his twenty-odd years, which incidentally, did have a positive outcome eventually (why doesn't that ease my mind?).

I am pretty frightened about this. My surgeon, being a surgeon, is pragmatic. No surprise, that's his job. I am supposed to see him again in two weeks. Oh, and by the way, no ortho for now.

So for now, back to soft/blended foods, and NO elastics. Hope my muscles don't go all wonky without them!

If anyone can give me some information about fibrous unions of fractures, etc., I would be most grateful.

I never could have anticipated this in a million years.

#12 Post by **HighandLo** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:40 am

Oh, Phil, thank goodness you checked with your surgeon on this, instead of waiting for your jaw to feel better. You know better than anyone when something is amiss. I could find very little useful information on fibrous union or nonunion on the Internet. But, it seems like you're in good hands, since your OS brought you in right away. I will certainly send a prayer for your quick treatment and healing.

Lo

#13 Post by **phil** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:00 am

Thanks, Lo.

Oh, the things you NEVER discuss with your surgeon before surgery!

We'll hope for the best. It's scary to be sure. I'm also going to try to talk to a friend of mine who's a surgeon, but I think he's out of town right now.

I'll keep you posted!

By the way, today is eight weeks. Should I celebrate?

Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:08 am

I'm a bit perplexed.

Is "fibrous union" basically a term for the bone's failure to fuse? What did the surgeon say would happen if it didn't resolve? Did he have any explanation or speculation as to why you've developed this connection?

Very unsettling, I'm sure. My best wishes are with you.

#15 Post by **phil** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:41 am

4beauty4symmetry,

No explanation. Yes, failure. Also called "nonunion." So, if my bones fail, do they have to do summer school? And, if they are "nonunion," does that mean that we should boycott and picket?

I'm giving it a month, and then possibly seeing a orthopedic specialist for a second opinion on dealing with this issue. I might even go get the second opinion now, after all, information can't hurt.