You may find it difficult to talk and be understood the first week or so after fixation. Be patient and try not to be frustrated if people cannot understand you. Talk as slowly and as distinctly as you can. Carry a pen and pad for especially difficult times, but do not become too dependent on them.
Your jaws will be wired together approximately six to eight weeks. This is the time it takes for the bones to heal in a good, strong union. During the time your jaws are wired together, you will find eating, talking and other daily activities somewhat difficult.
Jaw wiring isn't painful. Your doctor will wire your teeth together while you are still under general anesthesia. Plus, during recovery, you may actually experience post-operative numbness because a lot of the nerves in the lips, chin, and gums may still need to heal.
Depending on your type of injury or surgery the jaws can be wired shut for a period of 2-6 weeks.
ORAL CARE:
Brush your teeth with a small, soft bristled toothbrush. Always brush in front of a mirror, making sure that the wires and arch bars are clean and shiny. Use a spoon handle to hold your cheek out so that you can see all the way to the back, making sure these areas are free of food.
What happens to the metal plates and jaw-wires afterwards? The metal plates are usually left inside your jaw permanently. However, occasionally, the plates may become infected, break or just feel uncomfortable.
Jaw surgery sometimes means that your jaws have to be wired shut for several weeks to heal. This makes it hard to eat. You will have to drink your meals through a straw or syringe. Liquid meal supplements, such as Ensure and Boost, help make sure that you get protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Jaw wiring is a medical procedure to keep the jaw closed for a period of time. Originally, it was used as the mandibular equivalent of a cast, to fix the jaw in place while a fracture healed. Jaw wiring is also used for weight-loss purposes, to prevent the ingestion of solid food.
He charges R150 for the procedure and usually takes the wires out after two weeks so that the jaws can rest. The wires are then put back for another week. But most of his patients return within a few days because the pain and discomfort are too much to bear.
The mandible is the moving jaw and therefore discomfort is precipitated with increasing movement, such as chewing, yawning, and talking. Reduction and/or modification of these activities for the first few weeks following surgery alleviates the discomfort, as will the use of the pain medication and ice applications.
The surgery is performed in the hospital and can last between one to four hours. Hospital stays of one to three days are normal. Braces are maintained during surgery and may need to be removed six to twelve months after surgery. The greatest impact of orthognathic surgery is the recovery phase.
After 2 weeks you can commence a non-chew food diet. The rule of thumb is to eat food that you can easily squish between your fingers and anything that does not make any noise(ie hard or crunchy foods). Examples include: mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, fish and over-boiled/soft pastas cut into small pieces etc.
Following your surgery and throughout the post-operative recovery period, especially if your jaw is wired shut, you could lose as much as 10 percent of your body weight.
Jaw surgery is a major surgery that can disrupt your life for several weeks and months.
You are likely to have a more symmetrical and better-proportioned appearance. Jaw surgery corrects an overbite. Bite misalignments like overbites can significantly affect your appearance. Corrective jaw surgery moves realign the jaw backward or forward, giving you a youthful and more pronounced smile.
Remember, the wires or rubber bands can be stretched or broken, causing the problems noted above, or teeth can be loosened and damaged. Don't try to fight them and open or move your jaw. If you need to cough, sneeze, or yawn, use your hand to support below your chin to avoid the tendency to try to open your mouth!
You will progress to a soft food or soft-chew diet around after 2 months of recovery (give or take a week). You must avoid anything crunchy or hard to chew, as it can damage your jaw and disrupt the healing process. If you find it uncomfortable to chew, remain on a no-chew diet for another week.
The good news is that a lot of patients don't need to have their jaws wired shut after surgery. While you are under anesthesia, your surgeon will use titanium plates and screws to secure and splint the jaw bones in their new position. New bone will grow around these plates and screws and don't need to be removed.
When your jaws are tightly closed by wires or elastics you are not able to chew your food. You will need to put all of your food in a blender to make it thin enough to pass through the wires or elastics. You may need to drink the blended food through a straw. How long do I need to blenderize my food?
The muscles get swollen, and the normal act of swallowing can then become painful. This will subside in 2-3 days. Stiffness (Trismus) of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a several days following surgery. In some patients, this is a normal post-operative event.
Because eating and drinking is time-consuming with a wired jaw, try to make the liquids you choose count! Avoid “empty” calories like plain coffee, tea or diet soda. You should also avoid excessive use of sugary beverages that contribute nothing but calories and promote tooth decay.
Jaw dislocation is when the lower part of the jaw (mandible) moves out of its normal position. It usually heals well, but it can cause problems in future. If you dislocate your jaw, seek medical help as soon as possible and never try to put a dislocation back in place yourself.
Patients usually stay in hospital for one night following the surgery. The following day the position of your fractures is sometimes checked with X-rays before you are allowed home. Although the plates and screws hold the fractures in place it still takes around six weeks for your lower jaw to heal completely.
Easier Eating
Misalignment in the jaws often causes difficulties in chewing, biting and swallowing – and if you have a bite problem, certain foods may even be off-limits. After corrective jaw surgery, your teeth will meet properly and you will be able to eat anything you like with ease.