Chin up!

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x
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:51 am

Chin up!

#1 Post by x »

Hello everyone!

I’m now 5½ weeks post-surgery (maxilla backward 3mm and impacted 6mm / mandible forward 4mm). My OS had performed 2 additional procedures to minimise changes to the nose, alar cinch to control the width and septal cartilage reduction to control the upturn. There is a slight increase in width (1mm) and upturn (½mm), which I hope is due to the swelling. There is swelling and numbness in some areas of the lower half of my face, in particularly, the mouth, lower lip and chin, but I do see improvement on a daily basis. Apart from 2 packs of blood for transfusion, excruciating pain for 1 week from a sore throat and tender lower lip, and 2 monkey (loose) elastics for 1½ weeks, I’ve not encountered any problems, other than …

… the mentalis (muscle at tip of chin). (1) High visibility – muscle is not smooth or flushed during normal movements of lower third. (2) Malfunctioning – protrusion of lower lip is not possible and upward movement is limited. (3) Speech impediment – malfunctioning of mentalis is the largest contributor to impaired speech. … It feels and looks like I’ve a piece of sellotape strapped over my lower lip. :paperbag:

My OS has been extremely supportive throughout and I’ve had the opportunity for consultations with him during the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th week post-surgery, and on top of that, I can also email him with any concerns. My next consultation with him is during the 6th week, when he will remove my archwires.

However, the mentalis issue is still outstanding. No matter how much I want to let this issue go, I can’t, because something tells me that something is not quite right. I’ve researched the matter and found studies, which back up my view. My OS had informed me pre-surgery that the muscle will be detached and then reattached and that this was part of the surgical procedure. I’ve raised my concerns with my OS, who continues to reassure me that everything is fine and that the muscle needs time to relearn to function properly again. My orthodontist, who has also been extremely supportive, advises the same.

Even with so much support from my OS and orthodontist, I’d eventually hit rock bottom, so I can’t imagine what jjames’ “rock bottomâ€

HighandLo
Posts: 311
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:49 pm
Location: Texas, USA

#2 Post by HighandLo »

x,

Have you seen this thread? I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing, but this happened to me.

viewtopic.php?t=20785&highlight=chin+muscle

Lo

dubnobass
Posts: 423
Joined: Sat May 28, 2005 1:34 am
Location: London, UK

#3 Post by dubnobass »

As a follow-up, there's no sign of mentalis strain now for me, at 2 months post-op. It was present with post-op swelling, but it's gone now. It took a while to go though - it wasn't until I could effortlessly close my lips together (the default for a time was my lower lip dangling open), that it went away.

I worried for a while that my lower lip and the area than ran into my chin had been somewhat paralysed in the operation because I had no control over any of it. I think it's all just part and parcel of the nerve damage - not just feeling and temperature, but movement too.
With post-op numbness, it's hard to co-ordinate the lips closed around the new position of the teeth. This will produce mentalis strain in your chin.

I'd give it a bit longer before thinking something was re-attached incorrectly, though. If you've still got it once some of the numbness has worn off, then you might have a problem.
Braced May 2005
Bimaxillary surgery Aug 2007
Debraced Jun 2008

x
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:51 am

#4 Post by x »

It was really scary, because I thought I was the only one. I think I’m experiencing something similar. My mentalis bulges outwards and is highly visible when I close my lips or try to protrude my lower lip (though it doesn’t protrude, the “sellotape effectâ€

jjames
Posts: 108
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:03 am
Location: GA

#5 Post by jjames »

X,
Good luck tomorrow! I wonder if MILD and gentle jaw stretching/excercises after you warmed you chin with a warm moist heat would help by moing it slowly backwards and fowards, side to side? It seems like anything to help relax and ease and heal your chin muscle would, are you trying that now?

x
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:51 am

#6 Post by x »

After all that craziness, I didn't raise any concerns with my OS at the review appointment. It seemed like all I wanted was a psychological fix, to know that my OS was “still thereâ€

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