braces and healing

[sec9]

Does anyone know if the braces play a role in the actual bones healing, or are they just for the purpose of straightening the teeth? Also, did you guys get the permanent retainer put in, and how successful is that in keeping the bottom teeth straight?

[Emaciated]

Does anyone know if the braces play a role in the actual bones healing, or are they just for the purpose of straightening the teeth?

This is a pretty broad question. They do play a role in the sense that they hold the splint in place which holds your teeth in place which allows the bone to fuse properly.

As far as actually moving or supporting the bone as it heals, I don't think so - and the only reason I say that is that my wires were cut into pieces for weeks after surgery which suggests that the wire support is not really necessary while healing. At least not initially. But now that you mention it, I'm sort of curious about that too if that's what you meant.

Also, did you guys get the permanent retainer put in, and how successful is that in keeping the bottom teeth straight?

I had (have) two permanent retainers put in which have both held my teeth in place for about 9+ months. I have those in addition to an invisiline on top that I wear at night and a traditional (red) retainer for the bottom. My top bonds my front 4 teeth and my bottom bonds my front 6 teeth.

This isn't related to your question but FYI I have been finding the permanent retainers annoying because they build up plaque/tartar/white stuff in the back of my teeth between the gums and the retainer. I bought a scraper to clean it out so now my morning brushing routine is:

Pull out retainers
Clean retainers
Brush teeth
Floss back teeth
Scrape build up out of permanent retainers
Rinse mouth

i.e. annoying. Prior to surgery all I had to do was brush teeth and floss.

[sec9]

Ya I can see how the splint would play a major role in bone healing right after the surgery, but I guess what I meant to say is after the splint is out and you have been turned back over to your orthodontist. So basically in months after after surgery how big of a role do the the braces play in the actual healing of the bone?

[Emaciated]

I think the role they play is strictly to perfect how the teeth line up with each other. I don't think the braces effect how the bone fuses. The hardware that's screwed into your skull directly effects the bone healing, but probably not the braces.
Again, I don't know, I have no medical background whatsoever. I may be getting a little too introspective here but I look at it like a potted plant, the plant being your teeth and the soil being the bone. You can dig a plant out of the earth and place it in a pot, and it continues to grow independent of the fact that its no longer rooted in the earth. Your teeth continue to move within the section of jaw they are embedded independent of the healing bone. So the braces continue to do their job moving the teeth into place while the hardware drilled into the bone continues to do its job by holding the bone in place so it can fuse back together.