Starting to chew again

[Rizzie]

I got the OK to start chewing, but it just feels so odd. The way I would describe it is kind of a squishy feeling. Is this normal? I am now 6 weeks post op.

[TitaniumAdded]

Hey Rizzie,

I'm also a little over 6 weeks post op and chewing is still quite foreign. I find however if you just keep introducing more and more soft foods to your diet, the constant chewing will help wake up your jaw and chewing muscles. I think it's helped me get my mouth open. I used to only open it as far as finger, but now I can get a knuckle in comfortably, so it just comes with practice. The 'squishy' feeling is taken care of as you practice more and I also felt it, so no worries!

[Rizzie]

Thanks for the reassurance! I'm going to quit analyzing the chewing process and focus on enjoying food again!

[DRG]

Rizzie - My surgeon told me that the "squishy feeling" would likely last for many months (6 months+), gradually disappearing, before your upper jaw becomes "fixed". In the meantime, I was told that you have soft tissue (and bone plates) holding everything together. True bone growth takes quite a bit of time apparently. If you've got a recent x-ray, you might well be able to see the gaps or missing bone, especially this early in your healing process (this analysis works better with a broken arm or such, the skull / jaw is often too thin to present this clearly....(please don't break a non-jaw bone just to see if this is true)).

DRG