feeling natural again?

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#1 Post by **suetemi** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 1:41 pm

Anyone feel natural after surgery? By natural I mean feel like they didn't have the surgery and that they've always had the jaws they have now. From what others have said, it seems like numbness and swelling can last a while, and that one can get used to those things to where it feels normal, but I'm just wondering if one can ever feel normal and natural again, without physically feeling any trace of having had the surgery. Or, perhaps, is it something that stays with you forever somehow?

#2 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 2:22 pm

That is a tricky question. I would have to say I feel normal but I do not feel the same. The healing process takes a while; the fatigue and aches and pains and swelling can last for several weeks. Then you feel "normal" again.

I feel better in many ways, because my teeth and jaws are aligned. But my teeth are also more sensitive than they were before braces/surgery. And I have permanent numbness in my lip, chin, and gums. And when I touch my face I can feel the screws underneath. So yes, there are some changes that are permanent.

#3 Post by **Emaciated** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 11:44 pm

I'm closing in on a year post op and my teeth still feel funny. I don't notice it and feel "natural" for the most part but if I think about it I know I don't feel the same as I did before the surgery. I do have some numbness in my chin still but its minimal and I barely notice its there until I think about it. But other things once in awhile remind me that things have been moved around in there. For example I had a brutal 5-week cold/cough and when my sinuses are really plugged up I can feel the pressure pushing down on my upper jaw if that makes sense. Like everything doesn't feel all solid like it does normally. It felt like if I blew my nose hard enough I could blow my upper jaw off. (I know I can't but that's the way I would describe the feeling.) Its not a scary or even uncomfortable feeling, but it definitely is not a "natural" feeling.

And once again, as I also ways follow posts like this one up, these occasional "unnatural" occurrences in no way add any regret whatsoever to my decision to have the surgery. The perfect bite and facial balance are well worth a rare reminder that at one point I had my face sawed off.

#4 Post by **smile2006** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 4:17 pm

I am 2 years and 3 months post-op from double jaw surgery and genioplasty to correct an open bite. I love, love, love the results and don't regret for a minute going through it. However, do I feel "natural"....hmmm, I'd have to say not totally. I have residual numbness in a small portion of my lower lip and can feel one screw when I touch my face near the nose and orbital socket. I too have some pressure that comes and goes at times in my upper teeth. I have yet to feel normal kissing but my ortho says I never will feel the same as I did before the surgery in that activity because the position of my teeth and jaws are so different. I guess I would have to say I feel like I had something done, it's not painful and I've grown accustomed to it unless I really think about it. I recently had foot surgery for a torn tendon and I feel like long term I'll experience the same thing in my foot. Maybe it's like repainting a car, you'll never quite have the factory finish again but you sure can improve things

Again though, I'm super happy with my decision to do the braces/surgery and hope to enjoy looking at my lovely teeth and much improved facial structure for years to come.

#5 Post by **suetemi** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:10 am

Hmm, I should also think that there are people who feel natural after surgery, but that their surgery experience was years ago and perhaps they've moved on and no longer check this board to answer my question

At least I hope. I really hope my bite and face will feel somewhat comfortable and natural after surgery.

#6 Post by **suetemi** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:16 am

smile2006 wrote: I too have some pressure that comes and goes at times in my upper teeth. I have yet to feel normal kissing but my ortho says I never will feel the same as I did before the surgery in that activity because the position of my teeth and jaws are so different.

hey smile, can you elaborate on these feelings. Pressure in your teeth? That sounds scary...does it hurt or affect the health of the teeth? Also, I'm so discouraged to hear about the kissing thing, especially after two+ years. I think I'll be having similar procedures to yours (bimax for an open bite).

#7 Post by **smile2006** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 1:25 pm

As far as my bite goes, it feels very natural and comfortable now. I have a very comfortable at rest position with my lips closed and I am no longer a mouth breather (these are key improvements with open bite correction). For me that part is very natural. The pressure in the teeth thing is hard to describe. It's just a periodic pressure in the back upper right teeth. Like I said it comes and goes. I have had multiple dental check-ups since having my braces off and my teeth, roots, gums are fine so I don't think anything is wrong there. It doesn't hurt or anything. I wouldn't be concerned, the combo of upper, lower and genio is like a tripple whammy in terms of how much they move things around. As I said the good far outweighs the minor things that linger.