Lower Jaw Surgery Questions

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#1 Post by **faythful** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:36 am

Hi there,

I've been trying to estimate my recovery time from lower jaw surgery (they are re-aligning and moving my jaw back just a bit). Anyone who has had just lower jaw surgery, how long was it before you were feeling better? Talking?

I'm nervous because I need to travel either 2 or 3 weeks after my procedure to a military graduation for my boyfriend, and would be away from my surgeon for about a week. Do you think this would be a problem to attend, with just having surgery?

Any insight would be great- i've read a lot of people's experiences with double jaw surgery, but it is very hard to find people who just have their lower jaw done.

Thank you so much!

#2 Post by **palht** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:54 pm

Hi faythful,

I had my BSSO over 1 year ago to set back my lower jaw. I was banded shut for the whole 4 weeks. So, with a splint and my mouth totally shut, I was hardly able to talk at all.

After the splint was removed and I was no longer banded shut, it took me a while to get my jaws open widely as normal again. However, talking at that time was 80% as normal people.

So, if you are going to be wired/banded shut within the first 4 weeks, I guess talking clearly is almost impossible. This one, I guess you have to clarify with your surgeon.

#3 Post by bb » Tue Jul 27, 2010 4:32 am

2-3 weeks is pushing it. You can talk but it'll be like a ventriloquist since you can't move your jaw. More importantly, you will still be weak from the surgery as well as very puffy.
I went on vacation 5 weeks post op and could not have gone at 3 weeks for sure.
Maybe you can reschedule your surgery?

#4 Post by **toddgee24** » Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:18 am

ill give you some hope, i had my lower jaw moved forward, im two weeks yesterday, banded pretty tightly, but all the swelling is gone, took about a week and a half, for that to go away, and i can open my mouth slightly, allowing me to talk again, it is tough tho fighting against the bands. I have another appointment today, where they are removing some elastics, giving me more range of motion, so im assuming ill be able to talk better. Ask your doc what his procedure is after the surgery, if he starts removing bands, or if your shut for 4 weeks, if they remove bands i think you will be fine.

#5 Post by **faythful** » Tue Jul 27, 2010 2:41 pm

Thank you so much for all of your help, everyone.

Toddgee, your story definitely eased my worries a lot! I will only be heavily banded for up to a week, so i'm starting to feel like as long as i'm good about exercising my jaw and talking as much as i am comfortable with, hopefully i will be alright.

Thanks again!

#6 Post by **ReneG** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 8:08 am

Offhand, I would say by 2-3 weeks you should be ok to travel and move around. But I would move slowly and plan for a lot of rest stops.

I had my jaw moved forward and was banded shut with elastics for about a week. Thereafter on elastics and getting used to the new jaw position. Tired easily but manageable with plenty of rest.

It's much easier when it's just the lower jaw

#7 Post by **ztm134** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 6:45 pm

Faythful,

Please consider that everyone is different. There are a lot of people that have difficult recoveries from jaw surgeries of all types.

I think that if you are determined to go, you should be okay. I had upper and lower surgery 12 days ago and returned to work with a 14 hour day today without any problems. I certainly couldn't do that if I had a physically demanding job, but still, being on your feet and moving around has made me feel better, and might make you feel better too.

Good luck!

#8 Post by **almost50** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:00 pm

I think it depends on how well the operation went, how well you take care of yourself post op, and how well you heal in general.

I was surprised that it wasn't as bad as I had thought. I had lower jaw surgery to move my jaw forward December 15 of last year. Went home a couple hours after the procedure. They wired me shut and I had a splint. I was sick that night, but the next day I felt okay. I was on liquid tylenol with codeine only (the taste is so disgusting and it was what made me sick--and you can vomit easily through all that wired stuff FYI). I think I could have gone to work but took a few days off. I was told not to drive or go out much, but I was out and about Christmas shopping cause i was bored. Just couldn't talk, had my trusty notepad handy, and had quite a few funny encounters.

I was unwired and the splint was removed on Christmas Eve--almost 10 days later. I went to a Christmas party on the 25th. Most people couldn't tell I had surgery. I had to be careful what I ate cause i couldn't open my mouth that wide or chew really hard things, but it wasn't that bad at all.

#9 Post by **James0099** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:14 pm

I had upper and lower, I'm at 10 days and I feel fine to go do things. Most of my swelling went down and feel great. Problem is I am wired shut and its very hard to talk and have people understand me.