Jaw surgery

[chisnpeke]

I am having double jaw surgery for an open bite on the 18th. Has anyone on here had jaw surgery or know someone who had it? How difficult was it? I know there are online forums on this but most of the people on them are very technical and I am looking for a more normal perspective. I have been put under anesthesia before with no issues but it is freaking me out the most. I will be under for five hours and it is really scary to me. I know it is irrational but I'm afraid I will die.

Just looking for some support if anyone has had this done.

 

[christineann]

Are you referring to orthognathic surgery?

 

[Chrisva]

I am having double jaw surgery for an open bite on the 18th. Has anyone on here had jaw surgery or know someone who had it? How difficult was it? I know there are online forums on this but most of the people on them are very technical and I am looking for a more normal perspective. I have been put under anesthesia before with no issues but it is freaking me out the most. I will be under for five hours and it is really scary to me. I know it is irrational but I'm afraid I will die.

Just looking for some support if anyone has had this done.

My son had the upper done for the same problem in 2004 he was 17. He did very well with the surgery. the hardest part was after, mainly eating. The first couple,days he had to eat with a syringe and that took forever then by the time he was finished and cleaned his mouth it was almost time to start over. Since you can't chew for 6 weeks getting enough to eat is difficult. since you are having both upper and lower I assume your jaw will be wired so you will be on all liquid diet? My son had very little swelling the Dr was surprised and he never lost feeling in his lip which he said was not the norm. It was a long 6 weeks it was hard for me to make dinner for the rest of us and he couldn't eat. he did end up eating baby food which he said wasn't bad. I must say after he was all healed the difference in his face and his ability to chew properly and have a closed bite was to me remarkable. The cosmetic change was also amazing having his face more balanced, the dr also did a little work on his chin. We thought our daughter would need it too but thank goodness her herbst appliance did what it needed.

 

[chisnpeke]

Are you referring to orthognathic surgery?

Yes

 

[diznygirl]

I had double jaw surgery for open and cross bite. The surgery isn't the hard part, it's the recovery. It was hard to breathe immediately after until swelling went down and things cleared up. I wasn't wired - just a LOT of rubber bands. So I gave myself a work-out opening my mouth to eat. Syringe like PP said, and then Enrure, smoothies and mashed potatoes. I thought I would lose weight, but it was a lot of fattening stuff! ;

Can't lie - it sucked. But my bite is better, and I breathe a lot better as well. Neat side effect.

PM if you want the gory details.

 

[chisnpeke]

My son had the upper done for the same problem in 2004 he was 17. He did very well with the surgery. the hardest part was after, mainly eating. The first couple,days he had to eat with a syringe and that took forever then by the time he was finished and cleaned his mouth it was almost time to start over. Since you can't chew for 6 weeks getting enough to eat is difficult. since you are having both upper and lower I assume your jaw will be wired so you will be on all liquid diet? My son had very little swelling the Dr was surprised and he never lost feeling in his lip which he said was not the norm. It was a long 6 weeks it was hard for me to make dinner for the rest of us and he couldn't eat. he did end up eating baby food which he said wasn't bad. I must say after he was all healed the difference in his face and his ability to chew properly and have a closed bite was to me remarkable. The cosmetic change was also amazing having his face more balanced, the dr also did a little work on his chin. We thought our daughter would need it too but thank goodness her herbst appliance did what it needed.

I am having a genioplasty done as well for aesthetics. My chin recedes a bit. most people don't notice unless i point it out but it has always bothered me. I have seen two girls who i went to high school with have the surgery done with my surgeon and the results are amazing. I have sleep apnea due to a narrow airway so the goal is to help that as well. Someone else mentioned weight loss and I am hoping that will be a side effect I am not overweight but would like to lose 10 pounds.

 

[diznygirl]

I am having a genioplasty done as well for aesthetics. My chin recedes a bit. most people don't notice unless i point it out but it has always bothered me. I have seen two girls who i went to high school with have the surgery done with my surgeon and the results are amazing. I have sleep apnea due to a narrow airway so the goal is to help that as well. Someone else mentioned weight loss and I am hoping that will be a side effect I am not overweight but would like to lose 10 pounds.

Just watch what you eat. The mashed potatoes were probably not a good idea, and neither was adding ice cream to the Ensure (but it made it taste better!!)

The cleared out some room in my sinuses to tilt my upper jaw, so I ended up breathing better. Hopefully you will too.

 

[kirstenb1]

Best wishes OP on a fast procedure and speedy recovery. When I had my wisdom teeth out, the surgeon pointed out I had a receding lower jawline. Every one else in my family has a fabulous chin, and mine is just straight line average. I asked him if I should have that done and he said no. Part of me wishes I'd had it done. So I can see the positive in going through short term discomfort for a lifelong change.

 

[christineann]

My son had it done (but only lower jaw) right after his college graduation. He was "off center" - one side of his jaw was larger than the other, which led to difficulty eating some foods. They had planned to do both upper and lower until a few months before the surgery. His procedure was done out-patient. He ate stuff like pudding and scrambled eggs. The x-rays the week before and 2 weeks after the surgery were amazing, and he is glad he had the surgery.

Two months after his surgery, he was cleared to go to Criminal Justice Academy, which included boot camp and self defense/martial arts, in the heat of the summer. I think I was much more concerned than he was. His surgeon said between the pins and the braces, he would be fine, and he was. Recovery went well.

Good luck to you

 

[katrina1122]

I had tmj surgery on both sides. I couldn't chew anything for 6 months afterwards and had to stick to almost liquids for the first 3...mashed potatoes, yogurt etc were too thick. Be sure to DO your post op jaw exercises.
I did it while living in the dorm in college, finding things to eat was tough. My parents got me a blender for xmas, lol. It really wasn't that bad though.

 

[chisnpeke]

Thank you everyone!

 

[Carina]

My DD is having it done soon ( I think just before Xmas School break)

They try and time it for the school kids during spring break, xmas break or summer break. We missed summer because her Wisdom teeth were just out in June.

I would rather have her go through it in the dead of winter than summer anyways