Common Questions
Following is a list of the most common questions I’ve received about double jaw surgery. If your question is not answered below, feel free to ask about it in the comments and I’d be happy to respond there.
Before the surgery:
- Why should I get jaw surgery?
- Is jaw surgery painful?
- How long does it take to recover from jaw surgery?
- How much does jaw surgery cost?
- What should I buy to prepare for recovery?
After the surgery:
- Will I look different after jaw surgery?
- How much weight will I lose after jaw surgery?
- Will I experience numbness after jaw surgery?
- Will I get all of my feeling back after jaw surgery?
- What can I eat after jaw surgery?
Cries for help:
- Help, I’m experiencing pain!
- Help, my breath is terrible!
- Help, my teeth are no longer touching!
- Help, my jaw movement is not returning!
- Help, I don’t look like myself anymore!
Why should I get jaw surgery?
There are several reasons to undergo jaw surgery:
- To be able to chew with all your teeth
- To speak without a lisp
- To speak without spitting
- To stop your mouth from hanging open
- To stop breathing through your mouth and start breathing through your nose
- To change your appearance (side profile)
These reasons are all explained on the Reasons to Get Jaw Surgery page.
Is jaw surgery painful?
Jaw surgery is usually not painful. This may be difficult to believe, but since your nerves become bruised and numb during the surgery, you don’t actually feel any of the pain. By the time feeling returns to your face, most of the pain is gone.
Granted, you’ll experience a bit of pain when you yawn, sneeze and cough. It’ll also hurt when your jaw spasms (and it will spasm for the first month), but for the most part, you should not experience much pain at all.
How long does it take to recover from jaw surgery?
It will take 90 days (3 months) for a full recovery after jaw surgery. Most of your feeling and energy will be back after 2 months, but it takes a full 90 days for your bone to fuse back together. A full range of motion in your jaw will return depending on how much you’re moving it around, so make sure you follow the exercises your surgeon gives you.
How much does jaw surgery cost?
Jaw surgery costs roughly $5000 in Canada, but that price may differ significantly in other provinces and countries. If your surgery is deemed cosmetic (instead of “medically necessary”), the cost will be higher because you’ll be required to cover the hospital bills. Sadly, patients in the US have seen jaw surgery bills in excess of $50,000.
What should I buy to prepare for recovery?
You can find a full list of items that with help you through the recovery at the Must-Have Recovery Products page.
Will I look different after jaw surgery?
You will notice subtle changes in your appearance following jaw surgery. Your overbite/underbite will no longer be present and your cheeks, nose, and chin may take on a different shape as well. My cheeks filled out a lot as a result of my surgery.
How much weight will I lose after jaw surgery?
Most people lose between 5–10 pounds during the first month of their recovery. The general rule of thumb is that you will lose weight until you reach your natural body weight.
Will I experience numbness after jaw surgery?
Yes, you will experience extreme numbness following jaw surgery. During the operation, several nerves in your face and chin have to be moved around. When you move a nerve, it becomes bruised, and when a nerve is bruised, it stops providing sensations, thus giving you that numb feeling (more on this in my Day 20 post).
Will I get all of my feeling back after jaw surgery?
70% of patients regain full feeling, while 30% may experience slightly numb areas in their cheeks, chin and lower lip for the rest of their lives. The feeling you have after 6 months post-op is likely what you’ll live with for the rest of your life.
What can I eat after jaw surgery?
You’ll be on a strict liquid diet following jaw surgery. Buy lots of Boost, Ensure or Carnation supplements and learn to make smoothies, because these will be your staple foods for at least the first 2 weeks. I had to eat them for 8 weeks, but my surgery was a bit more invasive than most. You’ll probably have to administer your food through a syringe for the first week as well.
Once your surgeon gives you permission to start chewing again, you can begin to eat soft foods such as pasta and mashed potatoes. During the weeks following your re-entry into the realm of chewing, you’ll be able to eat whatever is comfortable. Don’t expect to tear into a steak as soon as you’re allowed to chew again, though.
If you have the following implements, you should survive perfectly fine:
- A reliable blender (this is extremely important, as you’ll be blending almost everything)
- Smoothie materials (ice cream, yogurt, milk, bananas, strawberries, granola, peanut butter, honey, etc.) — Recipe
- Soup (you’ll have to blend everything except tomato soup)
- Ensure, Boost or Carnation (I drank 3 of these per day during my liquid diet phase)
- Prune juice (you’ll need the fiber in it)
- Whole milk (you’ll need all the calcium you can get so your bones heal back just as strong as they were before)
- Water (make sure you drink at least 1 L of water per day; drinking 2 L per day is a much better option)
The most important item on that list is water. If you don’t drink enough water each day, you’ll become dehydrated and sick, and your bowel movements won’t feel good because none of the fiber you’re eating will dissolve into your body.
Help, I’m experiencing pain!
If your pain is chronic (ie. consistent and throbbing), you may have an infection and should schedule a visit with your surgeon just to be safe.
On the other hand, if your pain comes in small bouts, it’s likely your nerves reawakening or your teeth being pulled by the elastics. In this case, just be patient and the pain will subside in due time. If you were prescribed pain medication, that may help as well.
Help, my breath is terrible!
At times, your breath may be indicative of the fact that you are not allowed to brush your teeth or floss during the first several weeks of recovery. To aid in freshening your breath, try gurgling with warm salt water a few times each day. Soon enough, you’ll be given the go-ahead to brush and floss again.
Help, my teeth are no longer touching!
An open bite is a common problem following jaw surgery. Fear not, however, because your teeth will naturally grow until they encounter opposition (in the form of your other jaw), so this problem will slowly correct itself over time.
Help, my jaw movement is not returning!
If you have been given the green light to resume eating regular food, but the movement in your jaw doesn’t seem to be returning, try whistling and chewing gum each day. Whistling will help to break up scar tissue, while chewing gum will stretch the muscles in your jaw.
Help, I don’t look like myself anymore!
This is perhaps the most common fear people have following jaw surgery. Remember that swelling takes a minimum of 3 months to go away, so try to avoid judging your appearance until that point.
Also, keep in mind that you are your own worst critic because you’ve been seeing your face in the mirror every single day for most of your life. While the subtle changes in your appearance seem drastic to you, most people will not even notice that your face changed shape.
November 21, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Hey Graham,
I am a teenager with 4 months to decide whether I want to have this surgery or not and your blog is really helping me!
What advice would you give to me to help me consider? I am worried about my appearance after the surgery, whether I will like the look. I am also worried about the risk of numbness.
Thank you!
Georgia
November 22, 2013 at 12:25 pm
Georgia, I understand it’s a bit unnerving to make this choice without knowing what you’ll look like after, but if you think there will be functional benefits, I wouldn’t worry about your future appearance. Once the swelling goes away, you’ll grow to accept the slight changes to the shape of your face fairly quickly.
My advice is: if having a fixed bite will be beneficial for you, I’d undergo the surgery for that reason alone. =)
November 19, 2013 at 4:02 pm
Hey Graham,
I’m super glad I found this website. It’s really informative and its great to find a place of support. I did have a question, though. I’m going to be getting surgery on Dec. 7th and I was wondering how long it takes to get back to talking “normally?” (this also includes random things like singing, haha). I’m in graduate school and have a big presentation coming up on the first week of February. I’ll be addressing a group of people in a large room, so I’m a little worried that my jaw might still be tight and I won’t be able to open my mouth to the degree that is necessary for good projection. I’ve read some of your blogs posts, where you mentioned yawning (i.e.: opening your mouth wide) was difficult. What was the time frame for normal speech returning? Thanks.
November 20, 2013 at 8:56 am
Ray, if your presentation is a full 7 weeks after your surgery, you should be in a good state to speak clearly. I wouldn’t rely on being able to sing with ease, but normal talking should be okay at that point. I would encourage you to start whistling and chewing gum at around 5 weeks to start loosening up the muscles in your jaw a bit. You’ll do fine, though! =)
November 19, 2013 at 1:46 am
Hey, I was wondering how long will the swelling last for? and when how long will it take for swelling to be not very noticable.
What you meant by “Whatever feeling and movement you experience after 6 months post-op is probably what you’ll live with for the rest of your life.” is that supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing? please explain.
I heard from another person that after the surgery the skin around your jaw will be kind of loose, when will it tighten back to normal?
November 20, 2013 at 8:52 am
Michelle, swelling should drop by about half within the first 6 weeks, but maybe take an extra couple of months to go away completely.
With regards to the 6-month rule, not much should change (aside from open bites closing up) after the 6-month mark. That’s more or less when your body finishes healing from this operation.
As for the skin around your jaw becoming loose, I did not experience this, nor have I ever heard of it. Sounds like a scare tactic to me. =)
November 16, 2013 at 4:50 pm
Hi Graham,
Just another quick update to see what you think about it (I’m also getting in contact with my oral surgeon). Sometimes, and usually rarely, it seems as if I have an “underbite” for a split second. Then the jaw seems to reset to it’s new, correct position. Is that the term for slippage that a lot of people refer to? I’m super nervous about this–I just changed the way that I was wearing elastics and am thinking about going back to the original way and wearing them more. Is this just orthodontic related or is there a bigger issue here?
Ugh. Definitely a last minute scare. Any advice would be wonderful.
November 18, 2013 at 10:24 am
Corey, I’m not sure what “slippage” refers to exactly, since I didn’t experience it. However, having your jaw “float” is normal for the first couple of months following surgery. If it’s been more than 8 weeks since your operation, I’d give your surgeon a call and ask why your jaw is still moving. If you’re still in the initial weeks, I’d just be cautious of any jarring motions with your jaw and see if it continues.
November 13, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Hi Graham (+ everyone)!
It’s been a while since I’m checked in, but just wanted to again say how thankful I was for this site. Really helped during some difficult times with the positive energy and quick comments.
Some minor updates I guess–
Had an orthodontist visit the other day–one of the last ones hopefully. He says that I’ll get the retainer on and braces off in December! However, there was a little shifting since the surgery and we have to adjust the mid-line through a different arrangement of elastics. Did anyone have those issues? I always wonder if elastics actually work well.
Additionally, I’m having a little numbness but it feels like it’s in my cheek (and in the muscle). Is this jaw surgery related? My Doctor seemed a little concerned, but since it’s only been about two days since my check up I haven’t been worried.
Can’t wait for braces to come off! The other side is so much easier, to all of those who worry about the post-2 months post op–it’s very much life back to normal with some minor pains.
November 14, 2013 at 10:09 am
Corey, thanks for the update!
Having your teeth shift around is normal and elastics can generally handle the job. I wouldn’t worry about that.
As for numbness, you shouldn’t be experiencing new numbness this late in the game as a result of the surgery. Did you get in a fist fight recently, by chance? 😛
Congratulations on getting your braces off next month. That’s crazy exciting, woo!
November 12, 2013 at 6:13 pm
@April, im currently 8 weeks post op and at 3 weeks I was still very swollen, especially on the left side.
November 12, 2013 at 5:41 pm
Hi Graham, found your blog while trying to look for tips on food after having jaw surgery. I had my double jaw operation on Oct 24th and while my swelling has gone down some, I feel like my right side is more swelled than my left even though my surgery was almost 3 weeks ago. Do you think this is normal? I still put ice on my face at night even though the surgeon has said it is moot at this point but advised that I shouldn’t put heat on it, guess it’s like a placebo in my opinion. I’m still wired shut at this point as well, though I was told I should be unwired next Monday. Just can’t wait to eat other stuff that isn’t soup..
November 13, 2013 at 9:38 am
April, having uneven swelling is perfectly normal, so you need not worry. Your swelling will stick around in noticeable fashion for another month or so and parts of your face may appear slightly lopsided until then. I assure you that once the swelling subsides, your facial features will even out once again. =)
November 8, 2013 at 3:58 am
Hi Graham,
I’ve found it really interesting reading about your operation and seeing the differences in the pictures from pre and post op!
I’ve had braces for nearly 5 months now and am having the operation this July.
I was wondering what the procedure for you was surrounding the removal of your wisdom teeth as I am getting this done soon; how long does the recovery take and how bad is the pain?
As well as this, I was wondering whether you were aware of the duration of the main double jaw operation, purely out of curiosity?
Thanks,
Kate 🙂
November 8, 2013 at 8:56 am
Hi Kate!
I had my wisdom teeth removed several months before having jaw surgery. I may be an anomaly in this regard, but I experienced no pain from that procedure and was perfectly fine as soon as the localized freezing subsided a few days later. I didn’t swell up either, but most people look like a chipmunk for about a week following.
My jaw surgery took just over 5 hours, but the surgeon had to move my jaw a few times to get my bite the way he wanted. I think most of the operations take around 3 hours to complete.
It sounds like you’ve got a bit of time to mentally prepare for the big day, so you’ll be in good shape for it. Stay happy!
November 7, 2013 at 7:46 pm
Hi Graham:
I really just wanted to say THANK YOU! I am scheduled to have upper jaw surgery in 11 days (Nov 18). I have been in braces for over a year. My surgery alone will cost just under $18,000, and my insurance company won’t pay a dime. I’m 46 years old and never had any problems with my teeth or my bite until just a little over three years ago when my jaw started to move. I broke 3 teeth in just over a month and now have an under bite and cross bite. I chew up the inside of my mouth, spit when I talk and bite my tongue on a regular. This has been an extremely difficult experience. I really appreciate everyone sharing their stories. I’ve had many questions answered here over the last several months as I’ve prepared for my surgery. Thank you so much! I will continue to visit and share my experiences for others over the next several months. Thanks again Graham and others!!
November 8, 2013 at 8:51 am
Lisa, it sounds like your insurance is playing a frustrating game. I wish you all the best on the 18th and look forward to hearing about your recovery! =)
October 19, 2013 at 1:42 am
HI its emmanuel again! im 1 week post-op and im just wondering why my right cheek is more swollen than the left side. is that normal?
October 19, 2013 at 1:31 pm
Emmanuel, you can’t really make any judgements on swelling at 1 week post-op, so yes, it’s perfectly normal to look slightly disproportional at this point. I wouldn’t worry about anything swelling or appearance-wise until around the 8-week mark. Stay strong and have patience, my friend!
October 11, 2013 at 7:23 pm
So I do have to get surgery for my underbite which isn’t bothering me at the moment but I am sure it will bother me in the future I am terrified how will I feel during the first hours after surgery etc? I have no pain tolerance what so ever and I barely survived wisdom teeth being removed I can’t imagine surgery any tips? ):
October 12, 2013 at 10:02 am
Elizabeth, the pain shouldn’t bother you too much because your face will be completely numb for the first few days post-op. You’ll be tired because your body will be working to heal itself, but luckily, you shouldn’t feel too much pain. =)
October 1, 2013 at 6:03 pm
thank you so much! I would try not to think about these negative things. thank you again and God bless you man!
October 1, 2013 at 3:01 am
I am also from Edmonton and we the same orthodontist!
October 1, 2013 at 3:00 am
Hello Graham! I am having my surgery this October 11 and I am really scared and nervous about it. I keep thinking about all the side effects of the surgery. I am really anxious and it’s taking over me. What can I do to calm myself and not think about these things?
October 1, 2013 at 9:06 am
Emmanuel, try to understand that you’re actually quite lucky to be having this operation. Many people don’t have the money or medical facilities available to take care of this issue, but here in Canada, we have both. It’s actually a huge blessing to have the opportunity to correct your jaw once and for all. And since the recovery is a mere 3 months out of your life, you’ll get to experience the benefits for a lot longer than you had to endure the discomfort. =)
September 17, 2013 at 10:25 pm
Quick question…was there a time when you had to just use elastics at night and off during the day? Did it hurt just as how I feel? It hurts more at night after not having elastics during the day.
in general, the pain and discomfort is worse at night. Is that normal?
September 17, 2013 at 2:19 pm
i am on day 35 of my recovery from a double jaw surgery/genoplasty and i can still feel pain and lots of spasm. i guess recovery is different for everyone. I have not gone back to work – not because i dont want to but driving and moving about still causes pain on my chin 🙁
I still can’t eat solid foods. Still on ensure, special K, protein shakes and soups. I started eating rice porridge/congee. Ugh – Im starving and can’t wait to eat more.
When will these spasms go away? And why do i still feel pain? I got infected a week after surgery but the infection is gone now.
September 18, 2013 at 10:40 am
Hi Cece,
The spasms will likely show up intermittently for another month or so, but they should become less and less frequent.
Regarding the pain you’re feeling, it’s possible your nerves are waking up more quickly than mine did (this is a good thing!), so you’re noticing the pain a bit more than I did. This should begin to go away quite quickly within the next couple of weeks. If the pain is causing you issues, I’d call your surgeon and ask for a prescription for pain medication so you can resume normal life.
As for elastics, I recall wearing them day and night until I had my braces removed at 9 months post-op. The pain you feel at night is likely due to your teeth moving around as they settle into their new position, so this is perfectly normal. =)
September 15, 2013 at 1:46 pm
Graham,
Update! I am now on Day 4 of Recovery of my surgery, I ended up not having to do the full double jaw surgery and I just had my chin moved forward and my upper jaw moved up 5mm as a “Le Fort 1 Osteotomy”.
I was discharged the day after surgery and was starting to walk and go to the bathroom on my own. I was only home for six hours before I wasn’t able to keep my meds down and my drainage in my throat was pretty unbearable. I ended up back in the ER that night due to dehydration and immobility and a fever. After that I was back to good health and ever since I left the ER I have been getting much better. They cleaned out my sinus’s under my nose inside my upper jaw by cutting out a bunch of scar tissue that was built up from my prior deviated septum surgery. I honestly think that is worse than the jaw surgery. As of today I have been able to breathe through my nose barely and it’s the best feeling ever.
Anyways you asked for an update and thought I would share. Thanks 🙂
Check out my photography at:
http://www.facebook.com/fwstudios and http://www.fadewoodstudios.com
September 16, 2013 at 9:32 am
Terrence, it sounds like you’re doing pretty well as far as jaw surgery patients go! It will be a good day when your nose clears up fully and you can breathe easy again! =)
August 30, 2013 at 12:05 pm
My son had major jaw surgery August 12, 2013. Three breaks, gums cut and moved up, and nose passage opened up. I have to say, it was very hard as a Mom to see how hard everything is to go through. He had his jaws ‘rubber’ banded shut for two weeks, and now has single bands on each side of his teeth at least until middle of September. His teeth hurt when he brushes, which sounds normal from these posts, and also when he chews, so therefore he can not chew or suck through a straw. I make him great shakes, and ramen noodles mostly, coupled with ensure.
My question is this:
School starts 9/3, he is a junior, 16 yrs old, in high school. I think it will be very hard for him to go to school. He has fast metabolism, and gets nausea easily. How can he eat at school? He also will be going to a technical school on even days, which he thinks he can make himself go to – it’s 4 hours. I want to get him a tutor for ‘normal’ school for at least 1-2 months, his doctor thinks he should go to school on the first day. He can’t talk or eat normally yet, drools, and is still swollen. He is a shy kid as well. Do I make him go to school or fight and have a tutor? The technical school would be hard to make up the work, and smaller amount of kids attending, so why he knows he has to force himself there, but a less formal place to attend.
Thanks!
August 31, 2013 at 10:57 pm
Sally, if your son is still drooling and unable to speak, it may be wise to forego the first week of school. However, he’s going to have to attend before he’s completely recovered because that will take another few months. He can probably catch up after just one week, but I wouldn’t hold him back any longer than that. If you send him with pre-made smoothies and blended soups, he’ll be able to eat those. I understand the first few weeks back will be awkward, but once they’re over, he’ll never have to endure them again. =)
August 29, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Graham,
It’s week 4 of my recovery and my face is still noticeably swollen. I looked at videos and pictures of people who had the same procedure done and their face looked significantly normal by the 4 week mark. This concerns me. How long did it take for your face to go back to normal? and when did your surgeon remove your stitches? and is everyone suppose to get a splint following surgery? what is the purpose of this splint?
Thanks!
August 30, 2013 at 10:04 am
Ari, your swelling will likely last for 2–3 months, so you’re in a perfectly normal place. Your stitches should go away on their own (by design) as I believe your saliva eventually eats away at them. You can learn about the purpose of the splint by reading my post on the matter. =)
August 28, 2013 at 6:25 am
I’m having a this surgery on the 20th September through the NHS and i don’t think I could be more worried about this :S Never been in hospital for anything apart for orthodontics. I’ve had different forms of braces for almost 8 years now, i’m almost 19 now so I just want to get this done. Especially as I have had to defer my university place for this :S
August 28, 2013 at 9:08 am
George, this surgery will be well worth it, and once it’s over, you should never have to think about it again. Try to maintain a positive attitude and know that you’ll be in good hands both during and after the operation. We’re here for you, man! =)