Recovery Tips
Following is a summary of the most important things I learned during my recovery from double jaw surgery.
- Drink lots of prune juice and water. Your toilet time will be far from enjoyable for the first couple of weeks because you’re likely to be severely dehydrated. The prune juice will provide your body with the fiber it needs to work those bowels properly, but fiber is useless without water because it won’t dissolve in your body. I recommend a bare minimum of 1 L of water per day. Drink 2 L per day as soon as you can.
- Before you attempt to pull any dead skin off of your lips, be absolutely certain that it’s not a stitch. I learned this the hard way.
- Start using medicated lip balm immediately following your return to your own home. If you don’t, you’ll end up with flaps of dead skin that are half an inch in diameter, and I promise you they won’t feel good when they catch on your braces.
- Apply heat to your face 3-4 times per day for the first 5-6 weeks to help with the swelling. The heat will also help you fall asleep.
- Begin each day at a decent time. If you sleep most of the day, you won’t be able to sleep at night, and you’ll hate yourself for it. Get out of bed, shower, eat some breakfast and brush your teeth and you’ll enjoy each day a lot more. (This is good advice for any day of your life, but it especially applies when you’re on the verge of depression from having jaw surgery.)
- Go to bed on time. Yawning will cause you quite a bit of pain, so prevent it by getting the right amount of sleep during the proper hours.
- As soon as you’re able to talk clearly enough for friends and family to understand you, call people and be social. Go outside and enjoy nature. Whatever you do, ensure you don’t fall into a trap of loneliness and self-pity.
- Start drinking from a cup as soon as you’re physically able to. Your upwards trek back to having full energy begins the day you can throw your syringes in the garbage.
- Eat solid food as soon as your surgeon gives you the go-ahead. It’ll be a slow, tedious and frustrating process, but you need to go through with it in order to build your jaw muscles back up and learn how to chew properly once again.
- It may take some time to get used to your new smile and your newly structured face. Don’t be ashamed of yourself. You don’t look funny at all. You’re simply not used to looking like you’re supposed to.
- And lastly, don’t worry about your looks, bite or facial feeling for at least 6 months. You may have an open bite, but you’ll wake up one morning and your teeth will have migrated back together. You may be completely numb, but feeling will return almost overnight.
If you have any questions about the recovery process, or perhaps have other pointers to share with upcoming jaw surgery patients, feel free to jot them down in the comments.
July 28, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Hey Graham! I will be having my double jaw surgery on August 16th and I’m so excited! I’ve been waiting for this surgery for years!
I was so relieved when I found this blog as I found it very helpful and witty as I prepare for my surgery. It seems as though this surgery is alot more common than I initially thought.
The only thing I’m worrying about is the swelling and the fact that my mouth will be banded shut as I’m only 16 and still in school(UK) and will be starting year 12 in September.
You results are fantastic and I’m glad your recovery went well. Also, a huge good luck to anyone else having the surgery or is currently recovering 😀
July 27, 2011 at 7:16 pm
Stefan, being left with an open bite is more common than you may think. It frightened me at first, but I’ve come to realize that it closes up naturally within a year or so. You won’t even notice it after a month of eating again. The human body is pretty incredible when it comes to working around imperfections.
Enjoy your first few days back at home! You should be much more comfortable there than in those sterile hospital rooms. Cheers!
July 27, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Hei Graham,
first of all I really want to tell you how much I respect you for establishing this site. Really, Thank You!!!
I also had both my jaws done last Tuesday… and tomorrow (after 9 days) I’ll be leaving hospital and going home. I was/am very scared of the fact that my bite is not 100% correct yet. I still have a litle of an open bite.:S
Cheers 🙂
July 27, 2011 at 8:45 am
Kevin, it sounds like you’re in the operating room as we speak! I wish you all the best, and definitely let us know how you’re doing during these initial days. =)
July 27, 2011 at 12:45 am
Peter i am so glad to hear everything is going great!
My surgery is in 9 hours! Goodnight and I will undoubtedly be checking and contributing to this blog!
July 25, 2011 at 7:51 am
Hey,
It hasn’t been easy but everything is starting to feel better now. My swelling is going down, I tried breathe right strips and they really helped last night. I’m still having some stomach pains and trouble rinsing my mouth but things are definitely looking up.
Thanks for replying and having such a helpful blog.
Peter
July 24, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Hi Peter,
Your itchy chin is simply a result of your nerves being confused and upset. Your swelling peaks at 72 hours (which, for you, is today) and will take about a month to dissipate for the most part. Don’t expect it to be gone completely for about 2.5 months.
You can shower just as before. A hand rail may be a safe option to make sure you don’t get light headed and fall over, but showering should be unaffected for the most part.
When you have the lighter elastics put on, you’ll likely only be eating soup at first. It will take around 2-4 weeks post heavy elastics before you’re chewing through food again. Baby steps, my friend.
Just focus on eating enough day by day. Don’t think too far ahead or you’ll psych yourself out! You’re in good shape, man!
July 24, 2011 at 11:34 am
Hi, just had lower jaw and chin surgery 3 days ago and right now I have heavy elastics and will be using a syringe for 4 weeks. My chin is constantly itchy so would that mean the swelling will be going down soon? Will showering be fine with a hand rail? After my 4 weeks of elastics how much will I be able to eat with the lighter ones?
Thanks,
Peter
July 23, 2011 at 7:59 am
Scottie, I had a biology teacher in high school who underwent this operation in the early 90s and he said he randomly regained the rest of his feeling two years later. I’m not promising all of your feeling will come back (mine still hasn’t), but you might be surprised as feeling continues to return to your mouth in the coming months.
Thanks for the info regarding the white spots on your tongue. I’ve never heard of that before, but it’s good to know that it’s not a problem. =)
July 23, 2011 at 3:46 am
I had double jaw surgery on April 19, 2011. I still have some swelling in my cheek area next to my nose. The muscles in that spot are still kinda hard. As for numbness in my face, I have recovered about 99% of the feeling back. But I am still 100% numb in the roof of my mouth, I’m beginning to think I’m one of the rare cases with permanent nerve damage. As for the looks I am achieving, I am very satisfied. Someone earlier asked about white places forming on the tongue….that is a simple yeast infection caused by taking antibiotics. Nothing to worry about. Your doctor can/will prescribe medicine to kill the yeast infection. I too dealt with it. My meds were in the form of a lozenge to take care of the yeast infection. Also brush your tongue daily.
July 22, 2011 at 7:27 am
Chelsea, you’ll soon be a pro when it comes to removing and reinserting those wires. What is a chore at first becomes a minor inconvenience quite quickly.
Best of luck with them, and don’t go eating any fingers!
July 21, 2011 at 7:46 pm
Just got my wires back on. It took like a half hour and one fell off about two times. It is a living hell but it will be great once it is over. Its been about three weeks and i am finally able to take them off for about an hour a day and eat soft foods. Like pudding. I am sick off it and it has only been like three days that i have been able to take the bands off. So far i have had finger in my mouth and have gotten pinched by the little machine to take the bands off. So if you want to bite thier fingers off that is totally normal. Wish me luck!!! D:
July 20, 2011 at 8:50 pm
Nick, I just had my surgery last week. By the time you’ve had your braces on long enough to have surgery, you’ll be so excited that you’re almost done that you won’t back out! Plus why would you put in all the hard work and money just to chicken out at the end? No way, you’ll be stoked to have it that close to the end! I was told I would have my braces for 2 1/2 years, I just finished 17 months before I had my surgery and another 4 to 6 months post-op. I can’t wait!
The worst for me is the swelling not the pain, but each day is getting better! The pain is manageable, not even really a factor anymore. I tried to think I was Super Woman five days out and could handle the pain with just Advil. Oh boy, did I learn that the hard way! Crying like a baby until I could get the prescribed stuff in my system! The numbness around my nose feels like when you go to the dentist to get a filling and once the sensation starts coming back and your nose tingles. I think you will be fine, the hardest part is not knowing what to expect that’s the scariest. But listen to Graham and others on here and their experiences, helped me tremendously!
July 20, 2011 at 8:02 pm
Nick, my advice to you is to go ahead with the braces and the surgery.
Braces are really just a minor inconvenience and you’ll be left with a nice, straight smile regardless of surgery. (Then again, if your teeth are already straight, then you likely won’t need braces for nearly as long as some of us. Lucky you.)
As far as the recovery from surgery goes, it’s only 12 weeks. Time flies by these days and you’ll be past the discomfort and all healed up and back to normal before you know it. The pain, if you even have much, is just temporary and doesn’t last throughout the entire recovery period anyway.
I think you’re going to be quite alright, my friend. I’d start the braces and then, in a couple of years, when it comes time for you to make the final call regarding surgery, we’ll still be here to field your questions. 🙂
July 20, 2011 at 6:10 pm
I have an appointment with the surgeon next week. My case is pretty bad – ortho said she has never seen a pallet as skinny as mine. I was told that both jaws have to be constructed – top jaw back and bottom jaw forward… lucky me! Should have listened to the parents when I was younger! lol
Great advise on here. I’m a little nervous though. I’m afraid that I’m going to get the braces, they are going to start to align the teeth for after jaw surgery, then I’m going to back out in 2 years when push comes to shove.
I want and need it done but the thought of being numb and in lots of pain for weeks at a time scares me a little.
Any words of encouragement would be grateful. Looking at the start of braces in August.
By the way, I’m 29! Thanks in advance!
July 20, 2011 at 9:15 am
Brande, glad to hear that you’re dropping off the antibiotics already! You’re already well into your second week of recovery–that’s a grande feeling.
Thanks for providing Kiara with the good advice as well! =)
July 19, 2011 at 8:15 pm
Kiara, can you not keep anything down because you’re nauseous? My doc put my on a anti-nausea patch (well all my meds were trans-dermal)But I only needed for the first 3 or 4 days. The first semi-solid food I ate was processed chicken noodle soup. You’d think it was Thanksgiving dinner the way I inhaled that cup! The next day I had mashed potatoes and gravy and felt like I conquered the world. You will be fine, I have my bad days but for the most part just trying to stay real positive because I know it won’t be like this forever! Why are you sleeping on the couch? Wedge pillows are only like $20 and help greatly.
July 19, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Hey,Brande I had my lower jaw done and the only thing ive been able to keep done is bean juice and applesauce. Im tired of sleeping on the couch but it helps me sleep comfortable upright.Im worried about how Im going to look going back to school next month hopefully ill be able to eat some soft foods by then.
July 19, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Hey Kiara, I just had surgery last week too, the 11th. Drink all that you can, it helps tremendously. My swelling is alot better too, I haven’t had problem with drooling. Did you have your lower jaw done to correct the underbite? I had my upper jaw done. I know what you mean about the clenching; I have a wedge pillow so I’m propped and I lay down and lay my head back as far backwards as I can which allows the jaw line to relax, it helps with breathing too if you’re congested. Oh and a humidifier has been a God-send!
July 19, 2011 at 5:06 pm
Hey Graham, went to see my surgeon. He says the white patches is candida fungus commonly known as thrush. It happens when you are given antibiotics and they kill all bacteria in your body even the “good” kind. Gave me a new medication and no more antibiotics! He also said I’m healing really well.