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.
February 18, 2011 at 5:27 pm
Graham,
I wish I saw your site from the get go and not 2 weeks after my recovery! It’s probably been the best source of tips I’ve seen yet. I had my surgery December 9th 2010, so the worst of my recovery has been over for a while. Only a few more weeks till the doc says I can play soccer again.
My favorite tip from your website… I cant remember if it was stated explicitly or not…
STAY POSITIVE: The worst parts for me were when I started to question why I did it. Don’t question it. It IS worth it.
and yes… the out doors do help you keep positive.
February 18, 2011 at 10:14 am
Wow, Kala, you wrote me an entire essay!
I’m glad you’re over the worst part now. Your drooling issues sounded a bit more intense than what I experienced. But at least that’s behind you.
I didn’t have any trouble closing my lips when I started chewing. Are you still swollen by chance? You should definitely be able to keep your lips together!
Learning to chew was quite an adjustment due to the numbness, yes. You’ll get used to it and it’ll begin to feel normal. No worries!
As for how long it took because I was alright with how I ended up looking, it was definitely a few months. I’ve fully accepted it now (and I feel really good about my smile), but I was a little iffy about the entire situation for the first 4-5 months. You’ll grow to appreciate yourself though. It just takes time for your mind to adjust to seeing a different version of your face in the mirror.
My best advice for you is to give it time. All of your issues should resolve themselves over the next few months. 🙂
February 18, 2011 at 2:29 am
Dear Graham,
From what I’ve read from your posts and what everyone else has posted, Americans do their surgeries diferently from the Germans.
It’s been 7 weeks since my surgery. I had both jaws worke don, sinus cavities enlarged, gummy smile removed, upper jaw untwisted, and bone taken off my chin. Yeah I had alot done.
I was in care for five days after my surgery. I had cold back on my face for the first three days. My mouth was wired shut too with the split in there. I woke up after surgery and I remember viomtting on my mother…it was not plesant. Black old blood. Did the same thing in the middle of the night. Left a horrible taste in my mouth, but the nurses cleaned my mouth out with a soft preasured water pick. Felt like a mist in my mouth. Really helped and strangly enough they sprayed a mouth freshener in my mouth. It was nice of them.
I did not eat until the 4th day after surgery and that was only yogurt. It was smooth enough to swollow. Because they worked on my sinuses, I couldn’t taste anything until I blew my nose. Werid, I know, but true. I also had drainage tubes in my mouth until the fourth day. I was told to get up and walk around, which I did. I was so weak and I swore a snail could move faster than me. After I took a walk, I went right down for a nap each time. I found I was awake alot at night, but I had my music on or the TV so it wasn’t all that bad. Don’t bring a book though, you won’t be well enough to read it let alone hold it.
I was released on new years eve, which was pleasant. Sleeping in a normal bed was weird. The hospital beds you can move around to your comfort, but with normal beds you can not. I also could not control the amount of drool I had. When I was awake, I just wrapped a towel around myself and switched it out when it got to wet. Nasty, but you can’t help it. When I slept, I kept a towel on my pillow. I also found that a small blanket placed under her chin helps keep your head balance while you sleep.
I agree with what you say, keep active and talk with family and friends. Once I was able to talk, my swelling with down alot. My friends came over on new years day and they just stared. I notice people just tend to do that. You feel awkward, but people have to get used to you as much as you have to get used to yourself.
I found that ice packs have helped me more than warm packs. The warm packs causes the nerves to tingle? Yeah feels like bugs on my face with the warm packs.
I’m back in school now, I’ve been table to chew for a week now. It feels strange and I’m having to relearn how to chew. I also notice I can’t close my lips when I chew. Did you have this problem? I’m not sure if it is normal or not.
I do notice if I talk to much or laugh alot, my jaws tell me hours later that it was a pain thing with horrible pain. Guess thats just a normal thing, dunno.
Also since I started chewing, I found I can’t really feel that I am chewing because of the numbness. Did you have this problem as well?
Also how long did it take for you to like you new self? I have a few self-pity parties and it sucks. I know it will take awhile, but dunno. My mother says I’m making a big deal out of it. Just looking in the mirror seems strange. I’m still swollen and I look completely different. Only my eyes stayed the same.
Sorry that this is so long, just the Germans don’t have really good websites or information about the aftermath. They don’t like to talk about it. I’m different, I want to talk and learn more about others that have gone through this. again I’m so sorry this is so long.
February 17, 2011 at 7:55 am
Hey Tyler,
I wasn’t able to sleep through the night for about 2.5 weeks following surgery. The sharp sensations in my nerves kept up their annoying antics for well over a month.
You’ll probably be able to start sleeping in another week or so, but I understand how frustrating it is for you.
I spent quite a few of those initial nights watching TV until I passed out. It gets better though! Everything will be uphill from 2 weeks onward!
Good luck, my friend!
February 16, 2011 at 11:54 pm
Hey there Graham, First off, this is an incredible blog you have written and maintained here! Its very helpful and has given me some confidence and most of all has reminded me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Your final results are what I have dreamed of having my entire life, it looks amazing. I read the reasons for why you had your surgery performed and I felt the exact same way and had all the exact same reasons.
I am on day 8 of my recovery. I had double jaw surgery like you due to my under bite and crossbite. They also removed a wisdom tooth on my top left, which was rooted into my sinus cavity that I never had removed when my wisdom teeth were pulled.
However, my question to you is, how long did the shooting/burning/tingling nerve pains in your jaw/chin region last for? I haven’t been able to sleep for two nights now because they are so irritating and intense and the cinstant throbbing makes it impossible to fall asleep to…therefore I am up reading your blog right now lol
I know this is due to the fact that during the op, the doctors need to pull and stretch the nerves in order to safely work around them, but its really annoying and I was wondering when your stopped.
Thanks!
February 16, 2011 at 10:18 pm
Thanks for the feedback. I have to go meet with the principal and guidance department soon to discuss what his needs will be during the first couple of weeks back to school. Really appreciate all the great info that you’ve covered here! Thanks again!!
February 12, 2011 at 11:01 am
Hi tripletmom,
I went back to work after 2 weeks yes, but I couldn’t speak. Luckily, I’m a programmer, so I didn’t need to.
Your son should be able to talk a bit after 4 weeks, but he won’t be able to give presentations or anything like that. I’d say he’ll be alright. 4 weeks is quite a bit of time to get rid of that swelling and get some movement back in his jaw muscles.
February 12, 2011 at 8:58 am
Thank you for this blog Graham! One of my 15 year old sons has to have this surgery along with the genioplasty in August. Did I read it correctly that you took 2 weeks off of work? I am wondering if my son will be able to go to school by week 4. It’s very difficult to try to plan for. Any advise would be appreciated.
January 25, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Haha, remember those words, Hannah. I live in Philadelphia right now, so I’ll be in NYC a few times over the next few months. I love that city!
January 25, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Yes! If you’re ever in NYC, contact me and we’ll do a comp session to see what skillz you got 😉 I got hints of how much you enjoyed being physically active throughout your blog!
January 24, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Hannah, thanks for your kind remarks! It’s like anything else in this life–it feels like forever at the time, but once it’s all over, you’ll look back and wonder where all the time went!
I see you’re a personal trainer (and then some). I respect you and your love for the gym. I’m quite hooked on that lifestyle myself!
January 24, 2011 at 11:17 am
Thanks for the entertaining reading, Graham. You bring hope to a gal that also had a double jaw surgery with genioplasty. Fortunately, I don’t think my recovery time will be anywhere near the length yours was! God bless you, I don’t know how you did it. I’m just over the three week mark and I’m going totally stir crazy. I think another TOTAL of 3 weeks until I’m totally free from anything foreign in my mouth.
You humor and good spirits were inspiring throughout your recovery!
December 13, 2010 at 6:07 pm
I agree, Soccer Dad. Don’t give in to extra medication unless you still can’t sleep after a solid month or so. It took me 2 full weeks before I could sleep through the night.
Keep enjoying those commercials! 😉
December 13, 2010 at 2:49 pm
I just had upper and lower, as well as some nasal work (inferior turbinate reduction and revision septoplasty). I can see that sleep is a major problem. That’s why I wanted to share the warning my surgeon gave me. He said that a lot of people have this type of surgery to correct sleep apnea, so if you can’t sleep post-op be very careful not to medicate without express approval from the doc. During these critical weeks, lack of sleep stinks, but always side with caution.
By the way, not sure why this happens, but you will be blasted with every good food commercial made since the beginning of time just to make you drool at what you can’t have for a few weeks (smile).
Thanks for the tip about the heating pads!!
December 5, 2010 at 1:45 am
Anthony, you sound like you’ve learned a thing or two the hard way. Attitude is the most important part of this (as cliche as that sounds).
To answer your question, once your splint comes out and you start talking and eating again for a few months, your movement will all come back. It’ll take the better part of a year though, so give it time.
December 4, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Monday will be 6 weeks since surgery on both upper and lower jaw and will get my splint out then so I’m really excited. I only had a few rubber bands in after surgery for the first few days until my first week checkup then I was completely banded down for 2 weeks! Talk about disappointment and a serious downer! Just tough it out! Now they say my bite is going perfectly into position.
Question is when I get the splint out can I open my mouth wider? Doesn’t hurt that much to yawn anymore but still can’t open up that much.
I would add that the colgate perio guard liquid I was given I would put in my syringe and kind of push it in between my gums and lips in thr Corner of my mouth. Just felt gross until unbanded and just weather the storm really.
Make sure to stay away from acids! Tried oj once and learned the hard way..
Def have to stay mentally strong n I don’t know how many times I just slept to not think about it or was depressed :/
Once you can open your jaw enough with no pain I’ve found out that just sticking in marshmallows or gummies or noodles and just swallowing them to help as something different but or course be careful!!
November 25, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Dingdong, you can grab a prescription for codeine from your surgeon… if you’re lucky.
November 25, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Thanks Jessica! =) Maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t know about it. It may have scared you away from the surgery.
November 25, 2010 at 1:57 pm
What a great site!! I just wanto to say good job and I think I will recommend this site to other people I know that will be having jaw surgury. I wish I would have visited here before my surgury! Great advice! 🙂
November 7, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Where can I find these lifesavers, I’m in need of some real bad!!!
Thanks for cmt so quick btw!