August 7th I’m scheduled for upper a lower jaw surgery to correct my bite. Needless to say I’m a tad worried about this operation. Two years ago, I had my upper jaw expanded and I remember about a month of recovery from the operation. This time around, I’ll have my jaw wired shut for 10 days which scares the **** out of me. Has anyone here had this type of surgery?

 

My mom had her jaw broken and wired shut, it sounded mostly awful.

 

I haven't, but I can sympathize with you're fear. I hate going to the hospital - and surgery where you're out scares me. Maybe I'm a control freak, but I like to see what they're doing... to me. Is this time around more complex than the previous surgery?

My neighbor was born w/o thumbs and she had five surgeries to move her index fingers around so they'd work like thumbs. They did this as she was growing up. She told me she just kept telling herself that it would be worth it in the end. I'm assuming you're in a similar situation.

 

my buddy had his wired shut for something like a month in High School....needless to say, he was at the point of just rubbing food on his teeth to try to taste sweet mcdonalds yet again. Probably didnt help that we teased him with food.

I cant quite remember what the did, maybe something with pushing out his lower jaw...but he wasn't in the best of moods for a few days afterwards....

 

I've read some horror stories about this operation and I've read some say they'd have the surgery again in a heartbeat to correct their bite. At least I'll lose a few pounds being on a liquid diet for a month or two.

I'm also worried because my wife is due with our first child on October 14th. I hope the baby doesn't decide to come early. I don't want to be doped up on morphine during the delivery.

 

Yup. basically they'll be cutting both upper and lower jaw away from my skull. Then they'll reposition my jaw by screwing in titanium plates. I have no desire to watch this operation.

I have it easy compared to you neighbor. that sucks.

 

I've had my share of surgery unfortunately, both awake and not. I prefer to stay awake. It's traumatic to hear sounds from the instruments, the doctors whispering, and the heart monitor beeping. But IMO, less so than the nasuea that comes after being knocked out and the pain in my throat from that ventilator tube they shove down there when you're out.

I also find it easier to recover when I don't take all the dope they prescribe. I was amazed at the amount of pain pills they threw at me constantly, and they were equally amazed when I kept turning them down. IMO, the side effects of the pain medicine are worse than the pain.

You're gonna be OK Stripes. A few months after the surgery, you'll barely even remember it.

 

my gf is going to have her lower jaw done to correct an underbite. i'll make sure not to show her this thread.

i had surgery on my nose once. i opted for a MAC sedation where I was awake but basically high. it was fun and I flirted with the nurses and doctor. they were amused.

 

My wife's jaw has seemingly been wired shut since I married her. Yet she can somehow still use it to bitch at me.

(needed to inject some humor into the thread).

Frank

 

I told myself I was just going to take Tylenol when they expanded my upper jaw. I have a fairly high tolerance for pain, but I could not deal with the throbbing. I did go through withdrawals when my codeine prescription ran out.

I'm sure everything is going to be fine. This surgery has been hanging over my head for two years. I hate this waiting ****. I just want to get it over with.

 

I had a smoking hot nurse with my first surgery. Too bad she did not stay with me after I was wheeled into the operating room. I just try to focus on the lights until they put me under.

 

Ahhhhh....so cruel! I'll probably get similar treatment with my friends. I plan on eating like a king until the big day.

 

Might make it harder. You may want to start your post op diet before the surgery so you'll be better prepared.


When I had my knee and tibia put back together, while waiting to go into the surgical theater they had me lying on a stetcher. The cute anathesia girl came over and asked me if I wanted something to calm me down. I was actually pretty calm, so I said no. A few minutes later they came back, and this time the surgeon said they were going to give me something to calm me down. I told him I was fine and didn't need it. He told me I had no choice and they were putting the stuff in my IV. The anathesia girl pushed the stuff into my IV tube. Next thing I knew I was waking up. Tricky, lying bastards.

 

10 days is nothing dude, I didn't eat solid food for 7 when I had my wisdom teeth done anyway

 

Word when i did my wisdom teeth also had some surgery on my tongue. The docs words before I was put under "So because we are doing the tongue surgery at the same time you prolly wont notice the pain from the wisdom teeth because this is going to hurt about ten times more."

Sweet **** was he right Liquid diet for 2 weeks.

 

Ten days was actually great news! Originally I was told my mouth was going to be wire shut for 8-10 weeks. I can hold my breath for 10 days.

I'll probably be on a liquid diet for about a month. It will be good for me though. I could stand to lose 20-30 pounds.

Looking at these pictures, the only long term problem I see is trouble getting through metal detectors at the airport.

 

wow john that is scary, my father had this done probably about 10 years ago, jaw broken, repositioned, then wired shut and drinking baby food, i dont remember it taking too long to recover though so hopefully everything goes well and it's a quick recovery for you.

 

that's pretty hardcore. they dont go in and take the structures out after the bone starts to grow?

Have you considered getting the "full metalwork"?



(I can make jokes because I will be nursing my gf back to health in about 6 months )

 

Haha...I've got the "full metalwork" now with the braces

I was told I can have the brackets taken out once the bone grows back. It just involves cutting my mouth open again to get them out. Them bitches are staying in.

 

and also a risk of infection initially with the hardware.