Why the differences?

[Guest guest]

I asked my OS why some people are allowed to soft chew at two weeks,

some at four, some at six, and some not until eight. He never

answered about the two and eight week people (I think the few who

have to wait eight weeks have extra problems), but he did explain

the difference between waiting four weeks or waiting six, as I have

to. It's the procedure, not the doctor. If bone is moved to

overlap bone – say, if my lower jaw had been shortened and spliced

back onto itself – that's a stronger bond that can take more

pressure. Titanium screws and plates can also take more pressure

than the absorbable polymer, which is softer and needs more time for

the bone to be strong enough to tolerate pressure without buckling.

If bone is moved away from bone, leaving behind a gap that needs to

be filled in with, say, cadaver bone paste, then the paste needs

longer to fuse and make a strong bone. I have both cadaver paste

and absorbable polymers, two factors that make it dangerous for me

to chew now. If I had bone-on-bone and titanium screws, it would

have been safe for me to chew at the four week mark.

I asked him this yesterday at my four-week check. He removed my

dangling stitches that didn't dissolve as they were supposed to,

approved my bite, and told me to start weaning off of the rubber

bands by one extra hour each day until I only have them to sleep.

Yay! He told me not to come back for two weeks unless something

goes wrong. However, he's not in the local office in two weeks, so

I got bumped two days earlier - I get freedom two days sooner than

expected! Only 11 more days to go. Whoo-hoo!

Kris

[Guest guest]

I suspect that docs have differing opinions on all this, depending on

what has worked best, and proved most reliable for them. I would

certainly respect the suggestions of the person who had repaired my

mismatched bones.

I had bone-on-bone, with titanium screws, and my doc was pretty

hesitant about my chewing. I did what he said -- hey! -- the best

munchie in the world isn't worth undoing all the stuff he and my

ortho had done to get me ready and fixed! (I am also fortunate in

that I can enjoy anything I eat, except rutabagas and rhubarb.)

I had no extra problems, but I did wait until eight weeks and later

to do any serious chewing -- but I'm also a scaredy cat about messing

up good results.

It makes sense, though, that bones which require a graft need more

tender care than those that can be wired back together or screwed

together next to each other.

Cammie

> I asked my OS why some people are allowed to soft chew at two

weeks,

> some at four, some at six, and some not until eight. He never

> answered about the two and eight week people (I think the few who

> have to wait eight weeks have extra problems), but he did explain

> the difference between waiting four weeks or waiting six, as I have

> to. It's the procedure, not the doctor. If bone is moved to

> overlap bone – say, if my lower jaw had been shortened and spliced

> back onto itself – that's a stronger bond that can take more

> pressure. Titanium screws and plates can also take more pressure

> than the absorbable polymer, which is softer and needs more time

for

> the bone to be strong enough to tolerate pressure without

buckling.

> If bone is moved away from bone, leaving behind a gap that needs to

> be filled in with, say, cadaver bone paste, then the paste needs

> longer to fuse and make a strong bone. I have both cadaver paste

> and absorbable polymers, two factors that make it dangerous for me

> to chew now. If I had bone-on-bone and titanium screws, it would

> have been safe for me to chew at the four week mark.

>

> I asked him this yesterday at my four-week check. He removed my

> dangling stitches that didn't dissolve as they were supposed to,

> approved my bite, and told me to start weaning off of the rubber

> bands by one extra hour each day until I only have them to sleep.

> Yay! He told me not to come back for two weeks unless something

> goes wrong. However, he's not in the local office in two weeks, so

> I got bumped two days earlier - I get freedom two days sooner than

> expected! Only 11 more days to go. Whoo-hoo!

>

> Kris