Guest guest Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 Besides the geocities Q&A, anyone else have tips on jaw excercises? I try opening and closing but by the next morning, I feel like Im at square one again with the tightness. I can only open 20 mm right now. -T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 Hi! The best person to ask would be your surgeon to find out how aggressive they want you to be at this point. How many weeks/months post-op are you? When I was 2-3 months post-op and still only had 6- 8 mm of opening, I was given a bunch of exercises to do. My surgeon gave me a wooden clothespin that had tongue depressors glued to either side and I used it to try to pry my mouth open. I also have something called a Therabite which does essentially the same thing. I also push down on my very back molars to open and mobilize the joint. For right now, 20 mm opening is not bad. Your muscles will still be tight for a few months after the surgery. After the last round of surgery and six weeks of aggressive physical therapy, I have now maxed out at 23-24 mm of opening. We're satisfied with that. I can get food in my mouth and chew a little bit. I should be able to chew more as time goes on and my muscles get their strength back. Your muscles atrophy (get weak and tight) when you haven't used them for a while so it takes time to get full muscle function back. Hang in there. It will get better. > Besides the geocities Q&A, anyone else have tips on jaw excercises? > I try opening and closing but by the next morning, I feel like Im at > square one again with the tightness. I can only open 20 mm right now. > -T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 30, 2004 Report Share Posted May 30, 2004 Im 5.5 weeks post op from upper/lower/genio. My OS would like me to open at least 3 fingers(40mm?) Where can I find the Therabite tool? > > Besides the geocities Q&A, anyone else have tips on jaw > excercises? > > I try opening and closing but by the next morning, I feel like Im > at > > square one again with the tightness. I can only open 20 mm right > now. > > -T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 30, 2004 Report Share Posted May 30, 2004 Thy, please, please, do what your surgeon says about exercises, and don't try to get too ambitious about all this. If you're doing what's recommended, you're not likely to hurt yourself. If you're doing what was recommended for someone else, you might. Cammie > Besides the geocities Q&A, anyone else have tips on jaw excercises? > I try opening and closing but by the next morning, I feel like Im at > square one again with the tightness. I can only open 20 mm right now. > -T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 31, 2004 Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 Hi Cammie, Yes, it is my surgeon that wants me to open my jaw wider. He says that he may have to use some force if he doesn't see the progress that he wants.(not in a threatening way of course) But I don't want him to so I'm trying to work on it myself. > > Besides the geocities Q&A, anyone else have tips on jaw excercises? > > I try opening and closing but by the next morning, I feel like Im > at > > square one again with the tightness. I can only open 20 mm right > now. > > -T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 31, 2004 Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 That's good news. Why not call the surgeon's office and ask them for exercises? Then you'd know you're on the right track! Best, Cammie > > > Besides the geocities Q&A, anyone else have tips on jaw > excercises? > > > I try opening and closing but by the next morning, I feel like > Im > > at > > > square one again with the tightness. I can only open 20 mm right > > now. > > > -T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 Here is a link to their website but I'm pretty you can only get it through your oral surgeon. http://www.therabite.com/p_rehab.html Are you sure your surgeon said 40 mm? That seems awfully big. A normal opening is considered 35-45 mm and 30 mm is considered functional. Your profile looks good on your pictures. Your smile should come back, too over time. The facial muscles get very tight for the first few months after surgery because of all the trauma you've put them through. They will loosen up. My surgeon also had me do exercises with my facial muscles. He told me to bare my teeth like a dog growling first showing all my teeth and then just do one side at a time. I was also told to swish water in my mouth, one side at a time. He had me to stick my fingers in my mouth and manually stretch out my lips and cheeks. Of course, my daughters thought this was hilarious and loved making faces in the mirror with me. I hope this helps. > Im 5.5 weeks post op from upper/lower/genio. My OS would like me to > open at least 3 fingers(40mm?) Where can I find the Therabite tool? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 thanks! im going to ask my OS about it tomorrow. > > Im 5.5 weeks post op from upper/lower/genio. My OS would like me > to > > open at least 3 fingers(40mm?) Where can I find the Therabite tool? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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