Re: question about being un-banded

[Guest guest]

Hi, Helen,

Did your OS tell you that you'll be able to take the bands off to eat? I have

been

lightly banded for three weeks now since my surgery and got the go-ahead to take

them off for meals and brushing a week post-op. Kudos to you for staying sane

for

so long with all those bands in there!

I can open my mouth about one finger wide, so I'm able to eat some soft foods

that I

don't need to chew. Did you have wisdom tooth surgery? I've found that the

eating

routine is very similar to that.

I've had good luck with things like oatmeal (I like Quaker's Nutrition for Women

because it has lots of vitamins/soy protein added), applesauce, mac and cheese,

hotdishes/pasta, mashed potatoes, peas, tender chicken, pudding, and bread

soaked

in soup. I have also broken a grilled cheese sandwich into little pieces and

flattened

them with my fingers before swallowing them. That was good! I've found that if

it's

soft and sticks a little to itself, it works. I don't like to eat stuff that

can get loose all

over my mouth inside because it's hard to get stuff off of the biting surfaces

of my

back teeth.

I only had lower done, too, so I just place the food in my mouth with a little

fork and

use my upper teeth to pull it gently off the fork. One thing to be prepared for

is that

it does get a little messy after a while...my braces get kinda packed with food

in the

front as I'm eating/slurping, and eventually it starts to gather on my lips a

little. I

haven't eaten this way in public yet (don't wanna gross anyone out), but I guess

I

haven't really had many of those opportunities. When I have, I've just brought

stuff I

can sip.

After I'm done I brush carefully and then get those bands back in. It's amazing

how

tight they feel after being " free " for a half and hour or so.

Hope this helps! It makes a big difference to eat real food again.

Carleen

> Hi everyone. I will be 5 weeks post-op on Thursday (lower jaw set

> back) and am " tightly banded " with about 25 rubber bands decorating

> my mouth. I have not been able to open my mouth at all since July

> 15th.

>

> Anyway, my OS says that my bite is coming together really well and

> the next time he sees me, August 26th, he will take off all the bands

> and just add two guiding rubber bands for 2 days and then see me

> again and if all goes well, will remove those and then see me in 2

> days to keep monitoring my bite.

>

> 3 questions:

>

> 1. I'm kind of confused as to why he bands me so tightly for 6 weeks

> so my jaw absolutely won't move and then is willing to give me 2

> guiding rubber bands for 2 - 4 days and then nothing? I see the

> ortho on August 30th so he may put on rubber bands for the braces.

> Maybe that's what the OS is counting on? Anyway, definitely

> something I will ask.

>

> 2. How wide can I expect to open my mouth? From what I am reading

> probably not much (like 1/2 cm or something). I am hoping enough

> that I can eat ANYTHING that isn't pureed! I'll be happy with even

> one piece of macaroni that I can suck whole and with being able to

> brush the inside of my teeth!!

>

> 3. What kind of pain should I expect?

>

> Thanks for all your help so far.

>

> 10 days and counting until limited freedom!

>

> Helen

[Guest guest]

Hi, Helen,

Did your OS tell you that you'll be able to take the bands off to eat? I have

been

lightly banded for three weeks now since my surgery and got the go-ahead to take

them off for meals and brushing a week post-op. Kudos to you for staying sane

for

so long with all those bands in there!

I can open my mouth about one finger wide, so I'm able to eat some soft foods

that I

don't need to chew. Did you have wisdom tooth surgery? I've found that the

eating

routine is very similar to that.

I've had good luck with things like oatmeal (I like Quaker's Nutrition for Women

because it has lots of vitamins/soy protein added), applesauce, mac and cheese,

hotdishes/pasta, mashed potatoes, peas, tender chicken, pudding, and bread

soaked

in soup. I have also broken a grilled cheese sandwich into little pieces and

flattened

them with my fingers before swallowing them. That was good! I've found that if

it's

soft and sticks a little to itself, it works. I don't like to eat stuff that

can get loose all

over my mouth inside because it's hard to get stuff off of the biting surfaces

of my

back teeth.

I only had lower done, too, so I just place the food in my mouth with a little

fork and

use my upper teeth to pull it gently off the fork. One thing to be prepared for

is that

it does get a little messy after a while...my braces get kinda packed with food

in the

front as I'm eating/slurping, and eventually it starts to gather on my lips a

little. I

haven't eaten this way in public yet (don't wanna gross anyone out), but I guess

I

haven't really had many of those opportunities. When I have, I've just brought

stuff I

can sip.

After I'm done I brush carefully and then get those bands back in. It's amazing

how

tight they feel after being " free " for a half and hour or so.

Hope this helps! It makes a big difference to eat real food again.

Carleen

> Hi everyone. I will be 5 weeks post-op on Thursday (lower jaw set

> back) and am " tightly banded " with about 25 rubber bands decorating

> my mouth. I have not been able to open my mouth at all since July

> 15th.

>

> Anyway, my OS says that my bite is coming together really well and

> the next time he sees me, August 26th, he will take off all the bands

> and just add two guiding rubber bands for 2 days and then see me

> again and if all goes well, will remove those and then see me in 2

> days to keep monitoring my bite.

>

> 3 questions:

>

> 1. I'm kind of confused as to why he bands me so tightly for 6 weeks

> so my jaw absolutely won't move and then is willing to give me 2

> guiding rubber bands for 2 - 4 days and then nothing? I see the

> ortho on August 30th so he may put on rubber bands for the braces.

> Maybe that's what the OS is counting on? Anyway, definitely

> something I will ask.

>

> 2. How wide can I expect to open my mouth? From what I am reading

> probably not much (like 1/2 cm or something). I am hoping enough

> that I can eat ANYTHING that isn't pureed! I'll be happy with even

> one piece of macaroni that I can suck whole and with being able to

> brush the inside of my teeth!!

>

> 3. What kind of pain should I expect?

>

> Thanks for all your help so far.

>

> 10 days and counting until limited freedom!

>

> Helen

[Guest guest]

Most likely you will feel a lot better- those bands were the worst. i

was no where near as tightly banded as you. Once those bands aren't

pulling on your teeth any more you will pry have a lot of relief. You

wont be able to open your mouth that far, which is a little

frustrating, but i think you will be happy just to have those things off.

The reason as to being banded so tightly for six weeks, I believe, is

that there is a potential for relapse. After six weeks things are set

pretty well. They are also a subsititute for braces, since the ortho

dr.s cant do anything. They can keep your teeth where they want them

with the bands.

The macaroni and cheese will be the best you've ever tasted!

> Hi everyone. I will be 5 weeks post-op on Thursday (lower jaw set

> back) and am " tightly banded " with about 25 rubber bands decorating

> my mouth. I have not been able to open my mouth at all since July

> 15th.

>

> Anyway, my OS says that my bite is coming together really well and

> the next time he sees me, August 26th, he will take off all the bands

> and just add two guiding rubber bands for 2 days and then see me

> again and if all goes well, will remove those and then see me in 2

> days to keep monitoring my bite.

>

> 3 questions:

>

> 1. I'm kind of confused as to why he bands me so tightly for 6 weeks

> so my jaw absolutely won't move and then is willing to give me 2

> guiding rubber bands for 2 - 4 days and then nothing? I see the

> ortho on August 30th so he may put on rubber bands for the braces.

> Maybe that's what the OS is counting on? Anyway, definitely

> something I will ask.

>

> 2. How wide can I expect to open my mouth? From what I am reading

> probably not much (like 1/2 cm or something). I am hoping enough

> that I can eat ANYTHING that isn't pureed! I'll be happy with even

> one piece of macaroni that I can suck whole and with being able to

> brush the inside of my teeth!!

>

> 3. What kind of pain should I expect?

>

> Thanks for all your help so far.

>

> 10 days and counting until limited freedom!

>

> Helen

[Guest guest]

Most likely you will feel a lot better- those bands were the worst. i

was no where near as tightly banded as you. Once those bands aren't

pulling on your teeth any more you will pry have a lot of relief. You

wont be able to open your mouth that far, which is a little

frustrating, but i think you will be happy just to have those things off.

The reason as to being banded so tightly for six weeks, I believe, is

that there is a potential for relapse. After six weeks things are set

pretty well. They are also a subsititute for braces, since the ortho

dr.s cant do anything. They can keep your teeth where they want them

with the bands.

The macaroni and cheese will be the best you've ever tasted!

> Hi everyone. I will be 5 weeks post-op on Thursday (lower jaw set

> back) and am " tightly banded " with about 25 rubber bands decorating

> my mouth. I have not been able to open my mouth at all since July

> 15th.

>

> Anyway, my OS says that my bite is coming together really well and

> the next time he sees me, August 26th, he will take off all the bands

> and just add two guiding rubber bands for 2 days and then see me

> again and if all goes well, will remove those and then see me in 2

> days to keep monitoring my bite.

>

> 3 questions:

>

> 1. I'm kind of confused as to why he bands me so tightly for 6 weeks

> so my jaw absolutely won't move and then is willing to give me 2

> guiding rubber bands for 2 - 4 days and then nothing? I see the

> ortho on August 30th so he may put on rubber bands for the braces.

> Maybe that's what the OS is counting on? Anyway, definitely

> something I will ask.

>

> 2. How wide can I expect to open my mouth? From what I am reading

> probably not much (like 1/2 cm or something). I am hoping enough

> that I can eat ANYTHING that isn't pureed! I'll be happy with even

> one piece of macaroni that I can suck whole and with being able to

> brush the inside of my teeth!!

>

> 3. What kind of pain should I expect?

>

> Thanks for all your help so far.

>

> 10 days and counting until limited freedom!

>

> Helen