Re: Attention all those ex-splinted

[Guest guest]

Anyone offer any answers please?

> I had lower advancement with rigid fixation last Monday.

>

> Tomorrow I get de-splinted and would love to hear what eating,

> cleaning experiences you had immediately post-removal.

>

> Was eating possible at all?

>

> Was talking any easier?

>

> Was it more or less comfortable without the splint?

>

> Could anything be chewed?

>

> Could teeth be brushed?

>

> Any info at all is most welcome.

>

> Thanks in advance

>

> Best wishes to all

>

> Constantine

[Guest guest]

Constantine

I originally had very little movement when I first got unwired, and

it was about the same when got my splint off. I could only open wide

enough to fit my pinky finger in. I could not move my jaw from side

to side, or forwards and backwards. I can now open wide enough to

fit my index and middle finger in, but I have to reallt try. I can

also move from side to side, but front to back hurts my left TMJ.

Talking has definitely gotten easier since being unwired and

unsplinted. I am still getting used to my new bite, so I have a

little lisp, but it is going away. I have found that the more I

talk, the more my cheeks and gums (near the incision sites) really

swell up. To the point that people ask if I have something stuffed

in my cheeks.

I have a Sonic care tooth brush, and really helps to get the inside

of my teeth clean. I could not open wide enough at first to get it

in there, but I can now, and boy do my teeth feel so much better!

Chewing is getting better, but is still extremely difficult. So

difficult in fact, that I only drink liquids at work, and then I

attempt food at night for dinner. I still haven't had the pizza that

I have been craving for so long, but I did have enchiladas with

beans and rice. After that meal, I didn't eat food again for about 3

days. It just hurt to bad. Now that I can move my jaw a little

better now, I am going to try some chicken tonight. We'll see how

that goes.

Not having the splint in is definitely more comfortable, but my bite

really feels wierd. First of all, it is not where it has been for

the last 30 years of my life. Next, my back teeth don't touch at

all, which also makes it hard to chew. This is all part of the plan,

and my OD will fix this with rubberbands.

> > I had lower advancement with rigid fixation last Monday.

> >

> > Tomorrow I get de-splinted and would love to hear what eating,

> > cleaning experiences you had immediately post-removal.

> >

> > Was eating possible at all?

> >

> > Was talking any easier?

> >

> > Was it more or less comfortable without the splint?

> >

> > Could anything be chewed?

> >

> > Could teeth be brushed?

> >

> > Any info at all is most welcome.

> >

> > Thanks in advance

> >

> > Best wishes to all

> >

> > Constantine

[Guest guest]

Constantine,

I haven't been desplinted yet but I have been moved to less tight

elastics and my doctor said I could move onto soft food such as

mashed potatoes and pasta. I first attempted scrambled eggs on the

first day but that didn't work out well at all. Now a couple of more

days later I find that I can open my jaw a lot more now. At first the

opening was enough only for my pinky, now I can fit my index finger

and half of my pinky. Last night I tried eating creme caramel and was

able to bite down on it once I got into my mouth with the spoon (much

easier then when I tried with the scrambled eggs). More than anything

it's not the not being to get food in my mouth that is troublesome

but trying to figure out how to eat with my new mouth. Everything is

in a new place and when you've been used to eating in a certain

particular way for 27 years and suddenly you can't chew that way,

it's plain old weird! Patience is the name of the game once again.

I'm also now able to get my toothbrush into my mouth so that I can

brush the back of my bottom teeth, not for too long because holding

open my jaw for so long hurts but long enough to feel clean. I also

brush the back of my top teeth but since I still have the splint this

only serves to clean the splint but better than nothing I get. I've

also managed a few brushes on the front part of my tongue. None on

the palet yet because I still have a cut from where they expanded it

and I don't want to irritate it.

Try not to stress too much about what you can and cannot do once you

get desplinted. I'm willing to wager that talking will get easier but

you will still tire out easily so as with everything, try not to

overdo it. Enjoy your desplinting! I'm envious.

Sara

[Guest guest]

OK. You sound frustrated. Cool it down, if you can.

When my splint was removed, my surgeon threatened me with Dire

Probabilities if I bit down on anything, and insisted that I see my

ortho within 24 hours, so that I could get the heavy surgical wires

out.

My teeth met on exactly one point, between two molars, and I think

he was terrified that I would crack them by trying to chew.

I didn't. I went to the ortho as directed, and he ground down the

offending high spots, giving me a more normal and less dangerous

bite. He did not remove the all the surgical wires, but he did

segment them, took out some, and banded me directly on the brackets,

which was not nice. Lots of elastics, mostly in box forms. Some

heavy, some lighter. I insisted on having a schematic, as I was to

replace them twice daily (I think). There's a diagram on the back of

each little packet of bands, and it can be marked to show where the

bands go.

Yes, I could eat. I didn't take on apples or broccoli (raw) but I

could do fine with soft things.

Yes, talking was a LOT easier without that big (actually, it was

pretty teensy, but FELT big) plastic chunk in there.

Yes. I scrubbed like crazy. He was kind enough to have a toothbrush,

toothpaste and mouthwash there for me, and I cleaned the splint, as

well, which they wanted to keep -- although I asked to take it home

as a souvenier.

More comfortable -- nope. Not with that one projection that

jeopardized two teeth, and not with all those elastics after I saw

the ortho. I also loathed brackets without wires -- I'm one of the

few who even liked powerchains, because they cushioned the wires and

brackets. But I did what he told me, and it took only two months --

despite the fact that I developed shingles on my face and they

stopped everything for a month -- to get me out of the whole set of

gear, after surgery.

Good luck!

Cammie

> > I had lower advancement with rigid fixation last Monday.

> >

> > Tomorrow I get de-splinted and would love to hear what eating,

> > cleaning experiences you had immediately post-removal.

> >

> > Was eating possible at all?

> >

> > Was talking any easier?

> >

> > Was it more or less comfortable without the splint?

> >

> > Could anything be chewed?

> >

> > Could teeth be brushed?

> >

> > Any info at all is most welcome.

> >

> > Thanks in advance

> >

> > Best wishes to all

> >

> > Constantine

[Guest guest]

Thanks Cammie. That's hugely appreciated. Fortunately it's my ortho

who will be taking out the splint today.

Talking and cleaning will be a huge treat and I can't wait.

> > > I had lower advancement with rigid fixation last Monday.

> > >

> > > Tomorrow I get de-splinted and would love to hear what eating,

> > > cleaning experiences you had immediately post-removal.

> > >

> > > Was eating possible at all?

> > >

> > > Was talking any easier?

> > >

> > > Was it more or less comfortable without the splint?

> > >

> > > Could anything be chewed?

> > >

> > > Could teeth be brushed?

> > >

> > > Any info at all is most welcome.

> > >

> > > Thanks in advance

> > >

> > > Best wishes to all

> > >

> > > Constantine