TO KAT -Re: fun with Resorbable plates and screws! to katya +everyone

[Guest guest]

Hi Katja,

Thank you for your description of lengthening your jaw. I am having

that with both the maxilla and the mandible. Bone will augment the

maxilla, but I am not sure about the mandible. Was yours just done

with the existing tissue, or did you have bone tissue added for the

lower? Are the bumps you are talking about visable or is it when

you palpate them? Sorry for the questions, but yours is one of the

first posts I have seen on the lengthening issue. Or at least, my

learning curve is up enough now to recognize that this is what you

are talking about!! lol

Hugs,

Fran

> > > > > Hi everyone,

> > > > > I saw my OS today for my 6 month post-op check up.

Everything

> > is

> > > > > looking good according to my surgeon- my teeth and bite

and

> > the

> > > > > position of everything. I have diminished/altered

sensation

> in

> > my

> > > > > chin, lower lip, the left side of my tongue, and some

random

> > > places

> > > > > in my mouth.... My surgeon is confident that all my

feeling

> > > should

> > > > be

> > > > > restored ultimately, but that it could take up to a year

or

> > more.

> > > > It

> > > > > does give me hope that I am at least not dead numb in

those

> > > places

> > > > > and some feeling is slowly returning. Phew!!

> > > > >

> > > > > And, I thought this might be interesting just because I'm

not

> > > > really

> > > > > aware of anyone else around here who has posted about

these

> or

> > > has

> > > > > them or has had them. I guess they are unusual! So, I will

be

> > the

> > > > > guinea pig for the group..... I have resorbable plates

and

> > > screws.

> > > > > They are my surgeon's preference. Anyway, last Friday, I

> > noticed

> > > > that

> > > > > the left side of my face has been a little swollen

> (externally

> > > and

> > > > > internally) and tender in places. I've had some throbs

here

> > and

> > > > > there, pain and aching at other times, and general

> > discomfort....

> > > I

> > > > > guessed it was due to the plates starting to do " their

> thing " .

> > My

> > > > OS

> > > > > confirmed that right around 6 months they will start to

> > resorb...

> > > > > they first soften and turn into something like a jelly,

and

> my

> > > body

> > > > > takes over and finishes them off.... he said usually it's

> just

> > > one

> > > > of

> > > > > the plates, if any, that can cause some minor swelling and

> > > > discomfort

> > > > > if my body really goes to town on it! Apparently I am one

of

> > the

> > > > > lucky ones (ha ha) and have a bothersome plate, but

> > fortunately

> > > my

> > > > > swelling isn't noticeable to anyone that doesn't know me

> well.

> > I

> > > > > guess some people experience a lot of swelling due to

this.

> He

> > > said

> > > > > it should only last a week or two. So, I guess all my

> plates

> > > and

> > > > > screws will be gone soon. I think that is so crazy and

weird

> > and

> > > > > cool! Ultimately, the bone fills in everything and years

from

> > > now,

> > > > > when all that is left of me is a skull and 2 femurs,

forensic

> > > > > scientists won't be able to tell I had this surgery. Wild,

> > huh? I

> > > > > guess that also happens with those who end up having their

> > > hardware

> > > > > removed. From what I understand, the resorbable plates and

> > screws

> > > > are

> > > > > made of a certain compound where one element breaks down

> > first,

> > > and

> > > > > then others go. I have instructions to not poke around in

my

> > > mouth

> > > > so

> > > > > that the material is left alone and undisturbed as it is

so

> > soft

> > > > now.

> > > > > In the meantime, my OS recommened that I take some aleve

or

> > advil

> > > > to

> > > > > help with the inflammation (just like after surgery). I've

> > been

> > > > > occaisionally icing my jaw too. Glad I still have my jaw

> wrap!

> > > > >

> > > > > My upper jaw was very slow to heal, but is solid now thank

> > > > goodness.

> > > > > I have been cleared to resume life as normal.... no

> > restrictions.

> > > > > That includes getting my teeth cleaned finally!! They were

> > black

> > > > from

> > > > > incessant drinking of very black tea in Russia for a

month!

> > > They're

> > > > > better now, but I'm anxious to get rid of the few

remaining

> > > > stains!!

> > > > > I think I'll wait until everything is resorbed before I go

> > > > though....

> > > > > this is going to require me to get up the courage too. I

hate

> > > when

> > > > > they aren't gentle enough. And is anyone else's lower lip

as

> > > crazy

> > > > as

> > > > > mine is about some sensations or different things touching

> > > it??...

> > > > > ooooh can you imagine the horrible spinning head on the

> > polisher

> > > > > hitting against the lip accidentally?! Yikes! I hate it

when

> > I'm

> > > in

> > > > > bed a the sheet touches my lip. For some reason I can't

stand

> > > > certain

> > > > > sensations.... Now that I have full clearance, I'm hoping

to

> > > start

> > > > > swimming again... I wonder if that will be weird with my

> > > sinuses...

> > > > I

> > > > > am much more aware of them now. (I am sure I could have

gone

> > > > swimming

> > > > > much earlier on in my recovery, but I never asked or

wanted

> to

> > > > until

> > > > > recently. My sinuses have been interesting since my sx).

> > > > >

> > > > > I've also been having some minor pain and discomfort

> sometimes

> > > when

> > > > > eating and talking in my left joint. I asked my OS about

it

> > > today,

> > > > he

> > > > > said that due to all the ortho work moving my teeth over

and

> > the

> > > > > pressure the bands are putting on the muscles in the area,

> the

> > > > joints

> > > > > are very sensitive and probably have some adema (your

> standard

> > > > > swelling and inflammation). I kind of guessed it was that,

so

> > I

> > > > feel

> > > > > relieved that my guess was right and this is only a

temporary

> > > > > problem. I was sort of feeling concerned.

> > > > >

> > > > > As a side note, on my exact 6 month anniversary, I

celebrated

> > by

> > > > > having my first postop steak dinner! It was a very

tasty

> > filet

> > > > and

> > > > > I very much enjoyed it! AND I was able to eat it just

fine!!

> I

> > > > think

> > > > > I would be able to eat pretty much anything at this point

if

> I

> > > > wasn't

> > > > > still having ortho adjustments that make my teeth sore and

> > > tender.

> > > > I

> > > > > can't wait until I'm done with ortho and my teeth are

perfect

> > > along

> > > > > with my new perfect jaws.... (perfect for me, probably not

> > > > > objectively perfect or amazing or anything!)

> > > > >

> > > > > My OS wants to see me at 1 year post op, and when my

braces

> > are

> > > > taken

> > > > > off. But, I highly doubt they will be off before my 1 year

> > date.

> > > I

> > > > am

> > > > > hoping for around that time though, so we'll see!

> > > > >

> > > > > Oh, and ortho has been doing a good job slowly but surely

> > getting

> > > > my

> > > > > canted bite corrected. It was minor to begin with, but

> > noticeable

> > > > to

> > > > > me and my family & boyfriend.

> > > > >

> > > > > Well, that's my official update. Hope it wasn't too

boring,

> > > > > especially the stuff about the resorbables! I'm off to

> take

> > > two

> > > > > aleve.... thanks for reading! Oh, and one last thing, I

love

> > my

> > > > > surgeon!!!

> > > > > Katja

> > >

> >

>