Re: 6 month post-op appt with OS & fun with Resorbable plates and screws!

[Guest guest]

That's interesting, Katja, about the resorbables.

I believe that Kat in the UK had them, and one fellow who no longer

posts here, and is Canadian. I think there are also a few surgeons in

the United States who use them, but that they are not yet generally

approved for surgery and are considered experimental. Although come

to think of it, my info there may well be outmoded by now.

I'd not heard that they could cause pain in the process of

dissolving, but we definitely know that screws and/or plates of

titanium can, for some people anyhow. I've been fortunate not to have

any trouble with my six little screws. (knock on wood!)

Cammie

> 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

[Guest guest]

Katja,

That is so cool about your plates. Wouldn't it be fun to see them

when they are in the jelly state? Will it make your face a little

squishy? LOL. I'm just kidding. Boy, the body sure is a cool

thing. It's ability to heal has always amazed me, but more so since

this surgery.

I'm glad everything turned out well. And I'm also glad that you

celebrated your 6 month anniversary with a steak. I remember you

were saying your taste was for the more expensive cuts of meat, but

baby you sure earned it.

I am looking forward to when I can get my teeth cleaned also. My

last cleaning was in April 2004 right before my braces were put on.

I had a cleaning scheduled 6 days before my surgery, but my

husband's mother passed away and we had her funeral service the day

of my appointment. So, needless to say, my teeth are feeling

extremely grimey. My OS said on Friday after he takes off my splint

to reshape it, I can brush my teeth like a normal person. That is

until he pops the little sucker back on 10 minutes later.

Well, I best get back to my housework. Talk to you soon.

Connie

> 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