Re: AHHHH!!! Stretching...Help!!

[Guest guest]

,

I am 15 weeks post op and can only open 19mm. My surgeon gave me some TMJ

spatula's to try and improve my mouth opening the aim is to fit an extra spatula

in once a week. When I saw him on Tuesday he said that he wants me to be able to

open at least another 6-7 mm the next time I see him.

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[Guest guest]

I have a feeling my surgeon wants me to move a little faster than

that. It kinda scares me. The way I took it he wants me up to like

30mm in the next two weeks. I don't know what to do. He didn't give

me anything to help aid the process. Thanks for the reply! --

> ,

>

> I am 15 weeks post op and can only open 19mm. My surgeon gave me

some TMJ spatula's to try and improve my mouth opening the aim is to

fit an extra spatula in once a week. When I saw him on Tuesday he said

that he wants me to be able to open at least another 6-7 mm the next

time I see him.

>

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

,

I have had an infecyion in the plates and screws for the past 10 weeks and I

have found ot difficult and painfull to open my mouth very wide, so he gave me

the TMJ smpatula's to help and they do seem to be working.

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[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I'm in a similar position, when I was first allowed to practice (4

weeks post op) I improved really fast and was up to 20mm in about a

week and a half but since then it has slowed down a lot and its harder

to see improvements (I am now 6 weeks post op). My 6 week appt was on

friday so now I can start chewing which is very exciting! Anyway my

surgeon didn't really give any specific instructions either, he was

kinda like " just stretch it out " lol. I really should have measured

how wide I could open beforehand because I have no idea (I have a

small mouth though...) Anyway my routine has become this: every time

I eat/drink something and go to brush my teeth I take my bands off and

do all the brushing and then before I put them back on I stretch it

out by opening 10-15 times. So for me this is probably 6-8 times a

day. And this seemed to work well. How many weeks post op are you?

Val

> so...i went back to my OS last thursday...i'm at 15mm on the

> stretching...that's after one week of my wires being off...i opened to

> like 53mm before surgery though...and he wants me to get back up to

> 45mm...i go back to see him sept 1st and if i've not made much

> progress i'm going to have to do more painful stuff...he just told me

> to stretch it out...didn't really give me any instructions as to

> how....any advice? ????? i don't want to have to go to plan

> B.....thanks --ashley

[Guest guest]

Hey there...I'm 4 wks post op...my healing has went really well so i'm

already chewing stuff...my OS just told me to use my discretion and if

it starts hurting to stop chewing...i actually ate an arby's roast

beef sandwhich tonight....i was excited...first sandwhich type thing

i'd eaten...i guess all the chewing helps with the stretching but i

guess i should start just opening and closing like you said you're

doing...i hope once classes start that will help...i'm a vocal music

major so that should help...thanks for the reply --ashley

> > so...i went back to my OS last thursday...i'm at 15mm on the

> > stretching...that's after one week of my wires being off...i

opened to

> > like 53mm before surgery though...and he wants me to get back up

to

> > 45mm...i go back to see him sept 1st and if i've not made much

> > progress i'm going to have to do more painful stuff...he just

told me

> > to stretch it out...didn't really give me any instructions as to

> > how....any advice? ????? i don't want to have to go to plan

> > B.....thanks --ashley