Re: Help - 2 years post op

[Guest guest]

Hi K, I had my second sergery 5weeks ago. My ist was in 2001 and it

was a failed surgery (my bone splintered like a piece of wood) any

how I hadto do lots a streching exercises to get my jaw back to

normal after the last surgery it took almost 2 yrs. Ask your surgeon

about these exercises they now what I am refering to. I am not able

to move side to side now after this last surgery and can only open

about 1/2 inch if that. Stress can definately slow any recovery and

lack of food also. Make sure you are eating enough. By the way

lower jaw relapses are very common I am told so good luck and start

streching out those jaw muscles.

> Hi all,

>

> I am approximately two years post up from upper/lower jaw surgery

in

> Toronto, Canada, however, I am still having MAJOR problems.

Here's

> my story, any advice, would be greatly appreciated. I don't know

> where else to go...

>

> It all began in February 2002, I finally decided that I needed to

> fix my severe overbite. I went to a ortho and he recomended

braces

> and surgery. I had been experiencing a popping noise in my right

> joint only when I opened really wide but had never experienced any

> pain.

>

> I went ahead with the braces and scheduled my surgery for November

> 2003 with a oral surgeon who had an excellent reputation in my

> area. Surgery went " normally " and I was not wired shut but was

told

> to wear a splint for several weeks.

>

> After the splint came off, although my bite appeared to be

perfect,

> I noticed that I was no longer able to move my lower jaw forward

or

> side to side. I also noticed that my opening was very small. I

> told the surgen and he told me it would get better as I healed.

>

> In March 2004 my braces came off and I was told to wear a retainer

> 24 hours a day. In July 2004, I noticed that my jaw had started

to

> relapse and my overbite was returning. My surgen sugessted that I

> talk to my ortho but he felt that the only way to resolve the

> relapse was to perform surgery again. I decided to seek the

opinion

> of my ortho and he orderred a special splint for me to wear that

> forced my lower jaw forward. I wore it 24 hours a day and my bite

> returned to normal plus I was able to open 34mm but was still

unable

> to move my jaw forward or side to side.

>

> In April 2005 I was told to start wearing my special retainer only

> at night. At the same time I had a baby so it was a stressful

time

> in my life. Within weeks of switching to only night use of the

> retainer I noticed that my opening was getting smaller again and I

> was experiencing pain when eating. My opening is now 22mm wide.

>

> I have gone to several people for advice, my dentist, my surgeon,

a

> TMJ specialist even my family doctor. Nobody really seems to know

> what to do and everyone suggests options that are so different

from

> the others. One suggestion was to go to a doctor to have TMJ

> treatments that could cost approx $15,000. I have already put in

> over $18,000 into my smile and I cannot afford to put in $15,000

> more.

>

> I feel like my ortho and surgeon should be held responsible for my

> poor results and that they should pay for any further treatment.

> What do you think?

>

> My teeth look good and I am pleased with that but functionally

they

> are terrible. I have been told that the pain I am experiencing is

> arthritus, I am 29 years old and that scares me. I also have a

numb

> chin and lower lip as a result of the surgery but I can live with

> that.

>

> I don't know where to go next. I need to find someone who I can

> trust that will gide me appropriately. I feel that everyone I

have

> been talking to so far is in it for a quick buck and that they

don't

> really care about me.

>

> I am at the end of my rope, does anyone have suggestions or

advice?

> Has anyone else experience these types of results? What should I

> do??? HELP PLEASE!!!

>

> K