SnoreNet.com
800-206-2000
Post Operative Instructions: Oral Surgery
Our goal is providing you with the highest degree of surgical care as well as speedy and full recovery. Here are some instructions that could help you in your recovery. Remember if any unusual problem arouses or you need immediate care go to the nearest emergency room and call our office. Please read the following instructions carefully. They will help you to understand the normal process and reactions following your surgery and help to keep you as comfortable as possible. Surgery of the mouth requires careful attention to post operative instructions.
MEDICATIONS
Patients taking medications to relieve pain or other drugs that may impair reflexes should not operate machinery, cars, et, while taking these drugs. Antibiotics should be taken as directed until this prescription runs out. Antibiotics may impair the efficiency of oral contraceptives for the duration of the present cycle.
ANTIBIOTIC
If you were given a prescription for antibiotics like Penicillin (One tablet every 6 hours), Clindamycin (One capsule every 8 hours), or Keflex (One tablet every 6 hours), take it as scheduled. It may be advisable to take it after each meal and one before bedtime. Continue taking the antibiotics until they are finished usually in 5-7 days after surgery.
ALLERGIC REACTION
If an allergic reaction occurs, like rash, hives, or itching stop taking the medication and call our office or your Physician. If difficulty breathing occurs in United States call 911 because you need immediate emergency medical care. You could consider taking 25 mg of benadryl (an anti-histamine) to aliviate the problem, but remember you cannot drive after you take that as it can cause some degree of drowsiness. Always consult your doctors before taking any medications or if you also take other medications consult a pharmacist.
PAIN MEDICATION
Having pain after your surgery is expected and common. Pain may last up to two weeks after surgery. It is highly recommended to take two Advil or Motrin immediately when you get home. Keep the narcotic pain medications for bedtime.
For severe pain a narcotic pain medication such as Tylenol # 3 or Vicoprofen, Synalgos DC or a number of other strong pain relievers may be prescribed for you. Take them as indicated on the prescription. The initial dose may take up to an hour before is effective. (For this reason the first dose of your pain medication should be taken before the local anesthetic wears off.) Take 1 or 2 pills every 4-6 hours as needed for severe pain only. For mild discomfort, you may need to take Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, etc. When taking the pills, be sure to drink liquids prior to help prevent an upset stomach. If you develop itching, rashes or hives, stop all mediations and call our office. The prescription may not control all of you pain the first few days after surgery.When taking narcotic containing pain medications (e.g. Tylenol #3, Vicoprofen, Synalgos DC) DO NOT DRIVE A CAR OR OPERATE ANY MACHINERY. These medications can make you drowsy and impair your performance.
ANTI-SWELLING MEDICATION
When an anti-swelling medication such as Medrol or Decadron (Dexamethasone) is prescribed your face may feel warm and appear red. This is a side effect of this medication and is not an allergy. To correct these problems discontinue the medication. It will take a few days for the symptoms to disappear. Occasionally these medications can cause hiccups as well.
PRESCRIPTION MOUTH WASH
Do not rinse or spit during the first 24 hours after your surgery. You should begin rinsing with warm salt water (One half a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water) 24 hours after the operation. Do not rinse more than 4 times a day. Avoid excessive vigorous rinsing. This should be done 3 to 4 times a day - for at least 2 weeks after surgery. If you were given a special mouthwash such as Chlorohexidine (Peridex) start using it 24 hours after your surgery. Rinse your mouth with that only twice (2X) daily since this mouthwash will stain your teeth.
OTHER MEDICATION
Continue other medications (such as your blood pressure medications, insulin, etc), which you may have been taking routinely before your treatment in our office (unless otherwise directed.) If antibiotics have been prescribed, please continue and complete the entire dosage. Warning: Antibiotic may inhibit the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.
Always consult your pharmacist for drug interactions, as the consequences of drug interaction could be extremely dangerous to your health.
INTRAVENOUS INJECTION SITE
If you have had intravenous sedation involving a needle in your arm then the following can occasionally happen; bruising, redness, pain, numbness or swelling at the needle site in your arm. Please contact our office if this happens. This results from irritation of the vein by the medications. It is usually treated by warm compresses over the area. This is done with a warm moist face cloth. It will take a few days to disappear. -Infection of the intravenous site. This can be very serious if it happens. Usually this is extremely tender and warm to touch. You may also notice a red line going up your arm.
ACTIVITY AFTER ANESTHESIA
Due to the medications that you have received you must be accompanied home by a friend or relative and should not attempt to drive an automobile, ride a bike, or operate any type of machinery for at least 24 hours after the surgery. Initially you will feel drowsy and will only feel like sitting in a chair or lying in bed. Your activity level can slowly be increased to normal levels as you become more alert. The aim should be for moderate exercise the day after surgery, as tolerated.
EXTRACTIONS OF TEETH
1. BLEEDING
Bleeding or oozing of blood from the surgical site is expected and the saliva may be tinged for 24 to 48 hours. Firm gauze should be maintained on the extraction sockets for three hours after the extraction. If bleeding is persistent, it should be controlled by placing a piece of sterile gauze or a tea bag dipped in ice cold water over the wound and biting on it for 1 hour. Repeat if necessary.
Do not rinse your mouth or spit out. It is important that the gauze packing is placed directly over the site where the tooth was removed and not over the adjacent teeth. The gauze must be bulky enough to prevent the upper and lower teeth from meeting when biting firmly.
2. SWELLING
Apply ice to face in the area of the surgery for a period of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off, for the first 3-6 hours after the surgery, while awake. Swelling is not uncommon after surgery. This may last for up to two weeks after surgery. Discoloration of the skin of the face and neck may occur within 10 days following surgery and should be no cause for alarm. Sleeping with your head elevated could help reducing the bleeding and swelling.
3. MOUTH RINSE
Do not rinse your mouth or spit out for 24 hours after surgery. After this time use one half teaspoon of salt plus two tablespoons hydrogen peroxide in a glass of warm water and rinse gently after each meal. Patients who have had impacted teeth removed, should rinse after eating for approximately six weeks. Do not rinse more than 4 times a day. Avoid excessive vigorous rinsing. This should be done 3 to 4 times a day for at least 2 weeks after surgery. Do not rinse or brush the day of surgery.
4. DIET
Cold, soft and bland foods are advisable for the first 24 hours. Good nutrition post-surgery is essential. Do not use a straw for drinking. Smoking can delay healing. Avoid peanuts, popcorn and other hard foods for 2 weeks or until the sockets have healed. Drink plenty of liquids. If you are diabetic, maintain your caloric intake, and take your medication as usual.
5. HYGIENE
Continued proper oral hygiene is imperative. Normal care should be maintained, but the surgical area should be excluded from care involved when brushing, flossing, dental irrigation appliances, etc. until advised. Healing will occur more rapidly when good oral hygiene is maintained.
6. EXERCISE
It will be beneficial to exercise your jaw by chewing sugarless gum starting 24 hours after the extraction and lasting for approximately one week.
7. FEVER
An increased temperature of 100-101o F is not unusual for a few days following surgery. If after the third postoperative day your swelling increases or your temperature is greater than 101o F please contact our office.
8. SUTURES
We use self-dissolving sutures and they do not need to be removed. They may stay in your mouth up to 5 weeks.
9. PERSISTENT NUMBNESS
Your lips, tongue, chin; gum and teeth are going to feel numb for several hours after surgery. In some cases numbness or tingling in the lower lip or tongue may last longer. Depending to several factors such as proximity to nerves or pressure of the roots on the nerve under the teeth roots you may experience a very prolonged numbness. Although rare but in some cases this could last several years or be permanent. If you develop this condition you must be careful not to bite your lip or touch hot food to your lips since this can cause serious harm.
10. SMOKING
Do not smoke for at least one week after you procedures. This may interfere with blood clot formation and increase the risk of postoperative pain. Nicotine may break down the blood clot.
11. NAUSEA
This is usually due to either swallowing of blood or sensitivity to the medications you are taking. A small amount of carbonated 7-Up or ginger ale every hour for 5-6 hours will usually terminate nausea. Follow this with weak tea or clear broth, avoiding juices, or diary products.
12. DRY & CHAPPED LIPS
The corner of the mouth may become chaffed and temporary cracking may appear as a result of retraction during surgery. Apply a thin coat of Vaseline to your lips every 3 to 4 hours while you are awake during the first few days after your surgery.
13. MUSCLE SORENESS
It is not unusual to have some jaw muscle soreness and some limitation of opening following surgery. This soreness is temporary, and should disappear as the swelling subsides and the diet is resumed.
14. SHARP EDGES
If you feel sharp edges in the surgical areas with your tongue it is probably the bony wall, which originally supported the teeth. Occasionally small slivers of bone may work themselves out during the first few weeks after surgery. They are not pieces of tooth and, if necessary, we will remove them. Please call our office if you are concerned. Although rare but if you noticed a small remnant of teeth structures or feel any sharp object in the fracture site please return to our center for further evaluation.
15. DRY SOCKET
Dry socket is a very rare condition caused by an early loss of blood clot from the extraction site. It is characterized by dull throbbing pain, which may radiate to the ear. Remember having an increased pain on day 5-7 is not uncommon. To avoid dislodging the blood clot from the extraction site avoid rinsing your mouth, spitting, smoking or using straws with the first 24 hours after extraction. Smoking should be avoided for at least 10 days to reduce risk of postoperative complications.
16. BRUISING & JAW STIFFNESS
Bruising (black and blue or yellow) and jaw stiffness, Pain in the jaw joint area (TMJ area) is common following surgical procedures. These will slowly subside. Stiffness, causing difficulty in opening the mouth and a slight earache and sore throat even one week after surgery is possible.
17. SINUS INVOLVEMENT
Due to the close relationship to the sinus, a communication will sometimes remain between the mouth and the sinus. This may have occurred in your case, therefore it is important to follow these instructions.
Do not blow your nose. Do not sneeze through your nose. If the urge to sneeze arises, sneeze with your mouth open. Avoid swimming and strenuous exercise for at least one week. It is not uncommon to have a slight amount of bleeding from the nose for several days.
18. FOLLOW UP VISIT
Depending to your particular type of surgery we may need to see you in a week to assess your healing progress. Call us if you had any question or come back for further evaluation. We care for you.
Keep fingers and tongue away from socket or surgical area.
If you have any questions please call us at 610-667-6161
Post Operative Instructions: Jaw Surgery
Following these instructions will help you to feel better and recover faster after your jaws have been wired. Please read them carefully and ask questions about anything you do not understand.
1. It is recommended that you sleep with your head on two or three pillows. This helps to decrease the swelling in your face and also will make it easier for you to breathe.
2. Avoid doing anything that requires heavy lifting, pushing or straining while your jaws are wired together.
3. Do not try to work you jaw back and forth against the wires. This will loosen the wires and teeth and prevent the bones from healing.
4. Avoid water related activities such as swimming and water-skiing while your jaws are wired because its hard to clear water out of your nose and airway.
5. Do not drink alcoholic beverages while your jaws are wired.
6. Elastics that are hooked to the wires on your upper and lower teeth hold your jaws together. Over time elastics can loosen, fall off or break. Losing a few elastics is not a problem as long as you cannot open the mouth. If you find that you are able to open your mouth due to loss of elastics, keep your teeth together and call the office so we can add more elastics.
7. Use saline nasal spray as frequently as necessary to help keep your nose clear.
Post Operative Instructions: Snoring (Laser) Surgery
After Placement of Dental Implants
Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. There may be a metal healing abutment protruding through the gingival (gum) tissue.
Bleeding
Some bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal for 24 hours. During this time avoid spitting or rinsing your mouth. Avoid using straw or smoking as they also increase chances for bleeding.
Biting on a gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound for 30 minutes can control excessive bleeding. If bleeding continues please call for further instructions.
Swelling
Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice bag, or a plastic bag, or towel filled with ice on the cheek in the area of surgery. Apply the ice continuously, as much as possible, for the first 36 hours.
Diet
Avoid chewing or eating hard food. Soft food and liquids should be eaten on the day of surgery. Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid hot liquids or food. Return to a normal diet as soon as possible unless otherwise directed.
Pain
You should begin taking pain medication as soon as you feel the local anesthetic wearing off. For moderate pain, 1 or 2 Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol may be taken every 3-4 hours. Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) may be taken instead of Tylenol. Ibuprofen, bought over the counter comes in 200 mg tablets: 2-3 tablets may be taken every 3-4 hours as needed for pain. For severe pain, the prescribed medication should be taken as directed. Do not take any of the above medication if you are allergic, or have been instructed by your primary doctor not to take it. After the first few week post operatively, presence of pain may indicate problems such as infection. Please call us for evaluation
Numbness
Although rare but as described prior to placement of dental implant (s) particularly in the lower jaw, having numbness in lip, cheek, gums, teeth and even tongue is one of the potential complications of placing dental implants. In many cases this is a temporary feeling but it could also last for years or even be a permanent numbness. Please let us know if you have developed numbness so that we can follow your progress.
Antibiotics
Be sure to take the prescribed antibiotics as directed to help prevent infection. During several month of healing process, and while the implant is osseo-integrating, if you noticed redness, pus, pain or other signs of infection please return promptly for evaluation.
After the visit for placing healing abutment allow sufficient time for your gum to heal (usually in 10-14 days), the metal healing abutment or crown should be brushed with a soft bristle tooth brush and tooth paste gently but thoroughly two to three times a day just like a tooth. Until that time it must be kept clean with the Peridex rinse.
Oral Hygiene
Good oral hygiene is essential to good healing. The night of surgery, use the prescribed Peridex oral rinse before bed. The day after surgery, the Peridex should be used twice daily, after breakfast and before bed. Be sure to rinse for at least 30 seconds then spit it out. Warm water rinses should be used at least 4-5 times a day, as well, especially after meals. Brushing your teeth and the healing abutments is no problem. Be gentle initially with brushing the surgical areas.
Smoking
There have been some studies that have shown smokers have higher chance of implant failure. The exact mechanism is not known, but avoid smoking all together for a successful result.At the very least avoid smoking for the first two weeks after surgery. Very simply said; continuing to smoke after implant placement you could loose your implant.
Excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages can also interfere with implant healing. Please avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for the first week after surgery.
Activity
Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. If you are considering exercise, throbbing or bleeding may occur. If this occurs, you should discontinue exercising. Keep in mind that you are probably not taking normal nourishment. This may weaken you and further limit your ability to exercise.
Wearing your Prosthesis
We realize how important it is for you to be able to wear your temporary teeth as soon as possible after surgery. Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery and for at least 10 days. Remember that all removable appliances including partial dentures, flippers and full dentures must be checked for proper fit by your dentist before they are worn.These appliances can put considerable pressure to the implant site, which can interfere with implant healing and result in implant failure.
In some cases it may be necessary to go without wearing the temporary teeth for a few days until swelling resolves and some healing takes place. In most cases, partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should be used only for cosmetic purposes, not for chewing. They should be worn only in public when required and removed in the privacy of your own home.
Please review our standard post-op instructions for additional helpful information.
After you are under care of your general dentist
As an oral and maxillofacial surgeon we do not place the crowns above your dental implants. So your general dentist has to remove the healing abutment we place over your implants. Next he or she will start taking impression to construct the final crown. The expertise of your general dentist is now crucial in successful results. Excessive pressure on the implant, poorly constructed crowns or ill fitting caps that falls off are destine to cause pain, infection and eventually failure of implants.
This stage of your implant process is not under our control. Please make sure to discuss any issues you have immediately with your general dentist. Of course we can also evaluate the final result and advice you on any issues you may have.
Can my implants fail?
Yes they can! There are many reasons they can fail, although this is very rare but like your own natural teeth, they also can get rejected or infected if not properly cared for. There are cases that implants get loose from patients grinding excessively on them. If improperly manipulated by other practitioners during various phases of treatments or maintenance implants could be at risk of failures as well. As stated above smoking, or developing various illnesses can lead to implant failure.
Post Operative Instructions After Fractured Jaw Surgery
Care of Your Mouth and Teeth
Brush your teeth after every meal and at bedtime. Meticulous oral hygiene is extremely important to prevent tooth decay and gum inflammation caused by food build up between the wires and your teeth. These bits of food can also cause bad breath. Thorough tooth brushing is the single, most important part of good oral hygiene; it is best to use a child-sized, soft-bristled toothbrush with toothpaste. The head is smaller and will be more comfortable for you. Brush your teeth and wires by using rotating motions directly on the teeth and wires. Brush until the wires are shiny clean.
Use the Peridex (Chlorohexidine) mouth rinse prescribed by us twice a day after brushing, Swish in your mouth for one minute then spit out. In addition to the Peridex use a dilute mouth rinse (Scope, Act, etc.) after meals and at least four times a day. The rinse will help to clean the inside surfaces of your teeth which you cannot reach with a toothbrush.
Run your tongue along the inside of your teeth several times a day to help clean them. A Waterpik is helpful to loosen food and debris trapped between the wires and elastics. Use a Waterpik several times each day in addition to brushing and rinsing.
If the wires are rubbing against your lips or cheek and causing pain, irritation or burning, you may find dental wax helpful. Dental wax is available at most drug stores. Pinch off a small piece of wax and apply it directly over the wires that are irritating you. The wax will act as a cushion between the wires and your gum. You should remove dental wax before brushing your teeth; then replace it if necessary.
Elastic fixation is released approximately six weeks after treatment (except in cases of condyle fractures where elastics are usually removed 10-14 days after treatment). Wires are usually removed approximately two weeks later. Approximately four to six weeks after your wires are removed you will need to visit a dental hygienist for a thorough cleaning of your teeth.
A blender or food processor will be required to prepare your meals. Almost any food can be liquefied in a blender. You will need to add enough liquid (juice, milk, water) to liquefy solid foods. You may also need a food strainer if you teeth are very close together with no space between them. The strainer can be metal mesh or cheesecloth. After food has been liquefied in the blender a strainer will remove any small residual pieces of food, which could get caught in your wires or elastics.
Most people prefer foods that are neither hot nor cold. Very hot liquid may injure tender or numb mouth tissues. Very cold liquid may be painful to sensitive injured or fractured teeth. It is easiest and most efficient to drink right out of a cup. Drinking from a straw requires puckering and suction, which is inefficient and difficult when your jaws are wired. Basic good nutrition is essential to keep you healthy, speed up recovery and assist in healing. Even though you cannot chew, you still need a balance of protein, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and grains. It is easier to get proper nutrition if you eat five to six times a day.
It is difficult to maintain your weight on a liquid fracture jaw diet. You should monitor your weight regularly while your jaws are wired together. Commercial nutritional supplements such as Ensure, boost or Sustical are a convenient way to increase calories and protein. You can find them at most drug stores and many grocery stores. These nutritional supplements should not be used to replace other foods; they should be used in addition to other foods. Drink one can of Ensure three times a day in addition to your meals. An over the counter daily liquid multivitamin supplement is also recommended.
If You Vomit
If you feel that you are going to vomit, follow these steps:
If You Have Trouble Breathing
If you have so much difficulty breathing that you cannot catch your breath, follow these steps to open your airway as much as possible:
Place a spoon inside your mouth between the teeth and your cheek and stretch the cheek outward to create breathing space.
If you are not breathing well because of nasal stuffiness try an over the counter saline nasal spray. Saline nasal spray can be used as often as necessary with no adverse side effects. If this problem persists, please call our office.
Antibiotics:
You will be given antibiotic following your surgery. Please make every effort to take them as prescribed. If you were given Keflex elixir, take two teaspoons every 6 hours for ten days. If you are allergic to Penicillin, it is highly advisable to avoid taking Keflex but inform us in advance and we will replace it with Cleocin or Clindamycin. Usual dosage is 300 mg every 8 hours. Developing infection post-operatively is extremely rare but please take your medication as instructed.
Anti-swelling medication (Steroids):
To avoid swelling, we will cover you with steroid - usually taken every 8 hours after surgery for 4-5 days. One day after completing a course of steroids you may experience more pain and swelling. This is totally expected and will subside within few days. To minimize swelling, sleep with two pillows and try and prop yourself up a little bit. If you wake up and are swollen, gravity will lessen it during the day. Place ice over the site for the first week and then move onto moist warm heat. Remember that your face will probably be changing each week for 2 months.
Pain:
Most patients will not need to use major pain medication a few days after discharge from the hospital or from our center. We have been told by hundreds of our patients that their wisdom teeth extractions hurt them more than their jaw surgery. The reason could be that your mouth and teeth are numb after surgery. Although you will get used to the numbness shortly after surgery but the degree of pain is far less than what most people expect. Tylenol with codeine or a similar pain medication will be prescribed for you. Use it with discretion and try to use other over-the-counter medication such as liquid Ibuprofen.
Sutures:
All sutures used inside of your mouth will dissolve by themselves. If there are few skin sutures on the sides of your face they need to be removed within a week.
Bleeding:
Generally speaking, we make every assurance to keep you in the recovery area or the hospital until all bleedings has stopped. As with any surgical procedure, there is always the risk of post-operative bleeding. If it becomes excessive then call us or come back to the center the following day. If you had upper jaw surgery try not to bend down to pick anything as this empties the blood in your sinuses out of your nose and may scare you. Do not blow through your nose and do not use straws or smoke cigarettes. You may experience some bleeding when you brush your teeth, but it should be minimal. Nosebleeds are quite common for those who have undergone upper jaw surgery, but usually only last for the first week or so. If you get one, just apply ice over the nose area and it should stop or just pinch your nose until it stops. If for any reason the bleeding becomes excessive call us immediately whether its in your nose or mouth.
Soreness/dry lip:
Once you are out of surgery you might get dry lips; just make sure you have a product like Vaseline (petroleum jelly) around to keep your lips moist.
Sore Throat:
It is possible that once you come out of the surgery you will have a sore throat. This is because of the airway tube has agitated your throat. Try gargling with salt water if you can. Throat lozenges will help too. The sore throat will last up to a week
Brushing/oral hygiene:
The amount of bruising varies with each individual. Some people get slight bruising on their face, while others have it running all the way down into their chest area. Bruising may occur one week after surgery and is because of a breakdown of small blood vessels under your skin.
Generally, bruising will disappear in several weeks. Applying moist heat with a towel will help remove most of the bruising.
Very simply stated, keep your mouth area clean! Brush after each meal. It may become tiresome because of the regularity of your meals, but good hygiene is important for proper healing and a speedy recovery. Your mouth, including the lip, chin, gum teeth and part of your tongue could feel numb and quite strange. For few days, your teeth feel like wood. We highly recommend using a water pick or frequent rinsing to help the healing. Remember when cleaning/brushing the teeth, some bleeding might occur, just be careful and not brush over the sutures or else you will bleed.
Generally speaking, your mouth will not be wired together therefore it is easier to brush your teeth. If you are wearing elastics and a plastic splint then you can brush with no problem. Once the splint is taken out of your mouth in a week you can take the rubber bands out to rinse and brush your teeth. During your first week after surgery you might have some sore areas in your mouth and lips and not be able to open your mouth enough to be able to brush on the insides of your teeth, but it will get better. Just remember to keep those bristles away from the stitches and keep them on your teeth/braces. A baby toothbrush will work well at this time. After you brush, rinse thoroughly with a small amount of salt water and/or ½ mouthwash mixed with ½ water.
Rinsing:
Avoid rinsing your mouth immediately after surgery and only up to 24 hours after surgery. Starting 24 hours following your procedure, you must rinse as often as possible to keep your mouth in as good of an oral hygiene as possible. You can use warm salted water or any over the counter mouth washes you like. If you were given a special prescription mouthwash such as Peridex, you must use it twice a day only. This is an
antibiotic containing prescription oral rinse. If you rinse more often than twice daily it will stain your teeth.
Nasal Congestion:
If you are having any upper jaw procedures your nose could be congested. For the first 3-4 days you can use a nasal decongestant as well as oral decongestant. But then discontinue the nasal decongestant and use saline irrigation and steam your face, nose and mouth. Bleeding, mucous discharge out of the nose is very common. Do not blow through your nose; this will cause significant harm as it could lead to opening of your sinus cavity into your mouth. This can cause fluid reflux out of your nose.
Bathing:
All incisions are internal so you can take a shower (as long as you are not taking narcotics and someone is keeping an eye over you).
Exercise/Physical ability:
You can walk the day after surgery if you had both jaws operated on. You can walk the day of surgery if you just had one jaw surgery. No contact sports for 6 months after surgery. Any trauma to a recently operated jaw will mean repeat procedure and possibly failure of surgery.
Jaw Motion:
It is highly recommended to start moving your jaw and trying to open as wide as you can starting two weeks after surgery. Do not apply any excess pressure on your teeth or your jaw. Applying a warm moist towel to the sides of your jaw may be helpful. Approximately a month after your surgery you can apply some pressure over your teeth to open even wider.
Depression:
It is not unusual to feel depressed after your surgery. This ccould be because of swelling and bruising, numbness of lips and chin or many other factors. Patients must have realistic expectations. This procedure involves delicate incisions in the gum and bone and re-approximation to a new position. Going through any surgical procedure is not a pleasant and desired situation. But in order to solve the problems there are steps to bypass and several weeks of recovery. Please be patient and prepared. The final results are usually great. One of the normal frustrations is the diet restriction. We have discovered that at these times family support and your positive attitude will make this transition a smooth one. Just remember why you went through with this procedure, and most importantly feel good about who you are. You have undergone a major reconstruction of your face, your look and your bite. In our center we have hundreds of patients who have gone through the orthognathic surgery procedures and will answer your questions and you can also count on Dr. Madanis team who are all courteous, understating and will answer every question you may have in great detail.
Food and diet:
Dehydration and lack of proper nutrition can make you weak and interfere with the healing process. The first two to three weeks after surgery you must be on a full liquid diet such as high protein drinks (Ensure & Boost) milkshakes, blended food, soft whipped potatoes with gravy, avocados, applesauce, juices and soup. Try to avoid using straws. The first few weeks after your surgery your jaw will tire quite easily when eating, so it is important to eat frequently (a small amount of food every 3-4 hours) to maintain sufficient calorie intake. No major chewing for two months after surgery is recommended.
Starting in your second month after surgery you can move to soft foods like soft rice dishes, chicken noodle soup, baked fish cut up into very small pieces, scrambled eggs, pie, and heartier soups. Because in most cases the inside of the mouth including the roof of your mouth is slightly numb your tongue plays an important role in helping you to move the food around your mouth and swallow. Stay away from pizza, chewy steaks, apples, and carrots until your jaw has completely healed and that is about 6 months.
It is important to try and drink from a cup if you can. It will feel weird because your lips could be numb, and you will dribble and drool. Just take it slowly and you will get used to this in a week. You must make sure that you take in a lot of liquids. To drink from a cup put a towel bib around your neck and place your head slightly back and try and open your mouth a bit while pouring the liquid into your mouth. Then try and swallow. Usually most of our patients resume their normal drinking in a week.
Healing process:
The initial healing phase will take approximately six weeks; however, the completed healing process will require approximately 9 to 12 months. During this healing phase it is very important that you practice the best possible oral hygiene.
Notify Our Office if You
What are the complications after fractured jaws?
Complications following repair of a mandibular fracture are rare.
The most common complication is infection or osteomyelitis. Malunion and nonunion of the mandible occurs because of failure to maintained jaws wired together. Malunion is or delayed, incomplete, or faulty union following a fracture also occurs if you cut the wires prematurely after your surgery.
Other factors contributing to malunion or none union include
Contributing factors may include (1) poor oral hygiene and dental or periodontal infections, (2) teeth in the fracture line, (3) alcohol abuse and chronic disease (4) poor patient compliance, and (5) displacement of fracture fragments.
Please note that in case of infection, non or malunion we may have to repeat the procedure, bone grafting may be required and more extensive type of surgery may be needed as well.
Why We Snore
We all snore occasionally, but in most cases it is a problem that self-corrects and does not bother anyone. In some, it is compounded by a deadly condition of impeded breathing. Basically, you stop breathinganywhere from a few seconds up to 20, 30, or even 100 times or more per minute This stoppage of breathing plus snoring along with a few other symptoms are known as obstructive sleep apnea.
I snore and stop breathing, could I die from it?
In fact, you can have very serious complications if you suffer from sleep apnea. With sleep apnea, you are more prone to have:
* Heart attack (myocardial infarction) or MI
* Stroke
* Hypertension
* Emotional issues & mood problems (getting agitated & upset easily, having shorter
attention span, depression, having anxiety)
* Sexual problems
* Car accidents
* Lose time from your work and unable to perform well at work
* Increased chance of stopped breathing altogether (higher morbidity & mortality), so a patient with sever obstructive sleep apnea and other risk factors such as obesity, high cholesterol level, hypertension, etc has much higher chance of dying young and/or while they sleep! It has been estimated that over 3800 people die every single year from complications of sleep apnea in the United States only.
How about my life, my job?
Quality of life issues range from sleeping in separate bedrooms, body fatigue, irritability, nervousness, arguments and even divorce has been brought up by many couples.
* Personal financial impacts range from an increased cost of medical care, prescription & over the counter drug expenses.
* Institutional impacts at work could range from:
* Job related Illness and injuries to self as well as coworkers
*Increased Healthcare expenses to self as well as employee
*Causing injuries to others (buss & truck drivers)
*Inability to focus & concentrate at work
*Inability to perform complex tasks
*Afternoon job performance issues
*Reduced problem solving ability
*Tired & sleepy at work
*Reduce productivity
Why is it that more men snore than women?
We have examined over 20,000 patients for snoring and sleep apnea and have operated on several thousand patients. We estimate that ration of Men versus women are 9:1. We believe that a major reason is the mens body size, and their anatomy. We cant disregard genetics, hormones and other factors either.
