Help/tips - experiences of jaw (oryhognatic) surgery

[biter]

Hi all.
My DS is having a big jaw surgery very soon (top and bottom). Having read about it, and talked to his surgeon it seems the aftermath and recovery is pretty brutal.

Does anyone have any experience, hints or tips to share please? I've read a couple blogs and know we need to be prepared with liquid diet etc, but anything people can people can share would be much appreciated.

And if you don't have jaw surgery experience with yourself or one of your adolescents any post surgery advice or guidance for other surgeries is most helpful and welcome. It's partly the emotional impact (on all of us that I'm worried about).

Yes I know I can Google it, but I trust MNers to be kindly helpful and honest. My poor boy, the thought of him suffering is just awful 😞

My daughter wants to have jaw surgery to fix her underbite. However, I'm really worried about the operation.Are there any references for me to find a right one to do the op?

Hi. There is a helpful Facebook group

We found this helpful too. jawsurgery2015blog.wordpress.com/2016/03/16/3-12-months-the-end-is-nigh/

And there is a useful website recommended by the surgeon we used bos.org.uk/patients/treatments/your-jaw-surgery/

Other recommendations

• get a squeezy bottle for after surgery drinking (straws don't work)
• get some complan in as a food substitute in early days
• hire a face cooler for home use after surgery - it helps with swelling hilotherm.co.uk/

Don't expect too much in the early days. Swelling will be horrible. Pain tolerable.

Good luck!

It is not possible to do surgery on its own , it will have to be combined with orthodontics (braces) as the bite will be completely changed .

There has to be a high degree of interaction between orthodontist and surgeon because the whole process is likely to take several years .

Have she been referred yet for joint consultation? The other thing is that because the jaw has to finish growing , in general, the jaw surgery will not be done until 18 to 21 at the earliest with preparatory braces before and more brace work afterwards.