After 6-8 weeks, you can progress to more normal chewing, but advance slowly and cautiously (really hard foods should be avoided for another 1-2 months, including pizza, apples, raw carrots, nuts, etc.). At this point if it hurts to chew, it’s too hard.
What happens if you chew too soon after jaw surgery?
Chewing food after surgery can be painful and slow down your healing. After surgery, it is very important to eat and drink enough to help you heal. You will need to follow a liquid or pureed diet until your jaw has healed.
What foods can you swallow without chewing?
15 Top You Can Eat Without Chewing
- Soft Dairy. Many forms of dairy are more than acceptable on a soft foods diet.
- Well-cooked Grains.
- Mashed Potatoes.
- Smoothies.
- Scrambled eggs.
- Dips.
- Soft fish.
- High Calorie Drinks.
What should I avoid after jaw surgery?
We recommend that you do not try and chew hard or tough food, for example hard toast, crusty bread, tough meats, raw vegetables, hard fruit, toffees or chewy sweets, for 6-8 weeks after your operation. This is to make sure the jaw bones heal together well.
How long after jaw surgery can I chew? – Related Questions
What is the fastest way to recover from jaw surgery?
5 Tips to Speed Your Recovery After Jaw Surgery
- Drink your meals.
- Add easy-to-chew foods.
- Keep pain under control.
- Take care of your lips.
- Give yourself the recovery time you need.
What are the best foods to eat after jaw surgery?
Corrective Jaw Surgery Dietary Guidelines
- Soup.
- Scrambled eggs.
- Applesauce.
- Soft pie or cake.
- Ice cream.
- Yogurt.
- Well-cooked and chopped pasta.
- Soft, small bites of meat.
Can I sleep on my side after jaw surgery?
If you sleep on the same side as your surgical wounds, you can also be faced with problems. The pressure on your surgical wounds can add to your discomfort. All of these issues can affect how well you can heal as well as lengthen your recovery time and increase your risk of complications.
Can I wash my face after jaw surgery?
Jaw surgery usually involves surgical incisions that are in the mouth. If this is your case, then you can shower, take a bath, or shampoo your hair, immediately after your surgery, as soon as you feel like it.
Can you drink coffee after jaw surgery?
You should also avoid drinking coffee and soda in the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery.
Can you feel the screws after jaw surgery?
If you’re like me and don’t have braces, they’ll put some temporary metal screws in your jaws that you can feel (if anyone would like pictures, please email me!) but they are taken out pretty painlessly a few weeks after.
What happens if I sneeze after jaw surgery?
Blowing of the nose: Do not blow your nose or sneeze with your mouth closed for at least 1 week following upper jaw surgery. This can cause air to be forced into your cheeks and lower eyelids with immediate severe swelling. A nasal spray will be provided to help decongest the nasal passages.
How long do you have to sleep elevated after jaw surgery?
The swelling can be fairly dramatic after some jaw surgeries. We recommend that you keep your head elevated (on 2–3 pillows or in a recliner) for up to a week or so after surgery. Swelling may take several weeks to resolve completely.
Why is jaw surgery so painful?
Postoperative orofacial pain includes a number of clinical problems involving the masticatory muscles or TMJ, including muscle spasms in the head, neck, and jaw and pain in the teeth, face, or jaw due to the extensive bone and muscle manipulation during orthognathic surgery [29].
How many hours does jaw surgery take?
If only an upper or lower jaw requires surgery, your surgery will typically last between 1.5 to 2 hours. If both upper and lower jaws need orthognathic surgery then the procedure will take between 3 and 4 hours to perform.
When can I sneeze after jaw surgery?
If an upper jaw surgery is performed, you will need to be on sinus precautions. This entails not blowing your nose for 2 weeks. Try not to sneeze for 2 weeks.
Is jaw surgery life changing?
Corrective jaw surgery is used to treat a range of conditions and is often a great way to alleviate pain, restore function or improve appearance. For some patients with very serious or complex cases, corrective jaw surgery can be life changing.
What are the cons of jaw surgery?
Risks of surgery may include:
- Blood loss.
- Infection.
- Nerve injury.
- Jaw fracture.
- Relapse of the jaw to the original position.
- Problems with bite fit and jaw joint pain.
- Need for further surgery.
- Need for root canal therapy on selected teeth.
Does jaw surgery shorten face?
Double-jaw surgery reduces the length and size of the entire face by putting the chin behind. This is the case where the center of face is long, so called ‘a horse face’. Double-jaw surgery can reduce the length of both the upper and lower parts and sometimes gum surgery is performed together.
Is jaw surgery worth having?
However, while the thought of invasive procedures and having corrective or cosmetic jaw surgery is both intimidating and time-consuming, most patients feel the benefits of orthognathic surgery are life-changing and well worth the time and effort.
Does your voice change after jaw surgery?
As you start to reconstruct your jaw and move things around, it can cause some vocal changes. You may experience speech and voice adjustments as these can be the effects of functional surgery. The difference in jaw positioning or shape can have an effect on voice frequencies.
