Past, current, and future Jaw Surgery patients Unite!
appyben
Member
Hi,
Just had Lefort I Osteotomy at 47 for class III underbite, 3 wks post-op. WOW.. it's been an experience. Wondering about the numbness and the "age" factor. Anyone else have this upper jaw surgery done at an older age? Does numbness go away?? Anyone know what the "magic age" is for my risk of permanent numbness to be high?
Thanks a bunch!
missionmom
Member
Hello....I have someone my age who is in the same position. I just turned 50 in July...I had upper and lower done and rid of gummy smile...not sure the proper names of them all and also my chin. I had surgery in January and still have a fair amount of numbness. My upper gums are still a little numb, tip of my nose and upper lips. they are all very tingly so that is a good sign....I wondered myself if it because of my age that it is taking so long...love the results but the recovery is a killer. Considering how much numbness I had coming out of surgery, I figure I'm doing great. I was told that if after 2 years it has not come back then it's probably permanent. Permanent numbness is very rare. However keep in mind everyone is different and recovers at differents speeds. Try not to worry about it to much and just take good care of yourself..I have found that taking vitamin B12 sublingual has really helped,it was suggested by my surgeon. I can chew well and back to normal with most foods except steak...hard to chew plus I'm still getting used to my new bite.
Just give things time and it will work out....this kind of surgery is just a longer recovery process.
missionmom
Member
Oh ya...and your right..it is quite the experience. No one can really understant it unless they have gone through this kind of surgery.
Cathy
appyben
Member
Hi Cathy,
I really appreciate your response. How often and how much of the vit. B12 are you taking? Is it specifically to help w/ the numbness?
Thanks again,
Chris
appyben
Member
One more question: Are you taking vitamin B12 in the Methylcobalamin form? And is it combined w/ any other B vitamin?
Thank you!
Jezleave
Member
Hi you all! I have had double jaw surgery (lafort 1) and am 11 weeks post-op, as of yesterday. I am 57 now! Definitely in the older folks having surgery category. Just now found this forum however, and glad to see others giving advice and tips for recovery. It would be very easy to think that we are the 'only' ones that have had this done, lol. I am especially interested in trying the B-12 sublinqual to help with the numbness. My lower left side/jaw is still numb, as well as my tongue and palate. I do not have a lot of 'taste' right now (things are pretty bland - food wise) Because I had such an overbite, I noticed that I am having trouble enunciating words. My tongue doesn't know where to go, lol; and it being numb doesn't help.
I am definitely at a time where I am ready for this to be over. I have braces on and am due to get them off by April of next year. I just last week, started wearing 'Fred' (heavy elastics) bands on my back teeth to bring them together. My next appointment isn't for 6 more weeks, whew. At first I would wake up panicked because I couldn't open my mouth. Now I am leaning more towards feeling like I have claustrophobia of the mouth, lol.
I have lost almost 20 pounds and am still not able to chew anything. I am still on a soft-food diet, but am running out of ideas of things to make.
Hope to talk to you all soon :)
Thanks again for the ideas!
Brandon
Site Administrator
Great to hear your story, Jez, thanks for sharing, especially for those that wonder if it's possible past your teens and 20's, and it definitely is!
Congrats on a successful surgery, and good luck with the rest of the recovery process.
mayee
Member
hi all,
now this give more insights what to expect after the surgery at my age. il have the surgery on nov 10 2010. im 47 yrs of age n has an mid case of underbite. il keep u updated whats going on with me.
thank you brandon for creating this magnificent, brilliant and very helpful website. it will absolutely help all the members to heal faster.
mayee
Brandon
Site Administrator
My pleasure Mayee, I'm glad it could help, and we have a growing number of older patients on here which is great to see!
bodybuilder1958
Member
I'm 52 and I had my lower mandible done just shy of 7 weeks ago. Not wired shut, splint on upper mandible. I had the surgical wires, lugs and splint removed yesterday. It has been an eye-lifter, lost alot of weight, eating now is just as strange as it was before. Talking is also very, very strange. But it will get better.
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