Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunny
Sorry that you're having to have your jaw 'wired'. That's not done with most jaw surgery now, instead elastic bands are used. A few ortho's still prefer wiring, but they're mostly over it. No matter what, your jaw needs to be kept reasonably stable for a few weeks to enable the best healing environment.
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Rubber bands do not replace wiring the jaws shut. It is the advent of rigid internal fixation that has meant this is possible for most (not all) procedures) for most (not all) patients. Small plates and screws (usually made from titanium - a very lightweight metal) are used to hold the different sections of the bone together correctly whilst they heal. And, unless they subsequently cause problems (which does occasionally happen) these plates and screws are left permanently in place - a second procedure is only required to remove them should they become loose, or should infection develop around them, and this is fairly unusual.
Rubber bands do have a role to play for many (but not all) patients in the weeks immediately post-op, but that is more about helping guide the jaw muscles to their new positions. These elastics are generally rather light (lower forces) and are not there to hold the bony sections in place.
Additionally some patients may also find that their doc likes to keep a splint in place for some period - sometimes even weeks - post-op. This is something that varies from one OMS to another, and even from one patient to another at the same OMS.
Shasbob - I hope your surgery went well, and that you are coming along nicely with recovery now. Coming up on 5 weeks wired now, I think? I bet you're just itching to get those wires out! Best wishes for that.
By the way - may I ask if your lower jaw was brought forward, or was it set back? Just wondering if you were wired due to the particular procedure your OS chose to use, and thought perhaps it was a set-back done by IVRO instead of BSSO.