Guest guest Posted February 12, 2004 Report Share Posted February 12, 2004 Hi Maggie, > > Could you tell more of your personal experience on distraction. Is > it painful compare to normal jaw surgery? Is it hard to manage with > a device in your mouth for weeks? I've gone through two distractions now. The first was to advance my lower jaw 17 mm done in Sept 2002 and the second was 4 weeks ago to rebuild the condyles. The surgery itself was about as painful as normal jaw surgery but turning the screws (twice daily for two weeks for me) was very painful. Everytime you turn the screws, you're pulling the healing bone apart so essentially you're not letting your body heal for a few weeks after the surgery. Now that we're done turning the screws (I hope anyway, I've got another appointment this afternoon), having the distractors in is not so bad. Right now, I don't have any devices in my mouth (other than the usual braces). The hardware is mostly under the skin in my cheeks and the screws hang out through the skin just under my jawline. The distractors will stay in another few weeks to allow the bone to fill in the gaps. > > My OS told me I need distraction cos' my jaw joint is weak. If I > choose normal jaw surgery, the chances of me getting a relapse is > very high and including condyles resorbs and shortens. But again, if > I opt for distraction there is no guarantee that I will not suffer a > relapse but chances is lower. The last option is just to put on > braces but the outcome will be less than ideal. Now I'm in a dilemma > of which one to choose. Is your surgeon recommending distraction to rebuild the condyles or is it to advance the lower jaw to fix the overbite? Have you had a lot of problems with the joint already? That is true - jaw surgery can potentially make joint problems worse but if you don't do anything about your bad bite, your TMJ's will almost certainly get worse. Theoretically, advancing your lower jaw gradually using distraction instead of all at once with conventional jaw surgery lessens the chance of relapse or resorbtion of the condyles but mine did get worse anyway necessitating the TMJ reconstruction. My surgeons had done hundreds of distractions yet my joints got worse anyway. They said if they had done conventional surgery on me, the condyles would have resorbed even more rapidly ( " like an icecube on a hot summer day " one of them said). > > > I still have not put on braces yet. Cos' I've to make up my mind > which of the above I will choose. Right now, I'm approx. 12mm over > bite and accordingly to my OS, braces can move back approx. 5mm. > > As oral distraction is quite a new technology, not mamy pple can > share their personal experience to me. Even my OS only have done 4 > cases on distraction before, So I'm really worried about distraction. > > Good luck. Undertaking this process is a difficult decision. I hope you and your OS and ortho come to the right decision for the best possible outcome for you. Any surgeries to the jaw and or joints can be complicated and unfortunately there are no guarantees. > > Anyone out there can feel free to comment on it too. > > Thanks! You're welcome. I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Hi , Really thank you for your explanation on distraction. Now I've a clearer picture of how it's like. My OS didn't elaborate much in details on distraction but just told me I would need a distraction for my bone to grow. So I presume it's to advance the lower jaw to fix my overbite. At that time, I also have no idea what questions to ask as well. Cos' it's the first time I heard of this and was very confused at that time. I will see another OS for a 2nd opinion as I'm really very confuse and it makes me very hard to make a decision. Hope I will have a decision soon. Happy Valentine!!!! Rgds, Maggie > Hi Maggie, > > > > Could you tell more of your personal experience on distraction. Is > > it painful compare to normal jaw surgery? Is it hard to manage > with > > a device in your mouth for weeks? > > I've gone through two distractions now. The first was to advance my > lower jaw 17 mm done in Sept 2002 and the second was 4 weeks ago to > rebuild the condyles. The surgery itself was about as painful as > normal jaw surgery but turning the screws (twice daily for two weeks > for me) was very painful. Everytime you turn the screws, you're > pulling the healing bone apart so essentially you're not letting > your body heal for a few weeks after the surgery. Now that we're > done turning the screws (I hope anyway, I've got another appointment > this afternoon), having the distractors in is not so bad. Right now, > I don't have any devices in my mouth (other than the usual braces). > The hardware is mostly under the skin in my cheeks and the screws > hang out through the skin just under my jawline. The distractors > will stay in another few weeks to allow the bone to fill in the gaps. > > > > My OS told me I need distraction cos' my jaw joint is weak. If I > > choose normal jaw surgery, the chances of me getting a relapse is > > very high and including condyles resorbs and shortens. But again, > if > > I opt for distraction there is no guarantee that I will not suffer > a > > relapse but chances is lower. The last option is just to put on > > braces but the outcome will be less than ideal. Now I'm in a > dilemma > > of which one to choose. > > Is your surgeon recommending distraction to rebuild the condyles or > is it to advance the lower jaw to fix the overbite? Have you had a > lot of problems with the joint already? That is true - jaw surgery > can potentially make joint problems worse but if you don't do > anything about your bad bite, your TMJ's will almost certainly get > worse. Theoretically, advancing your lower jaw gradually using > distraction instead of all at once with conventional jaw surgery > lessens the chance of relapse or resorbtion of the condyles but mine > did get worse anyway necessitating the TMJ reconstruction. My > surgeons had done hundreds of distractions yet my joints got worse > anyway. They said if they had done conventional surgery on me, the > condyles would have resorbed even more rapidly ( " like an icecube on > a hot summer day " one of them said). > > > > > > I still have not put on braces yet. Cos' I've to make up my mind > > which of the above I will choose. Right now, I'm approx. 12mm over > > bite and accordingly to my OS, braces can move back approx. 5mm. > > > > As oral distraction is quite a new technology, not mamy pple can > > share their personal experience to me. Even my OS only have done 4 > > cases on distraction before, So I'm really worried about > distraction. > > > > > Good luck. Undertaking this process is a difficult decision. I hope > you and your OS and ortho come to the right decision for the best > possible outcome for you. Any surgeries to the jaw and or joints can > be complicated and unfortunately there are no guarantees. > > > > Anyone out there can feel free to comment on it too. > > > > Thanks! > You're welcome. I hope this helps. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Hi , Really thank you for your explanation on distraction. Now I've a clearer picture of how it's like. My OS didn't elaborate much in details on distraction but just told me I would need a distraction for my bone to grow. So I presume it's to advance the lower jaw to fix my overbite. At that time, I also have no idea what questions to ask as well. Cos' it's the first time I heard of this and was very confused at that time. I will see another OS for a 2nd opinion as I'm really very confuse and it makes me very hard to make a decision. Hope I will have a decision soon. Happy Valentine!!!! Rgds, Maggie > Hi Maggie, > > > > Could you tell more of your personal experience on distraction. Is > > it painful compare to normal jaw surgery? Is it hard to manage > with > > a device in your mouth for weeks? > > I've gone through two distractions now. The first was to advance my > lower jaw 17 mm done in Sept 2002 and the second was 4 weeks ago to > rebuild the condyles. The surgery itself was about as painful as > normal jaw surgery but turning the screws (twice daily for two weeks > for me) was very painful. Everytime you turn the screws, you're > pulling the healing bone apart so essentially you're not letting > your body heal for a few weeks after the surgery. Now that we're > done turning the screws (I hope anyway, I've got another appointment > this afternoon), having the distractors in is not so bad. Right now, > I don't have any devices in my mouth (other than the usual braces). > The hardware is mostly under the skin in my cheeks and the screws > hang out through the skin just under my jawline. The distractors > will stay in another few weeks to allow the bone to fill in the gaps. > > > > My OS told me I need distraction cos' my jaw joint is weak. If I > > choose normal jaw surgery, the chances of me getting a relapse is > > very high and including condyles resorbs and shortens. But again, > if > > I opt for distraction there is no guarantee that I will not suffer > a > > relapse but chances is lower. The last option is just to put on > > braces but the outcome will be less than ideal. Now I'm in a > dilemma > > of which one to choose. > > Is your surgeon recommending distraction to rebuild the condyles or > is it to advance the lower jaw to fix the overbite? Have you had a > lot of problems with the joint already? That is true - jaw surgery > can potentially make joint problems worse but if you don't do > anything about your bad bite, your TMJ's will almost certainly get > worse. Theoretically, advancing your lower jaw gradually using > distraction instead of all at once with conventional jaw surgery > lessens the chance of relapse or resorbtion of the condyles but mine > did get worse anyway necessitating the TMJ reconstruction. My > surgeons had done hundreds of distractions yet my joints got worse > anyway. They said if they had done conventional surgery on me, the > condyles would have resorbed even more rapidly ( " like an icecube on > a hot summer day " one of them said). > > > > > > I still have not put on braces yet. Cos' I've to make up my mind > > which of the above I will choose. Right now, I'm approx. 12mm over > > bite and accordingly to my OS, braces can move back approx. 5mm. > > > > As oral distraction is quite a new technology, not mamy pple can > > share their personal experience to me. Even my OS only have done 4 > > cases on distraction before, So I'm really worried about > distraction. > > > > > Good luck. Undertaking this process is a difficult decision. I hope > you and your OS and ortho come to the right decision for the best > possible outcome for you. Any surgeries to the jaw and or joints can > be complicated and unfortunately there are no guarantees. > > > > Anyone out there can feel free to comment on it too. > > > > Thanks! > You're welcome. I hope this helps. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Hi , Really thank you for your explanation on distraction. Now I've a clearer picture of how it's like. My OS didn't elaborate much in details on distraction but just told me I would need a distraction for my bone to grow. So I presume it's to advance the lower jaw to fix my overbite. At that time, I also have no idea what questions to ask as well. Cos' it's the first time I heard of this and was very confused at that time. I will see another OS for a 2nd opinion as I'm really very confuse and it makes me very hard to make a decision. Hope I will have a decision soon. Happy Valentine!!!! Rgds, Maggie > Hi Maggie, > > > > Could you tell more of your personal experience on distraction. Is > > it painful compare to normal jaw surgery? Is it hard to manage > with > > a device in your mouth for weeks? > > I've gone through two distractions now. The first was to advance my > lower jaw 17 mm done in Sept 2002 and the second was 4 weeks ago to > rebuild the condyles. The surgery itself was about as painful as > normal jaw surgery but turning the screws (twice daily for two weeks > for me) was very painful. Everytime you turn the screws, you're > pulling the healing bone apart so essentially you're not letting > your body heal for a few weeks after the surgery. Now that we're > done turning the screws (I hope anyway, I've got another appointment > this afternoon), having the distractors in is not so bad. Right now, > I don't have any devices in my mouth (other than the usual braces). > The hardware is mostly under the skin in my cheeks and the screws > hang out through the skin just under my jawline. The distractors > will stay in another few weeks to allow the bone to fill in the gaps. > > > > My OS told me I need distraction cos' my jaw joint is weak. If I > > choose normal jaw surgery, the chances of me getting a relapse is > > very high and including condyles resorbs and shortens. But again, > if > > I opt for distraction there is no guarantee that I will not suffer > a > > relapse but chances is lower. The last option is just to put on > > braces but the outcome will be less than ideal. Now I'm in a > dilemma > > of which one to choose. > > Is your surgeon recommending distraction to rebuild the condyles or > is it to advance the lower jaw to fix the overbite? Have you had a > lot of problems with the joint already? That is true - jaw surgery > can potentially make joint problems worse but if you don't do > anything about your bad bite, your TMJ's will almost certainly get > worse. Theoretically, advancing your lower jaw gradually using > distraction instead of all at once with conventional jaw surgery > lessens the chance of relapse or resorbtion of the condyles but mine > did get worse anyway necessitating the TMJ reconstruction. My > surgeons had done hundreds of distractions yet my joints got worse > anyway. They said if they had done conventional surgery on me, the > condyles would have resorbed even more rapidly ( " like an icecube on > a hot summer day " one of them said). > > > > > > I still have not put on braces yet. Cos' I've to make up my mind > > which of the above I will choose. Right now, I'm approx. 12mm over > > bite and accordingly to my OS, braces can move back approx. 5mm. > > > > As oral distraction is quite a new technology, not mamy pple can > > share their personal experience to me. Even my OS only have done 4 > > cases on distraction before, So I'm really worried about > distraction. > > > > > Good luck. Undertaking this process is a difficult decision. I hope > you and your OS and ortho come to the right decision for the best > possible outcome for you. Any surgeries to the jaw and or joints can > be complicated and unfortunately there are no guarantees. > > > > Anyone out there can feel free to comment on it too. > > > > Thanks! > You're welcome. I hope this helps. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.