Recovery Timelines

[Guest guest]

Just found this group - SO glad! My teeth are finally aligned to

where my orthodontist wants them and I'm in the process of getting my

surgery scheduled (pushing for a June or earlier surgery date).

I'll be going back to school to get my masters in August and would

LIKE to get married before I start classes, but based on what I'm

reading, there's no way that I'll be recovered enough by then.

My question: how long until your braces come off and the swelling is

just about back to normal? What is the function of keeping the

braces on?

Thanks, folks! Robyn

[Guest guest]

well, you'll be wired and/or banded for up to six weeks after

surgery. your OS will inform you of that. so yeah, a wedding before

august will be difficult to plan... but i don't think impossible.

i am three weeks post-op and still wired. i have three more weeks in

the wires. my OS is one of the few who still wires his patients for

the full six weeks. but at three weeks my swelling is pretty much

non-exsistent. i have always had chubby cheeks anyway, even though i

am pretty skinny. people tell me i look like a doll, which might

sound cute, but i'm 26 so it can be kind of annoying to hear. i

guess they mean it as a compliment, but anyway... i digress. the

point is, its hard for me to tell if my swelling is completely gone

since i'm used to my cheeks being full anyway. that probably

doesn't help you at all! lol!

i guess my best bit of advice would be to talk to your OS about your

healing timeline... everyone is different and he knows what you're

operation will involve and will best be able to determine that. my

OS told me i would only need a week off from work... i didn't believe

him at first, but when a week had gone by, i found that he was

right... i was ready to return to work. some people take much longer

off. i haven't yet figured out what causes the extreme differences

in time off. but there it is...

i hope that was somewhat coherent and helpful!

heather

ps: oh, and to answer your other question, most people keep their

braces on for 6 months post-op. but i've heard of people getting

them off as soon as 4 months.

> Just found this group - SO glad! My teeth are finally aligned to

> where my orthodontist wants them and I'm in the process of getting

my

> surgery scheduled (pushing for a June or earlier surgery date).

>

> I'll be going back to school to get my masters in August and would

> LIKE to get married before I start classes, but based on what I'm

> reading, there's no way that I'll be recovered enough by then.

>

> My question: how long until your braces come off and the swelling

is

> just about back to normal? What is the function of keeping the

> braces on?

>

> Thanks, folks! Robyn

[Guest guest]

Check with your OS on the wiring/banding issue. I've seen numerous

posts here that talk about individuals being wired and banded, but my

OS isn't planning on putting anything on until a week after surgery.

At that point, he'll make a determination if I'll be banded or not.

Each surgeon, and each patient, it unique.

Good luck on the surgery and wedding. The only piece of advice I'd

have is on the wedding. When you're in the midst of planning it it

will get stressful. When that happens, take a step back, breathe,

and remind yourself that you are planning the happiest day of your

life. Some things will go wrong, but you'll be the only one who

notices or cares, so relax and enjoy it.

Dammit

> > Just found this group - SO glad! My teeth are finally aligned to

> > where my orthodontist wants them and I'm in the process of

getting

> my

> > surgery scheduled (pushing for a June or earlier surgery date).

> >

> > I'll be going back to school to get my masters in August and

would

> > LIKE to get married before I start classes, but based on what I'm

> > reading, there's no way that I'll be recovered enough by then.

> >

> > My question: how long until your braces come off and the

swelling

> is

> > just about back to normal? What is the function of keeping the

> > braces on?

> >

> > Thanks, folks! Robyn

[Guest guest]

I think it pobably depends on what kind of surgery you're having,

indeed on whether your doc wires you shut or not (not is, I think, a

lot easier, if he's comfortable with it) and on whether you're

getting married or whether you're GETTING MARRIED.

As in, whether you're gonna need to be planning a major whoop-de-do,

with gowns, flowers, invitations and a thousand details.

There is some fatigue post op, and mine, anyhow, lasted for a couple

of months.

If it's important to you to be out of your braces when you're

married, better at least ask your surgeon and ortho what they think.

I had surgery in June, and the braces were removed in October, but I

had shingles, which slowed things down by about a month. I have known

people who had a year or more still in ortho post-op, though. And

others who were released sooner.

If you're doing a simple ceremony, without all the window-dressing

and pre-planning, I think you'll be fine. If it's to be elaborate,

you might want to wait a bit.

There is usually some tweaking and fine-tuning needed after the

surgery. For me, that principally involved tightening the bite and

getting things in their " just so " positions for retention.

Cammie

> Just found this group - SO glad! My teeth are finally aligned to

> where my orthodontist wants them and I'm in the process of getting

my

> surgery scheduled (pushing for a June or earlier surgery date).

>

> I'll be going back to school to get my masters in August and would

> LIKE to get married before I start classes, but based on what I'm

> reading, there's no way that I'll be recovered enough by then.

>

> My question: how long until your braces come off and the swelling

is

> just about back to normal? What is the function of keeping the

> braces on?

>

> Thanks, folks! Robyn