Post Jaw Surgery, Part 2: Liquid Foods

I have a temporary loss of memory. I don't remember a thing from the operation or how I got home. My girlfriend was explaining about how I asked a million questions to the doctor and had to be helped to the bathroom. I don't remember ANY of it! I hope I didn't do anything embarrassing on the car ride back like sing or dance.

Bone grafting and wisdom teeth removal turned out to be a much better experience than the jaw surgery. The main reason is that I can actually open my mouth. Also, my cheeks are puffy, but not extremely swollen. The good news is that my numbness from yesterday is gone. I was afraid that nerves had been damaged (again). But it was just a side effect of the anesthesia. Thank God! As for the residual numbness in the gums from my jaw surgery earlier this year, it has turned into a bit of a blessing in disguise. The holes where my wisdom teeth are don't hurt at all. No nerves = no pain.

I do miss my wisdom teeth though. I asked the doctor to keep them, but I can't find them anywhere. I blame amnesia. The doctor better not have tossed them.

They weren't impacted. But I didn't want to have them taken out later in life should they become infected. The operation allowed my oral surgeon, Wes Emison, to scrape some bone and graft it to where my missing canine is. This way, the bone can be thick enough to support an implant down the road. I had previously considered getting a microimplant because the bone was so thin. However, I couldn't find any research about it online, and after considering my options, decided it'd be better to spend 6-12 more months getting the implant right, rather than risk damaging the bone with a dinky, loose microimplant.

So here's the time table, if the bone integration should take 5-6 months. Then, the doctor will drill the implant. Integration will require another 6 months. Another operation will expose the implant, which allows my dentist to create a crown.

Post Jaw Surgery, Part 1: Wisdom Teeth

I had my wisdom teeth taken out by Dr. Emison in San Jose today. He did a good job. I'm currently bleeding a loot, but don't feel much pain. I'm still a little loopy right now from the Valium and the IV sedation.

The reason I had my wisdom teeth removed is so he could dig at my bone for a bone graft. As you know, I'm missing a molar. I never grew in. So the bone there is extra thin and can't support a full implant. By beefing up the bone here, I can later implant the tooth.

It willl take 5-6 months for the bone to integrate. At that time, the doctor will drill in the root. Then, after about 6 more months of integration with the bone, I can add a crowl, and voila! New tooth.

The benefit was that I'm charged once for two procedures. At first Dr. Emison thought I might be able to save about 6 months time by implanting the tooth right away. But the bone was truly too thin.

The left side of my face is numb again. It reminds of when I got my jaw surgery last year. I hope this is temporary. When I talk, I feel like Two-Face from Batman. My life side feels like it's not there.

A Final Post-Surgery Update

Hey everyone. The title of this post isn't "Day XYZ" because frankly I've lost track of time. It has been over a year (I think) since my jaw surgery and much has happened. For starters, I have my braces off again. And so far, my teeth haven't shifted back.

I also didn't go through with getting my wisdom teeth pulled. My dentist really really wanted me to, but my orthodontist really didn't want me to. So in the end, I figured it wouldn't be good to pull teeth unless it was a last resort. Instead, the orthodontist just shaved them down to prevent them from interfering with my bite. As for the nerve damage, the feeling in my cheeks is not 100%, nor will it ever be. I can taste things pretty well, just not with the very tip of my tongue.

An interesting sidenote: a coworker from the engineering department of my company happened upon my post (I advertise this blog with my AdWords account) and emailed me for advice. I guess jaw surgery is a shared experience.

The anxiety before taking the plunge is understandable. I went through it myself. Nowhere is this more evident than in the posts from my previous post. The common question seems to be whether the surgery was worth it.

For me, it wasn't a case of vanity, but a case of medical necessity. Without a correct bite, I would suffer jaw problems, teeth problems, and nutrition problems down the road. So of course it was worth the pain and inconvenience.

Let's consider this chapter closed for now. All is well. But please continue submitting your questions. Dear reader, if you're going through the recovery process, I encourage you to document the process and post regular updates.

Peace!