How long do bones take to heal after surgery?

[Post bimax]

My friend punched me in the face last weekend because he found out I slept with his sister a couple years ago. I’m almost 5 months post-op now so I’m hoping that won’t affect anything. Are the bones fully fused by now?

I’m asking because my bite feels slightly ‘off’ now and my upper/lower midline is no longer matching, but I also got my braces adjusted Monday so it could be from that.

Thanks

[kavan]

That's terrible he did that. Bones take about a year to fully heal. But maybe the hit did not do much.  See if you can double check with your doctor for x rays.

[PloskoPlus]

My friend punched me in the face last weekend because he found out I slept with his sister a couple years ago. I’m almost 5 months post-op now so I’m hoping that won’t affect anything. Are the bones fully fused by now?

I’m asking because my bite feels slightly ‘off’ now and my upper/lower midline is no longer matching, but I also got my braces adjusted Monday so it could be from that.

Thanks

Supposedly 4 months.

[Post bimax]

That's terrible he did that. Bones take about a year to fully heal. But maybe the hit did not do much.  See if you can double check with your doctor for x rays.

I've got another ortho appt next monday so I may ask for x-rays just in case. It didn't feel like anything 'broke' but I was afraid something may have shifted, if that's possible.

Supposedly 4 months.

I read 3-4 months some places and then others said up to a year like Kavan said.  Hoping it's closer to the former.

[GJ]

I think it depends on the bone. A finger can be fully healed in 3-4 weeks.
Jaw is usually 3 months.

Surgery on the jaw takes a full year for all the swelling, etc to subside. But the bone should be healed by 3.

[Post bimax]

I think it depends on the bone. A finger can be fully healed in 3-4 weeks.
Jaw is usually 3 months.

Surgery on the jaw takes a full year for all the swelling, etc to subside. But the bone should be healed by 3.

Okay that's good to hear. Thanks for your input.

[Dogmatix]

I think it depends on the bone. A finger can be fully healed in 3-4 weeks.
Jaw is usually 3 months.

Surgery on the jaw takes a full year for all the swelling, etc to subside. But the bone should be healed by 3.

When I consulted with Gunson, he seemed to have a very conservative view on this. He said something like "no mouth guard" etc for one year after surgery, meaning so scuba diving etc (told him I did this because he asked me about my sinuses and I said I have no problem equalizing while diving). This scared me a bit, does he really mean that the jaw isn't healed and can be trusted to stay in place until after 1 year? If I can't even go scuba diving, how can I then start eating normal earlier?

I remember when I went to see a doctor for a suspected fracture in my finger and I had waited 2 weeks. He told me there was nothing he could do about it, the only thing he can do after 2 weeks would be to re-fracture it, because it was already healed.

3 months sounds much more reasonable with respect to what time other fractures take to heal.

[GJ]

Did Gunson say it's because the bone? Maybe he just didn't want an open bite, relapse, or something like that to develop. That would make more sense.

[Lazlo]

Unless like a lot of material is used for really big movements I doubt it takes longer than 6 weeks or so for the bones to heal. 3 months at the most.

[Dogmatix]

Did Gunson say it's because the bone? Maybe he just didn't want an open bite, relapse, or something like that to develop. That would make more sense.

He didn't explicitly state a reason, but to me it sounded like it was a normal recommendation from him and that it just wasn't stable enough until then. I don't have an open bite that needs to be treated. Maybe better to go with a surgeon who offers faster healing .

[april]

They told me you have to avoid dental cleanings, mouthguards, hard foods etc for 1-year post op to prevent joint inflammation (which could lead to condylar resorption/relapse)

[PloskoPlus]

They told me you have to avoid dental cleanings, mouthguards, hard foods etc for 1-year post op to prevent joint inflammation (which could lead to condylar resorption/relapse)

I only had an LF1.  I was off all dietary and exercise restrictions after 5 weeks ("it's as strong as it's ever gonna be") and after 8 weeks had steak and my face smashed by the waves.  A big name surgeon later told me I was lucky not to end up with a loose maxilla.  But that big name surgeon probably does down grafting in almost every surgery (and so does Gunson, I'd imagine), while my surgeon never does them.  That could explain the difference in attitude.  FWIW, I heard most European surgeons also try to get you to return to normal patterns ASAP.

[april]

Gunson's protocols really are a lot stricter than most others. And even though some surgeons complain Gunson 'ignores' the joints, many of his protocols are about trying to protect them.

I only had an LF1.  I was off all dietary and exercise restrictions after 5 weeks ("it's as strong as it's ever gonna be") and after 8 weeks had steak and my face smashed by the waves.

 
Well if you had gone to Gunson there'd have been no steaks - you'd still have been on blended/liquid diet 10 weeks post op