Surgical Instructions

Post Operative Instructions for Corrective Jaw Surgery (Orthognathic Surgery)

We ask that you and your family read this information prior to your surgery. If there are any questions; please feel free to call 801-356-2226. Be sure you keep these instructions at home for reference once you are discharged from the hospital.

If you stay overnight in the hospital, x-rays will be taken at a future appointment if needed. One of our assistants will briefly discuss home care instructions with you and your family prior to discharge. The doctor will then give final approval for you to go home. Please be aware of the following information:

  1. You will receive pain medication instructions for use when you are discharged. Use the medication as needed. Most patients find that there is not a great deal of intense pain from this type of surgery. Generally, it is more of a dull ache in the bone. If possible, we recommend using 800mg of Ibuprofen (Motrin) during the day and using the narcotic medication in the evening; as it will help you get to sleep. If you should have to use the narcotic medication during the day, remember that it will make you drowsy – and we want you to be awake and active during the day. As before surgery, please avoid using aspirin due to its blood – thinning properties. You will be on antibiotics for the first week after your surgery. Take these according to instructions.
  2. Lip Ointment. You will want to use lip ointment in a very thin layer (Vaseline), since your lips will be the first part of your face that the swelling subsides in. Use a lip balm such as Vaseline, Blistex, etc. Patients who are wired together will need to have some type of lip balm with them at all times, since they are unable to moisten their lips as they normally would.
  3. Oral Hygiene. Oral hygiene is extremely important, because the mouth is an easy place to get an infection due to the normal bacteria and food present. You should brush as best as you possibly can at least 3 times daily. Incisions from both upper and lower jaw surgery are quite a distance away from teeth, so it's unlikely that you will jab yourself with the toothbrush as long as you stay on the teeth and the gum tissue around the teeth. A small toothbrush will be easier to use. It is important for you to combine brushing with the use of a mouth rinse, (2/3 mouth rinse, 1/3 peroxide) for the first week. After that, the mouth rinse mixture is optional. If you have elastics, they should be removed when you brush and rinse. You will also need to use the Periogard twice a day. People who are wired together will obviously be brushing the outsides of the teeth only. In these cases, the use of the mouth rinse is critical. It is okay to begin using a Water Pick immediately after surgery. You must direct the spray at the teeth only; begin on the lower setting, and as the week's progress, gradually increase the power. We recommend not going to the expense of buying a Water Pick, unless you plan to continue using it after you have completed treatment.
  4. Muscle Spasms. You may experience muscle spasms. Application of ice will help soothe the muscles. Hold it on the sides of the face and up into the temple area. It is normal for blood clots to break down at night, therefore, we advise covering pillows with a towel to protect linens. We also recommend sleeping with the head elevated, if possible, for the first week.
  5. Eating. You will go on a non-chewing, soft food or liquid diet. Along with your diet, you should drink dietary supplements such as Ensure or Boost to provide you with a balanced nutrition. We advise you not to bite into anything, even if it seems very soft. Biting on the front teeth puts too much pressure on the bone screws, and these are the only mechanisms that hold the jaw segments in place at this time. After 4 weeks you may gradually resume a more normal diet.
  6. Swelling. Facial swelling may get worse 36-48 hours after surgery. Ice packs are only effective for the first 24 hours following surgery. A low-grade temperature is common the first day or two after surgery, but it is not necessary to take your temperature, as it will resolve by itself. Ice packs may sooth the face if it feels warm.
  7. Nasal Spray is mainly for upper jaw surgery. Patients who will predictably have nasal stuffiness due to the location of the surgical site. For the nasal spray to be effective, the tip of the bottle must be inserted into the nostril, then tilted down (the nasal passage does not go straight up, it curves back toward the throat). You must give a very healthy squirt of spray so that you taste it in the back of your throat. This must be done in both nostrils. Wait two weeks before blowing the nose to eliminate possible hemorrhage. No heavy lifting or straining of facial muscles during the first two weeks. Please do not use the spray more then once every 8-10 hours; using it more often then this will render the spray ineffective.
  8. Finally, the person who tries to remain active after surgery recovers much more quickly then the person who goes home and crawls into bed thinking about the surgery. During the first week after surgery, you will experience “ups & downs.” Remember that almost everyone has seconds thoughts about their surgery during the first week…wondering if they should have done this to themselves. Hang in there, the second week will be much better.

PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS AT 801-356-2226

Suggested foods while on a Non-chewing diet:

  • Ice-cream
  • Soup
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Protein Shakes
  • Shakes/malts
  • Ensure
  • Jell-O
  • Milk
  • Chocolate Milk
  • Fruit Juice
    • Orange
    • Apple
    • Pineapple
    • Grape
    • Grapefruit
  • Cream of wheat diluted with milk, add sugar and/or cinnamon
  • Pudding
  • Apple sauce