When does swelling go down after double jaw surgery? A comprehensive guide to recovery period, diet, and flight schedules

When does facial bone contouring surgery swelling go down?
Recovery Period, Meals, and Flight Schedule Summary

Hello. Located near Seomyeon Station in Busan, The Right Contour Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Center Director, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Sang-hoon Leeis the value.

One of the most frequent questions from those planning orthognathic surgery (jaw corrective surgery) is regarding the schedule for returning to daily life after the procedure.

“How much annual leave do employees need?”
“When can I start having regular meals?”
“When is it safe to fly after surgery?”, etc.
I am looking for a period-specific guideline for stable recovery.

Double jaw surgery is a surgical procedure that corrects and fixes the position of the upper and lower jaws. Therefore, an absolute healing period is required until the separated jawbones fuse and the surrounding soft tissues stabilize. During this process, side effects such as bleeding, infection, and nerve damage may occur depending on individual constitution and condition, so it is crucial to strictly adhere to the precautions for each stage.

Based on the YouTube video content, patients frequently ask about Post-Double Jaw Surgery: Recovery Process and Return Schedule by StageI will let you know.

Q1. Double jaw surgery, annual leave & scheduling?

It typically takes until the patient can resume normal daily social activities and regular functions after surgery About a monthIt takes a period of healing.

For employees, schedules are coordinated based on individual annual leave situations, and for initial intensive recovery, if possible About two weeksIt is recommended to secure a break period. A common method is to schedule annual leave for about a week, linking it with public holidays or weekends.

The significant swelling that occurs after surgery begins to gradually decrease after one week, so it's important to get plenty of rest at home during the first week. General We inform you that it is possible to work at the office wearing a mask starting from the second week after surgery for office jobs.

However, for professions that require a lot of speaking or precise pronunciation (instructors, service industry workers, etc.), speech may be somewhat slurred in the second week, so it is advisable to plan for a longer recovery period based on the nature of your job.

Q2. When is long-distance travel possible after double jaw surgery? (+ Airplane)

For patients residing in rural areas or abroad, consideration must be given to air pressure and physical impact when selecting transportation.

Long-distance travel by car or public transportation, under the condition that the patient is a passenger and remains still during travel, after surgery Please note that it is possible from one week after the date.

For air travel We recommend at least one month after surgery. During takeoff and landing, airplanes create pressure differences due to changes in altitude. After double jaw surgery, the Eustachian tube (a muscle that regulates ear pressure) located behind the upper jaw (maxilla) may temporarily have reduced pressure regulation function due to positional changes and swelling of the surrounding tissues. A stabilization period of over a month is necessary for the safe adaptation of the ear and the structures above the maxilla. (However, in exceptional cases, patients may be able to travel for short-distance flights after one week under the judgment and close observation of medical staff.)

Q3. When can I start eating regular food?

Normal chewing is required for regular meals after surgery four weeksThe principle is to start step-by-step. You must strictly adhere to the diet for each stage so that the fixation pins can stably maintain the bone.

Meal stages by period

Week 1: Consume liquids and gruel with no solids. Week 2: Consume soft, non-coarse porridge. Weeks 3-4: Transition to rice soaked in broth or moderately moist cooked rice.

Precautions for use by menu

For samgyeopsal, thinly sliced pork belly like daepae samgyeopsal can be cautiously introduced starting from the third week, while frozen pork belly should wait until one month, and thick, whole pork belly cuts until At least two months It is safe to consume after checking for stability over time.

Fiber-rich foods, including kimchi, also require caution. Soft, fresh kimchi that isn't tough may be possible around the one-month mark, but foods with strong fibers, like dried radish greens or aged kimchi, which require prolonged, vigorous chewing, Two to three months or more You should avoid intake.

Foods that require excessive force on the teeth or are sticky, such as boiled octopus, dried squid, hard popcorn, or caramel, are strictly prohibited in the early stages of surgery (within one month). If the fixed pins loosen or deform due to early fluid chewing, there is a risk of revision surgery due to malocclusion, so food should be cut into the smallest possible pieces with scissors to distribute the load on the teeth. We would like to emphasize this.

Q4. How long will it take until surgery?

Many patients wish to proceed with surgery immediately after diagnosis, but since double jaw surgery alters anatomical structures, a systematic preparation period is essential. Especially in cases of skeletal underbite (prognathism), the teeth are often compensatorily tilted to accommodate the misaligned bone structure.

To form a normal occlusion after surgery, these teeth must be returned to their original anatomical positions Orthodontic treatment processThis is followed by a preparatory phase that takes anywhere from 3 months to 1.5 years, depending on the patient's dental condition., Please note that the average preparation period required is 6 months to 1 year.

Performing surgery first and then correcting it afterward through digital simulation analysis, depending on the patient's condition ‘Surgery first, then orthodontics’ It can review the method, thereby aiming to shorten the overall treatment period. However, this cannot be applied to all skeletal conditions, and precise diagnosis by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon must precede it to minimize prediction error margins. (For reference, facial contouring surgery that only refines the outer bone without moving the skeletal tissue can be performed within a few days after pre-examination.)

Double jaw surgery is a surgical treatment that involves not only aesthetic changes to appearance but also anatomical functional reconstruction, including precise dental occlusion, temporomandibular joint stability, and airway space expansion.

To achieve safe and sophisticated results, we recommend establishing a long-term and systematic treatment plan through thorough consultation with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at a medical institution equipped with advanced 3D CT and precision analysis equipment.

Thank you.

The Barun Contour Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Dental Clinic Address: 7 Seojeon-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan Metropolitan City, 2nd and 4th floors (near Busan Metro Seomyeon Station Exit 8) Services: Double jaw surgery, facial contouring, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery specialist Medical Staff: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Specialist / Chief Director Sanghoon Lee

※ All surgeries and treatments may cause side effects such as bleeding, infection, nerve damage, and malocclusion depending on individual anatomical characteristics. Therefore, please consult with a specialist before surgery and make a careful decision.