dentist visit with facial paralysis??

[calimama]

Hi all,

Weird question here, i am about 10weeks post surgery and still have facial paralysis. I have a dentist appointment in mid September and am not sure if i should reschedule due problems with exposing teeth (and is all that manipulation ok during recovery?) or whether i should go for sure because i probably really need a good clean on the left side!

Thoughts??

Thanks,
Trish

[leapyrtwins]

Trish -

unfortunately I have no experience with this, so I can't give you advice.  But I know that Lori (lori67) could definitely answer this question for you.

If she doesn't respond to this thread, please PM her.  I'm sure she'd be glad to help.

Jan

[LADavid]

Trish
I'm guessing it has to do with how wide you can open your mouth.  I can't open very well since my surgery so I've had to forego dentists.  But a dentist visit is number one on the objectives list once I am able.

Best wishes.

David

[Dan]

I  went to the dentist 12 weeks after surgery and still had queit a bit of paralysis, also had problems opening my mouth wide but the dentist took her time and only removed a little plaque and said that I should come back for a good cleaning in a couple of months .  After the appointment I could open my mouth wider than before, and had no pain.  I forgot to make an appointment for cleaning and today I have an appointment for my semiannual checkup.  I recommend explaining to the dentist before he starts.

Dan in Germany   

[mk]

Hi Trish 

Well, one of the upsides of having facial numbness, is that you don't need the novocaine injection! The dentist can do whatever he/she wants, and you don't feel a thing. I have found the cleaning appointments to be very "confortable", at least when the hygienist works on the right side 

Marianna

[HeadCase2]

Hi Trish,
  I think it's important for AN patients to have regular dental checkups.  Especially if you don't have normal amounts of saliva production as part of facial paralysis.  Saliva helps our mouths flush out decay causing bacteria.  There have been a few AN patients on this forum who have had post AN tooth decay problems. 
Regards,
  Rob

[Kaybo]

Hi Trish~
Obviously I have been dealing with this for a number of years - I haven't had any trouble.  They haven't seemed to mind at all about having to do more "manipulation" since I can't move one side (& I have gone to a couple of different dentist since we've moved).  In fact, I am on a 4 month rotation, so I get mine cleaned 3 times/year.  I read that somewhere and then they also mentioned it since the good side is getting double workout and the AN side it just sitting there collecting plaque (no moving of food around to help take it off).
I would definitely keep my appointment!
Good Luck!

K 

[marie]

I have been having my teeth cleaned every four months since the mid 1980s.  It helps a lot.  Until about two + years ago I, too, couldn't open my mouth.  They (dentist and hygienists) do adapt to the patient's situation.  A couple of years ago my chiropractor took training in the BioCranial System.  I tried it and had several improvements.  One was that I now can open my mouth wide again. (My breathing and balance also improved.) I don't let them put the chair all the way flat because I tend to choke  and cough.  They're used to it now and I don't have to remind them.   

NOTE:  It had been 4 years since my last cranial surgery when I did the first BioCranial , so my skull was totally healed.

[Debbi]

Great question, Trish - I also have a dentists appt coming up and was wondering if I should keep it.  Looks like I should!  I'll just warn them to go slowly...

Debbi

[calimama]

yes Debbi, i agree, seems like a good thing.

Marianna i don't have anymore significant numbness and having feeling on the left side, so hopefully there are no cavities!

I also don't seem to trouble with openning my mouth, just that i can't get the upper lip out of the way (oh the challenges of eating sandwiches and hamburgers!).

I guess i was more concerned with too much manipulation when nerves are trying (hard i hope!) to recover.

Anyway, thanks guys and hope these final days of summer are being good to you all.

Trish

[mimoore]

Trish although I agree that oral health is important, especially now with lack of salvia and difficulty moving food around I cancelled my appointment. I go every 4 months like K but was concerned about them probing around in there while I am regenerating my nerve. Yes, it probably would have been fine but decided against it. You have to do what feels right for you. You have to live with it. I  brush way more often and rinse after eating, it helps.
Michelle 

[Debbi]

Hey Trish - the only way I can eat sandwiches of any sort is to either cut them up into small bites, or to manually hold my lip out of the way - otherwise I end up with a lip sandwich!  In my case, it is my lower lip that ends up in my mouth ...  Sushi is out of the question too...  rats.

Debbi

[calimama]

Debbi.... i have also tried "lip sandwich" a few times since surgery. I find now i have to go for smaller bites and aim for entry on the right (non-AN) side. I have had occassion though to use the left forefinger to gently raise the upper lip out of harms way. Geez....

Anyway i find it curious that your lower lip is the problem. I feel like i have control of the lower lip, and that on the AN side the lip actually hangs low a bit when my mouth is open. The upper lip is not moving at all (and to think of my great smile... my left was my "good" side)...) so that's the part at risk during sandwiches. I hate that the upper lip does not move as there are all those great teeth in there, just waiting to crack a big smile...

How does it go...... patience...

KAYBO... Looking forward to more photo updates (of you, not your gorgeous daughters) on your website.

hanging in there....
Trish

[hruss]

Trish,

I had an appointment with my dentist several weeks post op (but of course it was just superficial - he just made one of my fills smoother, because i had problems with it.)

However, six months after the second surgery I went to him and he found two new cavities so fixed them. Like mariana, however, i did not feel anything on my AN right side - at least i saved from anesthesia.  I have no feeling around my mouth, right side of my nose and forehead (but i can move all of them - so it is only me who knows that i have numb spots), however this numbness was a result from a damage of the trigeminal nerve (V cranial nerve) which however must have started to recover in some way because along with the fillings, my dentist took both of my wisdom teeth on this side. This time however i needed anesthesia because it really hurt.

Having no feeling, my dentist fixed the problems was comfortable, but in long term he explained to me that i have to go more regularly, like every 2 months for checking the numb teeth. Otherwise they might catch an infection without me feeling it.

I am glad that you are healing and starting to feel more and more. Keep healing!

Best,
Hrissy

[calimama]

Hrissy,

Thanks for sharing this. All the best to you too.

Trish