More smoooooothies…

I have become a smoothie makin’ genius and I am going to share the secret of my success with you.

Most greens can be chopped up and frozen. Additionally, avocados can be scooped out of their little shells, cut into chunks (to save your blender) and then frozen. Finally, I buy most of my fruit frozen.

And this made me pause and think: I am a busy woman. Why not make up packets of smoothie ingredients and simply store them in the freezer? Then, when I need a smoothie fix or a quick meal on the go, I whip out a baggie, toss it in the blender, add liquid and whirl away.

When I’m making a smoothie that has some ingredients that don’t freeze well (nut butters, celery, cucumbers, among other things), I take a marker and label the smoothie pack in the freezer with anything I usually add to the recipe.

Remember: frozen things blend up thicker, so feel free to add more liquid.

Here are some examples and, again, old school rock names:

The Benatar

Freezer pack:

1 c. Raspberries
1 Tb. flax or chia seed
1 Banana
1/2 c. spinach
1/3 c. grapes

Add ins:

1 Tb. Almond or Peanut butter
2 t. lemon or lime juice
1 c. almond, flax or coconut milk <or> mint or hibiscus mint tea

The Clapton

Freezer Pack:

1 c. baby kale
1/2 apple
1/2 lime (peel removed)
1 small plug ginger
1 c. pineapple tidbits

Add Ins:

2 celery stalks
1 small or 1/2 cucumber
1/2 c. almond, flax or coconut milk
1/2 c. mint tea or coconut water
honey, dates or green grapes to sweeten it up

The Twisted Sister

Freezer Pack:

1/2 c. mango
1/2 c. carrots
1 c. blueberries
1 c. kale
1/2 avocado
1 T. flax or chia seeds
1/2 c. grapes

Add Ins:

1 c. almond, flax or coconut milk <or> mint or hibiscus mint tea
1 T. lemon or lime
1/4 t. cayenne pepper

The Alice Cooper

Freezer Pack:

1 c. spinach
1/4 bunch parsley
1/2 bunch mint
1 carrot (or a handful of baby carrots)
1 apple
1 T flax or chia seeds
1 cup pineapple tidbits

Add Ins:

2 stalks celery
apple or orange juice (you can also use mint tea)
juice of 1/2 lime

The Clash

Freezer Pack:

1 orange peeled and pulled into segments
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 cantaloupe
1/2 c. baby carrots
1 c strawberries
1/2 c cherry tomatoes
1 T flax or chia seeds

Add Ins:
mint or hibiscus tea or coconut water

The Duran Duran

Note: papaya will settle an upset stomach.

Freezer Pack:

1 c. papaya
1/2 banana
1/2 apple
1/2 c. baby kale
1/2 c. spinach
1/2 avocado

Add Ins:

almond, coconut or flax milk

<OR>

mint or hibiscus tea or coconut water

Celia’s Chicken

Everyone’s momma has a version of this recipe and this is my momma’s. She got it from a lady named Celia.

The good news for those of us who are on a no-chew diet is that we can shred the chicken once its cooked and, served atop  slightly overcooked rice or egg noodles, it’s mushy enough to get down.

Celia’s Chicken

2 lbs chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins (they’re easier to shred later if you cut them up a bit)

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 18oz container of sour cream

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp salt

Optional: 8 oz. diced up button mushrooms and 2 finely diced shallots

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the soup, sour cream and seasoning in an ovenproof baking dish. Mix in the chicken and, if you’re adding them, the button mushrooms and shallots. Seal the dish with aluminum foil. Pop this in the oven for about 40 minutes if you cut your chicken up and an hour and fifteen if you didn’t.

When it comes out, use two forks to further shred the chicken.

Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Pro Tip!

This is the cheap and trashy method:

Same drill as above, but use the ingredient list below and cook it just until the sauce is hot and bubbly.

The meat of 1 rotisserie chicken, removed from the bones and shredded.

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 9 oz. container of sour cream

dash of salt and garlic powder

sprinkling of black pepper

If you are truly in one of those lazy moods, you can make this by mixing everything together and nuking it (covered with plastic wrap, not foil) in the microwave until the sauce is hot.

Junk Food Sandwiches

Oh my god. When you can’t chew, even if you NEVER eat junk food, you will crave chips, snacky things, nachos… etc.

What you really want is that naughty, tell-tale crunch.

You will want cool ranch or nacho cheese Doritos for the first time in years. You’ll have the first craving for Funyuns you’ve had since college. You’ll want to munch down a whole bag of kettle chips. You’ll want tortilla chips and salsa.

While not as satisfying as tearing into your junk of choice, there are pinch-hit ways to get that flavor and make the crunchy demons leave you alone.

As such, in true Texas style, I present to you the junk food sandwich.

INGREDIENTS:

1) two pieces of extremely over-processed white bread.

2) boiled and chopped chicken, shredded or chopped beef, chopped hot dog or Bologna, maybe chili. Depends what you want.

3) some kind of sauce. I recommend salsa, barbecue, even ranch or mayo (pro tip: if you use mayo or ranch, make the sandwich cold because it melts in the microwave!)

4) pulverized junk food, whatever you’re craving.

Optional: cheese, finely diced onion and/or jalapeño, sour cream, guacamole, refried beans, pickle relish… whatever. Just follow the prevailing flavor profile.

METHOD:

Mix the meat with your sauce of choice. Use more sauce than you usually would.

Nuke the mix in the microwave (if appropriate) for 2-3 minutes. Adding any toppings that would be better melted or warmed before heating.

Spread on two pieces of white bread (open face style) and nuke for another 30 seconds to a minute.

Pulverize the junk food by putting it in a ziploc and bashing it with something. (I use a rolling pin).

Add any remaining cool toppings, like the sour cream or guacamole.

Sprinkle liberally with crushed junk food.

This should be soft enough to cut into fine pieces and mush against the roof of your mouth. All the junk food flavor, none of the painful aftermath.

Experiment. Gross out your friends. Regardless, get your nasty junk food fix. It may not kill the craving 100%, but it will help.

Let’s talk about grits, baby!

I’ve heard it said that grits are neutral in flavor, meaning, they’re really just a vehicle for getting other things into your mouth. Never were truer words spoken.

And what is the difference between polenta and grits, you ask?

Not much. Polenta is cooked longer.

I love both indiscriminately and they are great to have in your back pocket when you’re on a no chew diet.

Without further ado, here are a couple recipes for grits and/or polenta.

GRITS OR POLENTA- Choose your own adventure!
3 c water
1 t salt
1 c corn grits (I use Bob’s Red Mill brand)
3 T butter

Bring your water and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the grits.

To make grits? Cook the mixture slowly, stirring constantly, for about 5-10 minutes. Serve with a pat of butter on top.

To make polenta? Cook the mixture slowly, stirring frequently, for 30-40 minutes. Be careful to not let the grits stick. When the thickened, creamy and tender, add the butter and cook 5 more minutes.

SOFT POLENTA

6 c chicken stock
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 t salt
1.5 c corn grits (I use Bob’s Red Mill brand)
3/4 c parmesan cheese
black pepper

Heat the chicken broth to boil and add the olive oil, butter and salt. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the corn grits. Stir continually for 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the Parmesan and pepper.

CREAMY GRITS (polenta)

3 c chicken stock
1 c milk
1/4 t salt
1 c stone ground grits
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c shredded cheese
Black pepper

Bring the broth and milk to a boil with the salt added. Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the grits. Add the garlic and cook on low for 30-40 minutes. If needed, loosen the grits with additional milk. When grits are tender and creamy, whisk in the cheese.

Regarding cheese, I’d recommend something just slightly soft. The Italians I’ve known use either fontina or a white brick cheese. The southerners I know use anything from cheddar to Velveeta.

Some of my favorite grits are the famous (and slightly trashy) garlic cheese grits from Threadgill’s here in Austin, TX. As a big fan of Threadgill’s, I have their cookbook and here’s how they make their grits:

THREADGILL’S GARLIC CHEESE GRITS:

4 c cold water
1 t salt
6 oz grits
5 oz milk
2 eggs, beaten
3 t butter
8 oz American cheese, cubed
1 t minced garlic
2 T diced yellow onion

Bring the water and salt to boil in a large saucepan. Whisk in the grits and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, then add the butter, cheese, garlic and onion to the grits.

Warm the milk in the microwave and slowly whisk it into the eggs to temper them a little. Whisk this into the grits and cook on low until they are to your liking.

Just a quick note about Southerners. “American Cheese” is a classy way to refer to Velveeta.

Need something to serve on those grits?

Nell’s shrimp and grits:

For the no chewing thing? I chop everything in this recipe super fine using the small blade in my slap chop.

1 T butter + 1 T olive oil
3/4 c minced shallot or onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c minced bell pepper
3/4 c sliced or chopped mushroom
4 slices bacon or prosciutto, chopped
3/4 c chopped grape tomatoes
1 can chopped tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
1 lime
1 T butter (not oil)
Salt
Cajun seasoning (Zatarain’s or Chachere) to taste
1 recipe creamy grits (follows)

In a large skillet, combine butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shallot or onion and red bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bacon, garlic and shrooms and cook 5 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes and check your flavors. Add salt and Cajun seasoning to taste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

Add shrimp, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp begin to turn pink. Add lime juice and 1 T butter. Cook until the shrimp are pink and firm.

You can eat the shrimp over rice, quinoa, couscous, or whatever. I suspect this recipe would also work with fish or could be served over fish.

Granny’s Cornbread

Cornbread can be a good thing to have around when you have a broken jaw. I have a notorious love affair with it and find myself making it frequently.

After surgery, while I couldn’t bite into a piece of cornbread, I would crumble it into warm milk with a little butter and eat it as a snack. I’d crumble it into soups or use it in other recipes (see Chicken & Dressing for details).

Without further ado, here is my Granny’s own cornbread recipe:

Granny’s cornbread:

Preheat your oven to 425*.

Before mixing your cornbread, take a large skillet and add 4 Tbs. canola oil. Place the pan in the oven while it’s preheating but keep an eye on it; you don’t want the oil to start to smoke.

Depending on how health conscious you are or how much you crave bacon, you may enjoy knowing my Granny used bacon grease instead of oil for her cornbread.

2 c. Cornmeal

1 c. flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1.5 tsp. salt

1 tbs. sugar

2 eggs

buttermilk

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the eggs and enough buttermilk to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter into a hot, greased pan and bake at 425* for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

**Note: If you don’t keep buttermilk around your house, equal parts of milk and plain yogurt may be substituted in this recipe. I don’t recommend using non-fat milk, although non-fat yogurt is fine.**

Chicken & Dressing

I love cornbread dressing.

While a lot of people generally view dressing as a “Thanksgiving only” affair, my Granny did not. She believed cornbread dressing was good year round and she, of course, was right.

Below is a really special couple recipes from my Granny. I hope you enjoy them!

Granny’s cornbread:

Preheat your oven to 425*.

Before mixing your cornbread, take a large skillet and add 4 Tbs. canola oil. Place the pan in the oven while it’s preheating but keep an eye on it; you don’t want the oil to start to smoke.

Depending on how health conscious you are or how much you crave bacon, you may benefit from knowing my Granny used bacon grease instead of oil for her cornbread.

2 c. Cornmeal

1 c. flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1.5 tsp. salt

1 tbs. sugar

2 eggs

buttermilk

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the eggs and enough buttermilk to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter into a hot, greased pan and bake at 425* for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

**Note: If you don’t keep buttermilk around your house, equal parts of milk and plain yogurt may be substituted in this recipe. I don’t recommend using non-fat milk, although non-fat yogurt is fine.**

Granny’s chicken & dressing:

1 cornbread (recipe above)

3-4 pieces of stale bread or toast shredded into small pieces (you can also use croutons.)

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 eggs

1-2 c. shredded chicken

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning (I use Penzey’s.)

4 c. stock (or broth)

salt & pepper (if needed)

1) Bake cornbread and set aside. In fact, my Granny liked to bake a pan the night before and leave it out uncovered with the bread pieces to make them just a bit stale.

2) Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray; or grease it with whatever you prefer to use when baking.

3) Crumble the entire cornbread into the pan and add the bread pieces. Press down on this a bit with a spoon to break the bread up a little more.

4) Add the onion, celery, shredded chicken and poultry seasoning to the bread and mix gently.

5) Begin adding your broth. You will want all the bread to be soaked in it and for the texture to be just a bit soupy.

6) At this point, give it a taste. If you feel it needs additional salt or pepper, add it. It should taste like cornbread dressing.

7) Beat the eggs and stir them into the dressing.

8) Bake at 400* for 45 minutes; or until set.

 

Here’s a couple tricks:

You can use a rotisserie chicken to make this recipe. When I do it, I simply remove the skin from the chicken, debone it, shred the meat and add it. I’ll actually use all of it and it turns out fine.

You can also use canned or box broth to make this recipe.

Although this recipe can be cooked in a 9″ x 11″ pan, I generally use a 3 – 4 quart enameled braiser. I’ve also baked it in the bottom of a 6 quart soup pot and it was a great.

Greek lemon soup

This is a staple from when I was growing up. My mother learned to make it from my crazy, Greek adopted aunt, Tante Gloria. My whole family loves this recipe and I make it whenever I need a pick me up. This is my comfort food and you don’t have to chew it.

As a quick note? This soup does not freeze particularly well.

Greek Lemon Soup

6 – 8 cups chicken stock

2/3 cups orzo pasta or arborio rice

2 cups finely shredded chicken

2/3 cup lemon juice

2 large eggs

1 onion, chopped

3 Tbs. olive oil

1) Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and cook the onion until translucent.

2) Add broth and bring to a boil.

3) Add the rice or pasta and reduce the heat until it’s tender.

4) Add the chicken.

5) whisk the eggs and lemon juice in a bowl. Then slowly add 2 – 3 cups of the hot broth while whisking. (If the eggs start to curdle? You’re going too fast.)

6) Add the egg mixture back to the pot, stirring. Allow this to cook for a few minutes and thicken. Taste it and add salt, if needed.

Serve immediately.

Taking and making stock (chicken):

If you eat as much soup as I do, you probably have a really good chicken stock recipe. That said? I’ve learned some tricks to make it a little more hearty and nutritious.

How to give a chicken a long hot bath:

1 whole chicken

4 carrots, washed and cut into chunks

2 onions, peeled and quartered

2 shallots, peeled and cut in half

4-6 cloves peeled garlic

4-5 stalks celery, washed and cut into chunks

2 bay leaves

chopped parsley (optional)

1 Tbs Cider Vinegar (this actually helps leach minerals out of the chicken bones)

1 Tbs Bragg Liquid Aminos (optional)

salt

pepper

a decent poultry seasoning (I use Penzey’s.)

water enough to cover the chicken

While you can do this on the stove or in the oven, I highly recommend getting yourself a large (mine is 6.5 quarts) crock pot. They are not super expensive and, generally, easy to find. You can also leave them completely unattended for hours.

(Buuuuut, if you need ’em, there’s stove top or oven directions below.)

1) Place all your cut veggies in the bottom of your pot

2) Wash the chicken (be sure to remove the giblet bag if there is one) and put it in the pot. (Speaking of giblets? I chuck those in as well.)

3) Add bay leaves, vinegar and Bragg aminos. Then sprinkle the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. (I probably use about 1 Tb kosher salt, 1 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning.)

4) Cover the chicken with water and fire up the slow cooker to cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-12.

5) Remove the chicken from the stock ( by the time it’s done, it should be falling apart, so this can be a bit of a task. I usually just pull it with a slotted spoon and then check for any missing parts.)

6) Strain the broth into another container but reserve the veggies. Check through them to make sure any stray chicken pieces, bones or bay leaves are removed.

7) Combine the veggies (in batches if needed) with broth enough to blend. This should make a kind of thick veggie paste that’ll be about the consistency of babyfood.

8) Return the broth to the crockpot, stir in the veggie paste with a whisk and set it to cook on low for 4-6 hours. (This part can also be done on the stove top, cooking on low.)

9) It’s now stock. Let it sit in the fridge overnight and remove any collected fat from the surface. Ladle into freezer friendly tupperware and freeze or keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Oven directions:

Follow all the steps above, but put the chicken in a large ovenproof pot with half the veggies on the bottom and half on the top. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and allow the chicken and goodies to cook low and slow for 18-24 hours. Check it occasionally and stir it if the veggies start to stick. With this method, you may need to add additional water. When the chicken is falling apart tender, follow the rest of the directions and finish your stock on the stove.

Stovetop directions:

Follow all the steps above, but put the chicken in a large pot on the stove with half the veggies on the bottom and half on the top. Slowly bring the whole thing to a boil on the stove, then cut back the heat to low where the broth is still simmering or on the cusp of a simmer. Allow to cook until the chicken is falling apart tender. Then follow the rest of the instructions, finishing the stock out on the stove.

The green smoothie formula

I know I said I am sick and tired of smoothies, but they’re quick and easy when you’re crazy hungry (which happens A LOT when you’re on soft foods.)

Everyone knows green smoothies are good for you. So here’s a quick formula to help you make one that’s palatable and nutrient-dense:

1) 1.5 cups liquid

This could be almond, soy, flax, hemp or dairy milk. It could be kefir. It could be juice or tea. What you use is up to you and your taste buds.

2) 1 big handful of greens

I almost universally use baby spinach or a power greens mix I can buy by the bin-full at my local grocery store. Other recommendations are kale, beet greens, collards or chard. The greens can be mixed in with herbs, like mint, basil or parsley, if you like.

3) 1-2 cups of fruit

I’ve yet to find a fruit that makes a lousy smoothie. Additionally, most fruit can be pre-frozen to make the smoothie colder and thicker.

4) EXTRAS!!! Just pick a couple and experiment!

1 – 2 Tb of chia, flax, hemp or sesame seeds.

1/2 avocado (if you pre-freeze the avocado, it will make the smoothie cold and creamy)

1 tsp – 1 Tb coconut, hemp or flax oil

1 Tb nut butter

1/2 – 1 inch knob of ginger

1/2 cucumber

1 stalk of celery

1 carrot

lemon, orange or lime (peel these, but you can throw them in with the pump and pith.)

kumquat (I am putting this in its own category because I have a kumquat tree out back. They’re like little bitty oranges with a sweet peel and sour inside. I throw them in whole.)

Also consider trying out bee pollen, maca powder, green powders (like spirulina or chlorella), cacao, spices (like cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg.) It’s totally up to you and most of these things are readily available with all those paleo nerds running around these days.

5) Sweeteners (totally optional)

Agave, Honey, chopped dates, maple syrup or whatever to suit your tastes. Start with a little (like a tsp.) and go from there.

6) Savory elements (also totally optional)

Bragg liquid aminos, hot sauce, savory spices, salt, herbs (also mentioned in the greens section), tomatoes, horseradish, olives, bell pepper, onion, whatever.

BLEND.

To get the gist or take a sampling, here’s a couple green smoothies (one sweet, one savory) I consider tried and true.

As the names people give smoothies are universally lame, I’ve opted to name mine with various and sundry references to old school rock:

The Bowie:

1/2 normal sized Apple (whole if it’s small, 1/4 if it’s large)

1/2 cucumber

1 big handful of spinach

1 stalk celery

1.5 cups hibiscus tea or Apple Juice

1/4 lemon, peeled (or 3 kumquats, if you’re trying to impress me)

1 inch piece peeled ginger

3 Tb greek yogurt or 1/4 cup kefir (optional)

1-2 Tb honey

BLEND.

The Iggy Pop (bloody mary smoothie):

2 fresh tomatoes

1 carrot

2 mini peppers (or 1/2 bell pepper)

1 green onion

1/2 c herbs (parsley, basil and/or cilantro)

1-2 large handful(s) of greens

1/2 cucumber

1 stalk celery

1/4 lemon or 1/2 lime, peeled

1 Tb Bragg Liquid Aminos

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. horseradish

BLEND.

Diagnosis… the long version.

Planning for this kind of surgery usually involves input from a multidisciplinary team. As such, here’s your Cast & Crew:

Nellie Rice – our heroine and reigning queen of orthognathic surgery.

Dr. Dale Gallagher – Maxillofacial & Oral Surgeon extraordinaire

Dr. Franklin Bonasso – Assistant master of Maxillofacial & Oral Surgery

Dr. Barry Rouch – Orthodontic virtuoso

Dr. Bob Ramirez – Periodontal wizard

Dr. Michael Baker – the best general and cosmetic dentist in all of Austin.

My diagnosis from the office of Dale M. Gallagher, DDS – Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon:

“Frontal facial evaluation reveals a sessile fibroma in the mid philtral area. Vertical dimension of the face is over closed with extreme maxillary vertical deficiency. Lower vertical facial height is 60mm. Upper lip length is 18mm. There is no interlabial gap, and there is a -3mm of maxillary central tooth exposure below the upper lip in repose. There is dental asymmetry with the maxillary midline symmetric with the calvarial midline. There are multiple anterior mandibular diastemas with a dental midline deviated due to loss of an anterior tooth. The maxilla is transversely deficient with bilateral crossbites. 

Intraorally, teeth #1, #7, #10, #16, #17, #25 and #32 are missing. Overjet is -3mm and overbite is 1mm. She states that #7, #10 and #25 are congenitally missing and she had enamel hypoplasia and microdontia issues. Oral hygiene is good. There is gingival recession around tooth #24. The remaining tongue, posterior pharynx and floor of mouth are normal. 

Tempromandibular joint evaluation reveals a maximum interincisal opening of 42mm. Mandibular excursions and range of motion are normal. 

IMPRESSION: 

1. 35 year old woman in general good health

2. Right and left temporomandibular joints anterior meniscal dislocations with stability/comfort. The clinical correlation reveals a normal range of motion without locking. These problems are most likely the result of problems with her dental occlusion and facial skeleton. Symptomatic management is recommended at this time without any surgery. It was discussed that possible surgical correction of her temporomandibular joints will be indicated if she has locking or greater dysfunction. The best course of action is to realign the facial skeleton and dental occlusion to provide stability to her temporomandibular joints and overall facial skeleton. 

3. Maxillary hypoplasia, severe

4. Congenital anodontia, teeth #7, #10 and #25

5. Periodontal bone loss and deficient attached gingiva

6. Masticatory dysfunction and headache pain secondary to the deformities mentioned above.

TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Inform patient regarding clinical findings and recommendations for care. This has been done. She has been given informational literature. We have discussed relevant anatomy and physiology of her temporomandibular joints. 

2. Periodontal reevaluation. Should tooth #25 be removed? If this is so, then the lateral mandibular incisor teeth can be positioned appropriately next to the cuspids. Long-term dental respiration would include a single dental implant with 2 central incisor teeth upon it. This will permit some tooth-size irregularities to be corrected within the orthodontic arch by Dr. Rouch.

3. Presurgical orthodontics to place teeth in the proper location within bone in preparation for maxillary osteotomies. The maxilla may be segmented in 3 places for inferior, transverse and anterior repositioning.

4. Presurgical reevaluation with the use of articulated models, radiographs and facial photographs.

5. Orthognathic surgery:

These procedures are performed in a hospital operating room while the patient receives general anesthesia. The anticipated length of hospitalization is as a day surgery. The orthodontic appliances will remain on teeth throughout the duration of this treatment plan. There will be restrictions of chewing for several months following surgery.

• LeFort I total maxillary osteotomies with 3-piece segmentalization for 3-dimensional repositioning
• Autologous, platelet rich plasma with banked bone graft to maxilla and mandible
• Insertion of a preoperatively prepared surgical stabilizing splint.
• Rigid skeletal fixation with transosseous bone plates and screws.

6. Postoperative jaw physiotherapy to maximize mandibular range of motion and jaw function. 

7. Continuation of post surgical orthodontics to finish and retain dental occlusion

8. Restorative dentistry reevaluation. Dental implant placement to restore missing teeth.

9. Continuous evaluation of temporomandibular joint function. If she experiences locking or other unfavorable TMJ symptoms during this treatment plan, then surgery of her temporomandibular joints will be indicated to reposition and stabilize the menisci. However, the goal will be long-term attainment of Class I facial skeleton and dental occlusion.”

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, might put me back together again…