Hi Sherrie and WZ,

My daughter had a mandibulotomy, partial glossectomy and modified radical neck dissection. Her cancer is base of tongue, but it extended along the tonsillar pillars. She did have numbness after the surgery. Now though, almost 3 weeks after her last RAD treatment, she has a lot of pain along her jaw where the plate is. Since her dissection was a modified radical, the major nerves and veins were preserved. We were told that she would have numbness at first, then the feeling would gradually return as the nerves healed. I'm not sure if it is normal to have so much pain in that area or not, but we will be asking the surgeon at her next appt.

If your dissection was radical, you may continue to have some numbness because some of the major nerves were not preserved. I'm not sure which would be worse, the pain or the numbness.

Heather also can't open her mouth wide. Before she started RAD, she was using a Therabite appliance and it does work. She had significantly increased her mouth opening. She will start using it again after the pain from the RAD subsides. It is expensive, but her insurance did pay for it. I understand some companies won't cover it because it is also used for TMJ and most companies don't cover TMJ treatments. Anyone that really wants one needs to convince their ins. co. it is for a surgically induced condition and not for TMJ.

Rosemary