Jake Paul has crossed a threshold two weeks after surgery to repair his broken jaw, provided he has not developed complications.
He had the surgery Dec. 20, the day after Anthony Joshua broke Paul’s jaw in two places with the knockout punch that ended their heavyweight fight in Miami – and cast some doubt on Paul’s career.
Although Paul said he’ll box again, he has provided no update on his recovery from a procedure in which two titanium plates and screws were inserted on both sides of his mouth. But two doctors with expertise in corrective jaw surgeries talked to USA TODAY Sports about the situation and offered insight into what Paul might be experiencing.
“Once we get past the 10-day mark and everything’s been squeaky clean, the risk of infection should be pretty close to zero,’’ said Neal Futran, director of head and neck surgery at the Washington School of Medicine. “The risk of plate fracture either short- or long-term is in a couple of percentage points, if that.’’
Neeraj Panchal, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, said he typically sees patients a week or two after the surgery.
“I would expect that they would still probably have some degree of numbness,’’ said Panchal, the section chief of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. “I think we would see probably a pretty significant resolution in the swelling. The initial first couple weeks of swelling’s significant.’’
When can Jake Paul box again?
Paul could begin exercise within six weeks of the surgery. according to Futran. He cited the titanium plates and screws, which are used to heal and fuse the jawbones and inserted into Paul’s mouth during his procedure.
“Typically with using plates and screws, we would get decent kind of bony union within six weeks as long as things heal,’’ Futran said. “So you can definitely have light contact.
“Obviously, you want to avoid potential major blows to the jaw for two to three months. But as far as activity exercise and things like that, that are non-contact, those can be resumed any time.”
To allow the bones adequate time to heal, Panchal said, he would prefer to wait at least three to four months before Paul resumes taking risk of facial impact.
“A more conservative approach would be closer to six months, but the decision ultimately depends on his treating physician and the radiographic evidence of healing,” Panchal said.
The baseball sensation
Hours after Paul had the jaw surgery, he made an appearance on his brother’s podcast. Logan Paul asked him what his jaw felt like.
“It’s like a baseball in there,’’ Jake Paul said.
The sensation is no surprise to the doctors.
“The primary reason he perceives the sensation of a baseball in his mouth is, first, due to the swelling,” Panchal said. “Additionally, when these fractures occur or are repaired, the nerves supplying the lower lip and chin are often exposed or stretched, which commonly results in temporary numbness. Sensory recovery can take a significant amount of time.”
Said Futran: “Certainly the first five to seven days, it’s just part of it. But as we get from the two- to six-week mark, we really expect things to actually improve, versus you’ve had the surgery, you’re getting through that first few days of pain and discomfort. We would want ideally for things to be moving in a general trajectory of healing.”
A liquid diet and pureed foods for Paul is probably over, or ending. But pork ribs aren’t on the menu yet.
For now, Panchal said, Paul will have to continue a diet of smoothies and soft food.
“The challenge with a non‑chew diet is that patients typically struggle to consume their usual caloric intake,” he said. “They must rely heavily on calorie‑dense liquids such as smoothies, protein shakes, and other soft, non-chewable options to maintain adequate nutrition.”
At about the two-month mark, Panchal said, softer proteins, such as flaky fish, can be introduced to the diet. That’s followed by chicken and more substantial food.
Although soft foods are used in part to reduce the chances of breaking the titanium plates, Futran downplayed the risk.
“The bone is actually healing around the plate,’’ he said. “So if there’s union or healing of the bone, the plate’s not going to break. And even if it does crack or something, it’s not going to be a problem.
“In those cases where this type of treatment fails, you actually kind of go back in and put on a stronger plate to overcome the forces and you need a little bone graft and things like that. So, there’s lots of ways to fix this in case there’s a failure.’’