No more metal mouth!!!! 6/17/2009

Well folks looks like my journey is nearing its end...I was debraced at 9:45am on Wednesday June 17th, 2009. I was braced for approximately 26.5 months. The ortho popped the brackets off pretty fast and the only thing that bothered me was the awful smell of the glue being "dremel'd" off. The sound was pretty bad too--the kind that a drill makes and it made my whole body shiver at the sound of it. After fixing some uneven edges and polishing, I had 6 molds done. I waited an hour for my wrap around retainers and the entire process took about 2.5 hours. I am waiting for my Essex retainers that will be ready in 3 weeks.

I am soooo happy with the results!! It was a long and emotional road but I made it and I have no regrets. So here are the pics, although I still need a cleaning and whitening. Enjoy!


With wrap around retainer in

Teeth pics before I get the braces removed!

So--Wednesday June 17th is my debond date! Wooooooohoooooooo!
The first pic is to make up for the one with no make-up (hehehe). Enjoy!!! :0)

4 months!

No make-up, but you get the idea.

This has been a very hard and long journey, but I made it. I'm glad it's all said and done. I was wired shut for 6 weeks. Unfortunately the swelling flared back up after the unwiring, but I guess that is pretty normal. The wafer that I had in after the surgery was taken out about two months after the surgery. I have feeling everywhere but a small area on the right side of my chin. It is slowly returning--I can feel it tingle. I had my final follow up on May 18th and the OS said everything looked great. I can open pretty wide now--finally. I am also back to a regular diet--I gained back all but 5 lbs that I had lost. I am hitting the gym pretty hard again--running, lifting, the norm.

I am still glad I went through it. My bite and teeth look AMAZING! Pics coming soon.

3 months

2 months

One month after

2 wk update!

Went in yesterday for a follow up with my surgeon and everything is looking good so far. Gums are doing well and I'm starting to feel more parts of my face tingle. I'm still about the same as far as the swelling goes, but I guess it's a gradual process. I lost 10 pounds initially and I haven't lost anymore. I am eating well and I've been testing out just how far I can go. I can now drink through a straw and sip from a cup. I only feel about half of my lips, but it's enough to make these small steps possible. My muscles in my jaw feel a lot less tense than last week. I am still on liquid Motrin, but that's it. I have my next appt on March 6. Time is going by much faster now that I am working and going to the gym. I only do the stationary bike and walk as far as cardio goes. I am also lifting light weights at high reps to try to get my muscle back. So far, so good. Enjoy the pics! :0)

One week down, Five to go!!!

I saw a big difference this morning and it feels soooo good. The swelling went down a lot on my right side, so now my face looks more even. The reason for the increased swelling on the right side is that my OS started on that side and he got a little close to the mandible nerve; it was a learning experience i guess--he did better on the left side. I had faith in him, but it was that kind of thing that led me to make the decision to forego the normal BSSO and get the one that goes behind the nerve, which in turn made me get wired shut. I traded talking for feeling...seemed like a good decision at the time. As it turns out, it's alot more difficult than I had expected. I didn't think the splint would inhibit my speech to the point that I couldn't speak at all. Well, I think my jaw thanks me, that way I don't have a choice--I have to be good. My friend is about 6 weeks post op and she did not get wired and it's a good thing for her because she talks A LOT. She has been bad and did some things that she shouldn't have like trying to eat sushi at 5 weeks. Yeah, she' nuts--I know. She's doing better now though, soft chew diet and swelling is minimal. She's my inspiration...I took care of her and she's taking care of me. Good to have that kind of support and understanding while going through this. I hope those of you getting this type of surgery done have people who are understanding and able to sympathize with what you're going through. If anything, you have to at least brief them on what to expect--it may be a shock to some.

This stuff is not for the weak-hearted.

Well, here are some pics from yesterday--looking more like myself--yay! :0)

The worst of the swelling!

These are days 3 and 4, where the swelling was at it's peak. Yeah fun fun.

Pictures at the hospital

POST OP!!! The dreaded day 3!

No matter how much you think you are ready, there is no preparation for what this feels like. I am 2 days out of the hospital and man, am I swollen! I am wired shut with a splint in.....and...I had a lingual frenectomy. I have a lot of stuff going on--so many wires going in and out of my teeth and jaws. I have some feeling in my face, but very little. Drinking is a chore, but it is my only source of nutrition. The meds are overly sweet and gross. I am currently on Children’s Motrin and Amoxicillin for swelling. I am also taking Afrin twice a day and saline spray as needed. The schedule is slowly panning out, as it takes me forever to eat a meal and they all seem to run together. I am amazed at what I see in the mirror, I didn’t know my face could swell that much! I know that it gets better, but it’s hard to keep yourself in that mindset.
My boyfriend is being a sweetheart, telling me that I’m beautiful, even though I can’t stand to look at myself right now. I have basically been on my own since I left the hospital because everyone is working. I left the hospital the following day because I couldn’t stand being strapped in and out of that IV to go to the restroom. Anyway, I’m kind of all over the place, I know, but just wanted to give all of you an update. I am doing okay, just taking things day by day. That’s the best advice I can give: take things day by day.

Woot!

February 3rd is the date!!!!

I got my hooks in and TPA out today. Here's to smooth sailing till February 3rd :0)

Getting close?

So it seems that my teeth are finally where the OS needs them to be and I'm currently waiting on his approval to go ahead with the surgery. It's been about a week, so i hope to hear from him by Friday of this week. It's been 20 months since i've been in braces and I really hope i don't have to go much longer than 2 years with these bad boys on. *fingers crossed*