Finally starting my journey

[Angel269]

Great progress so far.

So with surgery you are braced prior, they are removed for surgery then replaced? Are you given a retainer to prevent the progress that has been made from undoing before you are rebraced?

[midnight]

Great progress so far.

So with surgery you are braced prior, they are removed for surgery then replaced? Are you given a retainer to prevent the progress that has been made from undoing before you are rebraced?

The braces stay on during the surgery. After the surgery they use a plastic wafer/splint to position the teeth which is left in for about a week. They the continue with the orthdontic treatment as before. Once my braces are taken off I will be given a retainer which I believe I will have to wear 24/7 at first but then eventually reducing to a few nights a week.

[midnight]

So I didn't take loads of pictures before my surgery or even straight after but I just took one today and it's amazing to see the difference in my bite:

Now:


Before:


I know my teeth aren't perfect yet but so pleased to actually really see the difference

[SunshineRay]

great progress!

[Angel269]

Remarkable change between the 2 photos

[annashefia]

such amazing progress!!!

[Tobilei]

Wow! That's fabulous! You must be super happy

[midnight]

Thanks everyone - yes very pleased but still not sure the surgery was worth it. I think I'll only be able to comment on that in the future..

Saw the orthodontist again today. She had spoken to one of the consultants at her hospital (not my consultant, he's at a different hospital) and he'd told her that he wouldn't be happy for the braces to come off until at least the 6 month post-op mark. She would be happy for them to come off in a month or two as apparently she doesn't think my bite needs improving anymore. Bit annoying really but from what I've read it's probably a good thing as wouldn't want any relapse but basically they are just keeping me in braces now 'just in case' something needs adjusting in the next 4 months and if they took them off then obviously they wouldn't be able to put any elastics or anything back on.

Only need to wear the elastics at night now although she said I can wear them in the evenings too if I want (which I will as I feel so weird without them in) but I have to get used to open my mouth again and see where my teeth settle.

Also a bit annoyed as I mentioned that when I have my elastics off for an hour or so to eat my mid-line shifts but she looked and said it looks perfect so I must just be being paranoid and look at my teeth too closely! (well she didn't quite say the paranoid bit but it felt like it!) I think I will take a photo a couple of days before I next go if it's still off. I won't be going for another 6-8 weeks though as they don't really need to see me. Oh and they put some power chains in just incase some gaps form in the meantime... strange. Will be nice not to feel like I'm living at the hospital anymore though as I've had 10 appointments (not including the surgery!) since November!

[midnight]

I was looking through old photos the other day and found this which shows my smile before my first round of braces:



There's still some swelling in my cheeks and I'm not totally happy with the way it looks (I still hate my nose!) but look, I can close my mouth!!

Before: Now:

Can't wait for the rest of the swelling to go.

[midnight]

Sorting through some drawers and I found a letter to the surgeon from my ortho which I didn't really understand before I got braces but describes my teeth prior to treatment.

"Class II Division I incisor relationship on a Class II skeletal base with an overjet of 11mm. There is mild lower arch crowding with Class II buccal segments. IOTN 5A. Cephalometrically - Class II skeletal base of proclined upper incisors."

I still don't understand some of it though but will be useful to take to my next appointment and ask about

Will take some more photos after my next appointment as more of the swelling has gone now and happier with the results now that i'm used to the way I look again. The weight loss has played havoc with my body though and struggling now that I've put the weight back on as well!

[Tobilei]

I think your nose looks fine And wow, that's a fantastic change! Looking good

[SunshineRay]

Your nose is fine and congrats on all the change in your smile!

[jem]

Hi Midnight,

That looks like fantastic progress. How much longer do you have to wear them? Please post more pics.

I think IOTN means index of orthodontic treatment need. It is used in the UK to determine whether under 18s will get braces on the NHS. As I understand it , those who score 4 or 5 will get braces and also those at the higher end of 3, depending on appearance as well as functionality of their teeth.

Al the best

Jem

[midnight]

Had another appointment on Monday. She didn't do anything again just replaced the power chains and told me to continue wearing the elastics. But I did get told that my next appointment should be my de-bonding appointment I asked when that would be and she said the consultant didn't want them off until the 6 month post-surgery mark but then I've just received the letters confirming my appointment date and it's for 4 June?? That would make it 5 months and 1 week so I'm a bit confused. It would be about 24 weeks though. I just have a bad feeling that I'll get there and they'll tell me I can't have them off because it hasn't been 6 months though and I reckon the receptionist has just made the appointment for the normal 6 week interval. Would I be allowed to just tell them to take them off anyway?

The good thing is that they take them off and make the retainers on the same day so that I won't have to go back just to pick them up which I was a bit worried about considering how far away I live.

So pleased to hear that I'll be getting them off in time for my wedding though

[midnight]

So yesterday I had my braces taken off

I now have retainers that I have to wear full-time (except for eating) for the next two weeks and then at night time only with another appointment scheduled in about 3 months.

Having them taken off was quite painful. Apparently the glue was stronger than normal and they had difficulty getting some of the brackets off...

Weird seeing my teeth without loads of metal after having the surgical hooks in for the last 5 months!