nvcarissa's 8 weeks post-op update

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#1 Post by **nvcarissa** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:22 am

Hi all! Well, yesterday was a full 8 weeks post op and I was released to my ortho to resume treatment. However, at the visit he indicated that he didn't want to do anything major just yet as it can take months for the results of the surgery to finalize. He did give me a stronger wire on my lower arch, and sanded down one lower incisor that was too tall, and sanded my upper incisor with the chipped tooth. In addition, he put some bends in my upper wire to move that tooth up a bit. The results are below. He mentioned that I would get elastics later on to close a bit of an open bite that I have. So it looks like I am in the final stages, but no way am I going to be brace-free six months post op. So, I am settling in and hoping that I have them off by my second brace-iversary.

The bend in the wire is creating a gap between my front teeth!! It closed the gap between my first and second incisors on my right side (your left), but...now this? Oy. Click on image for larger picture.

As far as my recovery, I am completely elastics free, have about 31mm ROM now. That is still far less than I had pre-surgery, but it's slowly but surely improving.

Eating is getting better as well, as I get used to the location of my teeth. Still having issues with really chewy food and I am not at all comfortable with things like tortilla chips or anything hard. Again, slow but steady improvement. My muscles get tired when I have to chew chewy food, and I find myself wanting to avoid it, but I know I need to chew to get my jaw strength back.

My numbness is getting better as well. The left side was the worst and still is, but the feeling is coming back. It's quite odd as it feels like my numbness is layered with areas of sensation. I don't know how else to describe this.

Anyhoo...I see my oral surgeon tomorrow for another follow-up visit.

On edit - with regards to the chip in my tooth. My ortho and I pretty much agreed yesterday that I will need bonding post braces to fix that.

#2 Post by **nvcarissa** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:01 pm

Well, I am not really allowed hard foods. I am supposed to be eating soft foods (I was told that was about 80% of what's edible out there), which he said meant things like hamburger, etc. So, I have tried chicken, and roast beef. These two are much more challenging than hamburger, but even hamburger can have it's moments. I have tried to eat a tortilla chip, but it was pretty impossible. If I try one, it's when we go for Mexican, I try to eat one with my margarita. I usually just give up.

As for elastics, I think this is just a lull, as my ortho was talking about them but said he didn't want to do them just yet. But since he indicated a bit of an open bite, I know elastics will feature in my future.

#3 Post by **nvcarissa** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 7:11 pm

Latest update -

Went to my OS for my eight week check up on Friday. He told me that I needed to pick up my therapy because I needed to work at getting my range of motion back. I told him that I felt I had hit a wall, and that the clothes pins, rather than helping extend my ROM, only served to cramp up my fingers.

SO

I got a new device called a Thera-Bite. Mine isn't a pretty blue like the one in the link.

So far my ROM has increased about three mm. Sigh...slow going, but at least I'm not stopped. I had a four hour drive today and I kept it in the front seat with me and used it all the way out. I'd exercise, rest, exercise, rest...

#4 Post by **smile2006** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 4:10 am

I keep finding the differences in treatment interesting. Other than practicing opening and closing and moving the jaw side to side, I've received no other exercises to do. Basically with an increase to normal functioning relative to everything from speaking and chewing to laughing and yawning he said the ROM would gradually return. I've definately noticed a huge improvement in a week (since the splint is out and the elastics were quit). However, today was supposed to be my first "soft chew" day but I couldn't wait and had a PB&J last night. I can't open wide enough to bite into it yet. This (opening wide enough to bite a PB&J) can serve as my guide as to whether or not I should be concerned that obviously my surgeon wasn't concerned!!!! How wide can you open in "finger terms"? I can open about 2 1/2 fingers.

Good luck.

#5 Post by **nvcarissa** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:02 pm

Basically with an increase to normal functioning relative to everything from speaking and chewing to laughing and yawning he said the ROM would gradually return.

Interesting. My OS said that I needed to work on my ROM or I risked never getting it back to what it was if I didn't get it back relatively soon.

#6 Post by **nvcarissa** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:06 am

Well, I have taken to bringing my Thera-Bite along with me in the car, since I have such long driving trips for work. I listen to the radio and while the program is on, I rest. When the commercials come on, I do therapy. Unless someone is driving by...I don't want them to get any weird ideas about me holding this thing in my mouth.

So I wait until they pass by to continue my exercises.

#7 Post by **chrisk** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 6:53 pm

Carissa,

What a great idea doing your exercises while you're driving. We seem to waste so much time in the car travelling to and from work. I wouldn't worry about what people think when they go past, just think of all the funny looks people give you when you're singing along to the radio. Its not so different.

Chrisk

#8 Post by **nvcarissa** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:01 pm

Singing in the car is one thing. Having that device sticking out of my mouth is another. Go take another look at it, imagine the jaw shaped part completely hidden and just the handle sticking out. The handle is about eight inches long. See where I am going with this?

#9 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 8:10 pm

OMG NvCarissa, I'm LMAO! I can totally picture it! You could cause a major traffic accident!

Brandy

#10 Post by **nvcarissa** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:40 am

Hey all, just popping in to let you all know I am still alive and kicking. It's post primary season for me and I am working 7 days a week and putting in very long days. On November 8th I plan on turning off all phones or maybe even going to live on a beach somewhere for a week.

In the meantime, my ROM is getting better all the time. Still some issues with my left side a bit. Not really numb, but not total feeling back either. In fact, in some ways, it feels MORE sensitive than my right side. I don't understand.

Hope you are all doing well!!

#11 Post by **nvcarissa** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:47 pm

Well, the election is over, and I am in full nesting mode. The house got IGNORED terribly, and I feel like all I want to do right now is catch up on sleep.

ROM is back to normal. Still have odd feelings on my left side. I wonder if that will be permanent or if it will just slowly fade away like my post-heart surgery numbness did.