Metal Mouth Message Board

so i'm feeling pretty anxious...tomorrow I fly to NYC for the day to see my periodontist...he's going to put acrylic on between my segments to stabilize them a little bit, do a Bite check, adjust bonding my top front tooth and take study models...the study models are what make me nervous. I'm worried about the models. I don't know if the tray will fit in my mouth...despite doing my exercises daily trying to increase my ROM I don't think I'm more than 30mm. Although, if he can get the tray in and take models then it'll show my ortho that I can have models done to take off my braces!! I'm also panicked about traveling in NYC...good think i'm flying in/out in the same day! wish me luck on the models please!

Good luck tomorrow!! That's so exciting that you may be getting your braces off soon, too!!! Let us followers know how everything goes!

so today didn't so as great as planned. Dr.Mac found that my bite isn't great...meaning my side/back teeth aren't touching and all the weight is on my front teeth....SO lucky me I get to go back to Santa Barbara next week for an emergency visit with Dr's. Gunson and Arnett...he did stabilize my side to side movement of my jaw by adjusting my canine teeth....I also had the molds done (they went really well, no problems at all!), I had the facebow done, wax impressions...the whole assessment of my bite...Dr.Mac got on a conference call with Dr. Gunson and my ortho and sent them pictures of everything, and they decided I need to see Dr. Gunson ASAP...so annoyed. Just when I thought i was ready to get into my non-jaw life, it sucks me back in...grrrr are we ever really free from our jaw??

What? Wow, are you serious? I hope it's nothing that needs a 2nd surgery. Good luck and let us know how everything is as soon as you can. Good luck. At least you get to enjoy SB.

Oh NO! S^&%! Do you have travel plans together and how long do you have to wait to see Dr. G?

Oh no! I'm so sorry...this has got to be so frustrating for you. As Ryan said, I hope it's not something that will require a second surgery. Update us when you can, and I hope you have safe travels and hear some good news!

Hi all, I'll give you guys the preview for my blog tonight...I'm going to Santa Barbara at the end of next week to see Dr. Gunson (and probably Dr. Arnett too). They are concern that my joints may be to weak to support my bite...and my bite isn't fitting properly to support my joints...my ortho put on a new wire and a cobweb of rubber bands to try and support and move things a bit to see if that closes that gap in the back teeth. Crossing my fingers for no second surgery...HAPPY 4 MONTHS POST OP TO ME!

new blog post...getting nervous and anxious about my appointment with Dr. Gunson, but staying positive

yes yes yes yes yes!!! All went amazing in Santa Barbara! Dr. G even gave me the go ahead for eating such things as hamburgers!! whoohoo! He says the wire and ruber band configuration my ortho put me on last week has put my teeth into the right spots so my bite is great again! My joint did not regress like he was worried it had. THANK GOD! will blog with pictures, et. al. later!

Congrats! I know you must be so relieved and excited...enjoy those burgers! I hope you enjoyed your trip to SB as well. Glad to hear good news (seems like there's been a lot of negative on the board lately...)!!!

Details?

i know! i'm sorry...blog post today!

So yesterday I got back from a trip to Spain for a wedding and everything went awesome, i was afraid of the long 8 hour flight and my ears...I just had some minor swelling in my face from the high altitude change. Chewing food was alright, there was a limited diet, but I was at least able to eat most of the food. It feels good to continue getting back into my real life...still not 100% at 4.5months post op, but I'm getting there!

Hey! I'm Alison, from NYC, and 6 days post-op. I had my lower jaw moved back, upper moved forward, and both shifted sideways.

I think I was one of thew few people that did NOT have any braces or orthodontic work before my surgery - they did the surgery first and put on these awful tight elastic band braces that make me look like Hannibal while I was still asleep.

That's really been the worst part... Getting used to the braces, and the liquid diet. I had my first braces adjustment Monday and it was so scary and painful - the doctors actually pulled and pushed and I felt my jaws sliding around into position before they changed the bands... Freaky.

i constantly feel like even though the braces are tight, my jaw/teeth are somehow moving around... It hurts to suck food down w/a straw, and swallowing/talking seems to be getting MORE painful... Anyone else experience this?

Also, it's not even been a week yet and I've already lost a lot of weight (noooooot good considering I'm on the liquid diet for 4-5 weeks, and I was already underweight before the surgery :-X).... I'm lactose intolerant so I can't do the standard Boost/Ensure, so I've been putting protein powder in smoothies instead.... Bleh. Anyone have any other ideas?

hey Alison, as far as loosing weight I lost about 25lbs after surgery, but I also put on that weight before surgery so I didnt' have to worry as much about losing the weight. I would make sure to keep open lines of communication with your doctor. I emailed with my doctors nearly daily with questions or concerns I had and they were able to give me the best advice as they are really the only ones who know exactly what you need in your specific case. Good luck in your recovery!

I'm 20 weeks post-op...when am I going to feel normal again?! Maybe when my braces are off? Anyway...new blog post, and I'll post pictures of my bite soon.