June/July 2015 Surgery Buddies

[jaime]

Are you guys still checking this thread?

I'm back because...dun dun dun...I'm back in braces. I've known this was a possibility for a few years but was hoping to avoid it. I don't know how much of my bite problems are relapse versus the tumor pushing things out of whack, but my bite had gotten pretty bad. My most natural bite only makes contact on the edge of my left molars and worse, I constantly accidentally bite the inside of my cheek with that bite. Once I got my TADs off in May, I let things settle for awhile to see if the cheek biting would improve, but it never did. It's kind of strange...if I feel around inside my mouth, it feels like there's less space between my left cheek and my teeth. Almost like my teeth aren't centered in my mouth, if that makes sense.

Revision jaw surgery is on the table for next year, but the surgeon wants me to try braces first. Honestly, I'm not hopeful about braces and the orthodontist is unsure they'll work, too. We're trying to close my left side, but that side never came together after the surgery in 2015. My upper jaw still cants upwards on the left side which my old surgeon swore up and down was fine. It's hard not to feel like I got a botch job, but I'll probably never really know for sure. A few of the dental-related professionals I've seen over the past few years have also told me I might need to see a prosthodontist at some point to get my molars built back up, as they may be too worn down to ever make contact. Because it's me and I clearly have terrible luck, I'm fully expecting this round 2 to involve the works.

I got the braces yesterday and they're full traditional metal braces. The practice doesn't do ceramic and I didn't want the responsibility of Invisalign. The pain isn't nearly as bad as the first time around. I remember the first time was so bad, I was nauseated. This is more akin to a brutal adjustment or powerchains.

It reeeeeeally sucks going through this all over again. I spent three solid years fixated on my teeth, and am not happy to be thrust back into this world. I wouldn't bother except that the constant cheek biting is extremely annoying.

Sigh. If you guys are still around, how are things going for you?

[Nozzelnut]

Hey Jaime!

I'm sorry you're back in braces again. I completely understand the frustration.

Still check about once a month. Like you, back in braces; again... Started this round 9/17. Metal brackets because they work all the time and invisalign trays don't work well for me; take them out for coffee, take them out to eat, take them out to drink anything but water.... (I really dislike how they feel too) I did find the only orthodontist in the area familiar with MARPE. And thats a possibility. Need to have another conversation with him about it. Teeth were shifting (even with wearing retainers every night) and I was biting edge to edge with my front teeth; molars not touching at all; painful and uncomfortable.

I had an appointment with a partner office of my last orthodontist in May; it's a lot closer than the office I usually use. More or less as a confirmation that he fired me as a patient after my last appt in November. He was more than happy to take my money; but in the end failed to address my issues. Would not recommend.

Guess we're getting some members of the band back together...