May 2010 Buddies

This forum is for discussions relating to oral surgery for orthodontics.

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charlsie142
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:10 pm
Location: North Carolina

#61 Post by charlsie142 »

Hope your first day back to work is going well, BracketRacket! I have been doing some work from home, and I must admit it is very hard to concentrate still.

My upper lip and gums are starting to wake up a lot more this week...which made my first trip back to the orthodontist today kind of strange. Nothing hurt, just made me extremely uncomfortable thinking that something was going to hurt any second. But they took good care of me and my orthodontist was very pleased. I got some elastics to wear 24/7 (except eating/brushing), and they took off almost all of my evil surgical hooks! Yay! Finally, he said that I'd most likely be out of braces within 6 months. So nothing but good news.

Still the same thing going on with my nose, so it looks like I'll be having it whatever it is removed or something next Monday...not looking forward to having to be sedated since I'm still not recovered (fearful that it will set me back a bit), but he said it should only take a few minutes, so hopefully things will go as planned.

Geordie- I'm with you on the flossing...I'm surprised I haven't hurt myself, since I have to work hard to maneuver the floss through my wire and then can't feel the gums...but so far, so good. I've noticed when I floss, my ROM gets a lot better, so another added benefit to healthy teeth and gums. :)

Also, I still have some swelling around my nose/upper lip area, but it's minimal and most would never notice (but my orthodontist did, which made me feel better so I know I'm not imagining it!).

Glad to hear everyone's doing so well recovery-wise! Keep up what you're doing, because it's obviously working!
Four premolars extracted 12/29/2008
Braced 1/12/2009
Lefort I (upper jaw moved up 5mm) and BSSO (lower jaw lengthened by 7mm) on May 11, 2010
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charlsie142
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:10 pm
Location: North Carolina

#62 Post by charlsie142 »

Hope your first day back to work is going well, BracketRacket! I have been doing some work from home, and I must admit it is very hard to concentrate still.

My upper lip and gums are starting to wake up a lot more this week...which made my first trip back to the orthodontist today kind of strange. Nothing hurt, just made me extremely uncomfortable thinking that something was going to hurt any second. But they took good care of me and my orthodontist was very pleased. I got some elastics to wear 24/7 (except eating/brushing), and they took off almost all of my evil surgical hooks! Yay! Finally, he said that I'd most likely be out of braces within 6 months. So nothing but good news.

Still the same thing going on with my nose, so it looks like I'll be having it whatever it is removed or something next Monday...not looking forward to having to be sedated since I'm still not recovered (fearful that it will set me back a bit), but he said it should only take a few minutes, so hopefully things will go as planned.

Geordie- I'm with you on the flossing...I'm surprised I haven't hurt myself, since I have to work hard to maneuver the floss through my wire and then can't feel the gums...but so far, so good. I've noticed when I floss, my ROM gets a lot better, so another added benefit to healthy teeth and gums. :)

Also, I still have some swelling around my nose/upper lip area, but it's minimal and most would never notice (but my orthodontist did, which made me feel better so I know I'm not imagining it!).

Glad to hear everyone's doing so well recovery-wise! Keep up what you're doing, because it's obviously working!
Four premolars extracted 12/29/2008
Braced 1/12/2009
Lefort I (upper jaw moved up 5mm) and BSSO (lower jaw lengthened by 7mm) on May 11, 2010
Image

charlsie142
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:10 pm
Location: North Carolina

#63 Post by charlsie142 »

Hope your first day back to work is going well, BracketRacket! I have been doing some work from home, and I must admit it is very hard to concentrate still.

My upper lip and gums are starting to wake up a lot more this week...which made my first trip back to the orthodontist today kind of strange. Nothing hurt, just made me extremely uncomfortable thinking that something was going to hurt any second. But they took good care of me and my orthodontist was very pleased. I got some elastics to wear 24/7 (except eating/brushing), and they took off almost all of my evil surgical hooks! Yay! Finally, he said that I'd most likely be out of braces within 6 months. So nothing but good news.

Still the same thing going on with my nose, so it looks like I'll be having it whatever it is removed or something next Monday...not looking forward to having to be sedated since I'm still not recovered (fearful that it will set me back a bit), but he said it should only take a few minutes, so hopefully things will go as planned.

Geordie- I'm with you on the flossing...I'm surprised I haven't hurt myself, since I have to work hard to maneuver the floss through my wire and then can't feel the gums...but so far, so good. I've noticed when I floss, my ROM gets a lot better, so another added benefit to healthy teeth and gums. :)

Also, I still have some swelling around my nose/upper lip area, but it's minimal and most would never notice (but my orthodontist did, which made me feel better so I know I'm not imagining it!).

Glad to hear everyone's doing so well recovery-wise! Keep up what you're doing, because it's obviously working!
Four premolars extracted 12/29/2008
Braced 1/12/2009
Lefort I (upper jaw moved up 5mm) and BSSO (lower jaw lengthened by 7mm) on May 11, 2010
Image

charlsie142
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:10 pm
Location: North Carolina

#64 Post by charlsie142 »

So sorry for the multiple posts! I kept getting an error and the messages weren't showing up. :roll:
Four premolars extracted 12/29/2008
Braced 1/12/2009
Lefort I (upper jaw moved up 5mm) and BSSO (lower jaw lengthened by 7mm) on May 11, 2010
Image

geordie999
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 1:01 pm
Location: Southern California

#65 Post by geordie999 »

Well I think I'm late to the party - but I just got braced today....a month after upper le Fort surgery - clear uppers and regular lowers - light wire. Tried to fall asleep but the orthodontist kept coming around and asking me World Cup questions - impossible to talk with a suction device in my mouth so I just nodded and blinked...

charlsie142
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:10 pm
Location: North Carolina

#66 Post by charlsie142 »

Congrats on getting braced!! I know it probably isn't too much fun right now, but at least it means things are progressing and you're getting that much closer to the perfect bite!

As we've learned all too well up to this point, no pain= no gain! So keep that in mind before each adjustment...I used to get upset if I didn't get sore teeth after my adjustment because I thought it would mean that much longer until surgery. Luckily, he knew what he was doing. :)
Four premolars extracted 12/29/2008
Braced 1/12/2009
Lefort I (upper jaw moved up 5mm) and BSSO (lower jaw lengthened by 7mm) on May 11, 2010
Image

geordie999
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 1:01 pm
Location: Southern California

#67 Post by geordie999 »

I had some idea about getting braced when they banded the expander over my molars - since it had little hooks on it - but it's nowhere near as bad as having a mouth of full of metal rubbing against the inside of my cheeks. Thankfully things are slowly getting better after three days, and I'm guessing by the end of the week it won't be as bad. However, I'll probably go back in on Monday and have them look at the ends of the wire on my bottom teeth since they are slightly poking out and catching - we'll see if they can trim it a little better. Anyway, I know it's the wrong forum - but how long did it take everybody else to get used to braces.

charlsie142
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:10 pm
Location: North Carolina

#68 Post by charlsie142 »

I knew more of what to expect getting braces since I had them as a teenager. Luckily, they are SO much better than they were 10 years ago! I would say after about 5-7 days I was pretty used to them this time around.

Definitely go see your orthodontist about getting those poking wires trimmed...they're a good sign that there's been movement already, but man they are annoying and can be painful. I usually suffered through mine because my orthodontist is so far away until I told the assistant they really bothered me (like within a day of getting adjusted I would have all four ends poking). She told my orthodontist and he literally ground down the end of the wire after each adjustment. It didn't hurt at all (smelled a little from all the heat though :shock: ) and usually made me not have to go in for trims in between adjustments since it smoothed the end of the wire so it didn't hurt at all when it did start to get longer. Dunno if that's an option for you, but it's worth asking about.

In the meantime, wax is your best friend. :) Hang in there-- you'll forget you have all that metal in no time!
Four premolars extracted 12/29/2008
Braced 1/12/2009
Lefort I (upper jaw moved up 5mm) and BSSO (lower jaw lengthened by 7mm) on May 11, 2010
Image

geordie999
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 1:01 pm
Location: Southern California

#69 Post by geordie999 »

Charlsie - thanks for the advice and support - very much appreciated. I grew up in the North East of England at a time when very, very few kids had braces - so I'm definitely learning as I'm going - but so far so good. Your advice as well as the advice of others on this forum has been a tremendous help.

BracketRacket - How are you doing? Doing OK back at work?

BracketRacket
Posts: 400
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:51 pm
Location: East Coast, USA
Contact:

#70 Post by BracketRacket »

Doing OK at work, most people can understand me MOST of the time :lol: Thanks for asking!

Been having some issues with a tugging/snapping feeling on one side, my surgeon says it's normal and not uncommon, but it really feels like the teeth are grating on one another and I've heard random pops and clicks when I swallow or turn my head or whatnot. No fun, but hopefully no big deal in the end. But today especially, while the snapping isn't too bad, my teeth are getting pretty sensitive (someone explain how my gums can be numb but my teeth can still hurt! :roll: ) Today I also feel a vibration in the area (pretty sure it's one tooth) when I talk sometimes....it's weird! Anyone ever experience something like this? I'm thinking it's related to the wire snaking around my teeth (there just in case the expander "falls out" :shock: -- don't forget mine's attached to bone!). Hopefully it'll settle down, it's getting pretty annoying (and owie!)

Other than that, been feeling pretty good. I have more movement in my lips, which I assume means the swelling is much better and a lot of the stitches are either gone or on their way out -- I tried sending them an eviction notice, but they seem to want to move out at their own rate! I have one tiny spot on my upper lip that's numb, of course my gums and parts of the roof of my mouth, and some swelling left over, but all in all, soooo much better than I was! Just getting really hungry for ACTUAL FOOD!!!!!!!

Hope everyone's doing well!

BracketRacket
Posts: 400
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:51 pm
Location: East Coast, USA
Contact:

#71 Post by BracketRacket »

Charlsie, was your "nosectomy" today? If so, hope everything went okay and you're feeling good!

charlsie142
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:10 pm
Location: North Carolina

#72 Post by charlsie142 »

Hey BracketRacket--good to hear from you! Sounds like things are slowly getting back to normal for you...and the s.l.o.w. part is sooo frustrating.

I definitely get weird sensations like a tooth is vibrating..and one side of the roof of my mouth is waking up, and when I press my tongue up there, it feels like I'm moving a couple of teeth (which is not the case). VERY strange. I've learned to accept that if it isn't causing pain, it probably is normal. :)

And yes, today was the day to be sedated. Turns out, it was a small piece of cartilage that had been left behind after surgery that was trying to work its way out. My surgeon was able to literally just pull the swollen tissue out and saw the cartilage and was able to remove it. So, it was quick and easy. I'm pretty sore so I'll probably take a little bit of pain meds again later and hopefully won't need them after today.

Another thing, since I got my tight bands to wear from the orthodontist, my ROM hasn't been what it was a couple of weeks ago (I can BARELY get two fingers in whereas I was able to get over 2 fingers before the bands). Partly I think this was because my right joint felt like it needed to pop (it popped a lot before surgery), and so I'm not able to stretch as much. I mentioned this to my surgeon, so while I was out, he checked to see if it was okay and it moved fine, so it's just my muscles (and ME!) being stubborn.

Geordie--I'm glad to have been able to support you, and I thank you and BracketRacket for sticking around to check on me and each other throughout this. While I know my case is different than you guys', it's still nice to have someone else to have a better idea of what we've been through. :)

Hope everyone has a great week!
Four premolars extracted 12/29/2008
Braced 1/12/2009
Lefort I (upper jaw moved up 5mm) and BSSO (lower jaw lengthened by 7mm) on May 11, 2010
Image

geordie999
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 1:01 pm
Location: Southern California

#73 Post by geordie999 »

Sounds like we're all making great progress. Bracketracket - glad the transition to work has been good. Isn't it a great feeling to be hungry again :D.

I haven't had any tooth vibrations yet but I do have the weird sensation that the two halves of my upper jaw aren't connected - which of course they aren't - it's particularly weird when I wiggle my lower jaw from side to side - oh well. And I agree - if it doesn't hurt then it is probably perfectly normal. Charlsie - glad to hear you got the problem sorted out. Isn't it amazing what our bodies do when they know something isn't right.

I talked to my OS yesterday about having my RPE out before I start teaching in September and the OS said he's happy for my ortho to take it out at the end of August as long it is replaced with a TPA. I saw my ortho later in the day and he said let's go for it - so good news. He also trimmed off the end of the wire on the bottom brackets which made a big difference - thanks for the advice Charlsie. They were very happy to do it and said to come back if anything wasn't feeling right. And you were also right about the braces - it's been about a week and all the sensitivity/cheek irritation has gone away and I hardly notice them any more. They only weird thing is the wire across my large gap - well at least it's somewhere to hang my washing :wink:

charlsie142
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:10 pm
Location: North Carolina

#74 Post by charlsie142 »

Hey guys...I guess we are all doing well since we're not posting on here all the time. ;)

I started teaching yesterday, and I was nervous about it, but it went really well. I'm also beginning to work on a publication, so that will be the true test of my cognitive abilities at this point, since it's not an area that I'm very familiar with. :)

My nose is finally healing up (thought for a few days it might be infected, but I guess it's hard for the inside of your nose to scab properly...sorry so gross!). My diet is finally pretty much normal too...last night I had my first steak! I'm still told no pizza or super chewy/crunchy things until 10 weeks post-op (2 more weeks to go!!).

Geordie- so glad you've gotten used to your braces...by the time that happens it's usually about time to go back and have an adjustment. :) Also glad your orthodontist was able to trim your wire...that's the worst (especially if you are teaching and it keeps getting caught on your cheek--OUCH!).

BracketRacket- how soon can you have "real" food? Hopefully you can find things to help those cravings!

Hope everyone continues to have such great recoveries!
Four premolars extracted 12/29/2008
Braced 1/12/2009
Lefort I (upper jaw moved up 5mm) and BSSO (lower jaw lengthened by 7mm) on May 11, 2010
Image

geordie999
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 1:01 pm
Location: Southern California

#75 Post by geordie999 »

Hey everybody - thought I'd check in again as well. Charlsie - it sounded like the teaching went well - I bet your students had no idea what you had been through. And good luck with the publication - I need to write up a little communication this summer but I keep putting it off by finding other things to do. Good to hear that your eating normally again. I also had steak a few days ago though I also can't chew it very hard. My braces are still fine - I have an appointment at the beginning of august with the otho where I presume the hard work will start. BracketRacket - I hope your recovery is going smoothly as well.

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