SARPE Surgery

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#76 Post by **mic26** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 11:31 am

Okay,

I'm feeling a little better today. I went to the ortho yesterday and he said that I'll turn the key on my expander once a day for another two weeks. I have about a 2mm gap in my teeth now. I can't imagine what I'll look like with a huge gap, still swollen and bruised and going back to work. Man, what an adventure. I guess it'll all be worth it.

I go to the surgeon's on Thursday for him to check the incisions. The stitches are starting to poke me a little bit, but overall it looks well.

I am gratefull that the surgery part is over and that I didn't have any major complications and that insurance covered the procedure. I feel bad for those who've had to pay for everything on their own. YIKES!

I'm finding more things to eat...I use the blender a ton. It's still hard though, I read someone else's post about still cooking her favorite things for everyone else, and not being able to eat them. I feel that way too. It's hard cooking for my husband and kids then grinding up some soup or making a shake to eat. I think that this has been the hardest for me...not eating what I want. But if treatment goes by as fast as everyone says it does, then I'll get this expander out in no time and at least be able to eat non-blender foods!

Anyways, thanks everyone for listening to me gripe. I feel better knowing that I'm not the only one who's struggled or vented.
mic26

#77 Post by **katemm06** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 4:01 pm

Glad to hear your doing better Mic.

I think the hardest part for me is the huge gap that seems to get bigger each day, since I'm still turning the key. It didn't bother me being around my family, but now that I'm back at college I feel really self-conscious. I find myself smiling a lot now with my mouth closed so that people will not catch a glimpse of my teeth. I know I shouldn't care, but unfortunately, I do. I'm hoping I gain back some of my self-confidence soon. It's really hard right now to be around people who have perfect teeth and to feel really comfortable especially when mine look so scary! My mom says it doesn't look as bad as I think, so mabey it's more in my own head, I don't know.

I'm afraid to ask my orthodontist when the gap will be closed. With my luck it will be three months from now!

#78 Post by **mic26** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:00 pm

Kate,
I know what you mean about being self conscious. I went back to work today and I have a gap that seems to be growing LARGER AND LARGER as I am turning the key still too. The ortho said I'll turn it another 2 weeks!

Also, my upper lip is still pretty swollen so I can't smile very well, and I am afraid to smile because I don't want anyone to see my teeth either. Plus my nose is still a little swollen too (don't know why, but the doctor said not to worry, it'll go down...).

Everyone tells me it's not as bad as I think it is, but I've noticed so many changes that I see even the minor things and that bothers me. So I know how you feel.

I can only hope that my teeth move quickly and I can get rid of the gap soon...but like you I'm afraid to ask my ortho....

Good luck at school, what are you studying?

#79 Post by **decisionmade** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 4:16 am

Hi mic and Kate..well ok heres the truth on the gap...my doctor said that with adults, the teeth don't always drift back to touching eachother again ...but I can tell you that It is now five weeks since I stopped turning the expander and the most dramatic closing happened for me starting 2-3 weeks ago..so it is taking a lot more time than i had originally anticipated...but the good news is that the space now looks "normal" ..my sister said that I now look like someone who has a small gap between her two front teeth and not someone who has had some kind of procedure done..for me, my teeth moving back hasn't been a comfortable process so I hope for both of you it is much easier...I'll post my 7week post picture later today and you can see that it really will get smaller for you as well..I was right where you two were...completely annoyed and self conscious and I can attest to the fact it will continue to get better..hang in there

#80 Post by **katemm06** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:51 pm

Hey Mic and DM,

Thanks for your replies. I really hope that my gap gets closed soon by the orthodontist, like yours did DM. When I see my orthodontist on September 12, I will ask him about it. It would make things a lot easier for me in my interactions with others, although it sounds like the pain does become more intense, which is not a good thing. It's just so embarassing to be in class and have both a gigantic gap as well as awkward speech. I had to ask a question today and I felt like every person in the room was staring me down (which they probaly were not). It's going to be really interesting when I have to give a presentation in front of the class in November. Oh goodness!!!

But as for everything else related to the surgery, I'm pretty much back to normal, although I still don't have much sensation on my upper lip or above it. I think I might still be a little swollen in my face, but it's not as severe as the first week after surgery.

Only three days left of turning!

#81 Post by **decisionmade** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 1:27 pm

hey Kate..all the closing thats occured for me has happened naturally but I expect my ortho will give it the final push with the braces in a month...Only 2 more days of turning?! that is great..that means by the time of your presentation your space will have filled in some if not entirely..thats great news!

#82 Post by **katemm06** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 8:46 am

Hey DM,

Your teeth look better and better each time you post another picture! I would be sooo happy to have your tiny gap right now. It looks like the kind of gap that many regular people have.

My oral surgeon told me that at some point my orthodontist will fill the expander hole in with a wire that will cause the front teeth to naturally shift back together. Is that what you had done?

#83 Post by **decisionmade** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 1:53 pm

Thanks kate, Actually I had expected the hole to be filled with the wire since I had read about that being done but I think that is just to block the "key hole" and to keep younger kids from continuing to expand it by mistake...anyway, when I saw my ortho after two weeks of turning it, she said the expansion was great and to do NOTHING and come back after 6 weeks(the stabilization period)..your space should start shrinking as your teeth drift into the space..I started noticing the "drift" after about 2 weeks after I stopped turning it.....For a while there i was just so frusturated with the big space but very slowly it has filled in as you can see in the pic...what a relief!!...so hopefully yours will do the same and maybe quicker! now that would be nice wouldn't it:).....oh and taking weekly pics really helps me to see even the tiniest bit of progress..I highly reccomend it!..You must be done turning now right? so does your smile feel different?

#84 Post by **katemm06** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 5:20 pm

DM,

My smile doesn't feel different quite yet, but I'm sure it will soon. I only have to turn tomorrow and Sunday and then I'm finished

It's encouraging news for me that your teeth started shifting two weeks after the turning stopped.

I'll keep you posted. Happy Friday!

#85 Post by **mic26** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 6:28 pm

Hi everyone,

I went to the oral surgeon's today, and things are looking well. I still have some swelling in my upper lip and nose area, he said that it's normal and will gradually go away.

I have 1 week and 3 days left of turning...hopefully...and then we can begin the stabilization process. I'm excited about that. I hope that my gap fills in as quickly as yours DM. It's amazing the progress!

I looked at my pictures from the surgery...man were they brutal! I'm an OR nurse and thought I could handle it, but seeing pictures of me like that was kinda gross....but I wanted to see exactly what was done.

Anyways, feeling a little better today...I've kind of decided that I shouldn't really care about what other people think...I'm glad to be getting things fixed and I keep reminding myself that this is all temporary and it WILL get better.

Hope you guys have a great weekend and let's all keep praying for those affected by Katrina

#86 Post by **katemm06** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:11 pm

Hey Mic, glad to hear your doing well. I wish I had your positive attitude about not caring what others think. I'm really trying though.

Nothing new to report, still dealing with the same old big gap! I'm tempted to get a ruler and measure the size of the gap each day, to see if it begins to get any smaller now that I'm not turning anymore!

I posted a picture at http://community.webshots.com/user/katemm06 if you to take a look at it. It's kind of grainy because I took it using my cell phone (I can't afford a digital one).

Take care.

#87 Post by **joplin** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 11:31 pm

You have obviously gained a lot of new space, katemm06! I can see a beautiful wide smile on its way already

#88 Post by **decisionmade** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:07 am

hi Katem, your smile is going to be soo big and beautiful when you are done!! Just look at that extra space you have gained..your teeth will move on into it...Take a picture like that every week and I just know you'll see it shrinking...and its very motivating when that happens..some changes are so subtle they are difficult to see in the mirror but pictures realy hellp...but I COMPLETELY know how frusturating it is..keep the faith!! I'm off to my ortho now..

#89 Post by **joplin** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:38 am

BTW, did you guys notice that Lynn is looking for RPE related stories to add to the ArchWired main site? It would be great if some of you would share your story there. For me it was soooo frustrating that there was so little to be found about SARPE and RPE when I had them coming. That would be of great help to others who will follow us.

My own memories are already fainting (can you believe that, it's only been less than a year since my surgery) and I think I've actually forgotten many significant details that people new to this find invaluable. Also I'm not a native English speaker so Lynn would have to do a lot of correcting

Here are my excuses to roll the ball over to your corner

Lynn, thanks for the initiave to collect RPE stories, they will be widely appreciated! I hope there will be SARPE stories too.

#90 Post by **mic26** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 6:58 am

Hi guys,

Wow Kate, I looked at your picture today and your gap looks like mine. It feels so big! I went to the ortho yesterday and they put the arch wire back in the top braces, but I'm supposed to turn for one more week. I'm not too excited about that, but oh well.

The good thing is that I work in the operating room, and my face is covered bya mask most of the day so people don't really see my teeth. Otherwise, I'd be more self conscious about it.

Like DM said, keep taking pictures. I've taken pictures every few days of the gap being created and I've seen amazing progress, so I'm sure it goes the same for the gap closing.

Joplin, I'm working on getting my SARPE story together. I have to write it and then re-read to make sure I didn't leave anything out and that it's all correct. I'm glad that there will be a collection of stories too, because all the info posted here has been very helpful.

have a great week everyone!