June/July 2015 Surgery Buddies

[jaime]

You'd think we'd have more poutine places seeing how I live across the lake from Canada. But, we don't. There is or was a poutine food truck in our city.

Jaime; sorry you're still dealing with the BS. I am too. My left side canine area will get to within 1mm of my lowers and just not go any further. I've been wearing elastics off and on since before surgery. My right side a little overlap and is coming together nicely. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I hope one of the surgical screws isn't holding the root in place... My initial estimate of 18 months has come and gone in December. My 2 year anniversary of being in braces is coming up in May. My treatment for TMJD started with a splint 25 months ago...

I have a feeling it's going to be another 6 months at least! #sickofit #getthesethingsoffofme #hopelifetimeretainersarefree

At least we're having a mild winter.

There is a little bit of consolation in knowing I'm not the only one having some issues. I didn't realize/forgot you were going through treatment for TMJD.

I was told 18-24 months for braces...18 months was December for me. Actually, you got your uppers the same day I got my uppers and lowers. I predict at least 6 more months too (is there a psychic rodent for that prediction? haha).

Got a phone call from my surgeon's office today. "He wants to see you ASAP." I can't get in to see him until the 22nd. I hope everything goes well but I also hope there is something wrong so we have a clear way forward, you know? Instead of just all this head scratching.

[Nozzelnut]

"He wants to see you ASAP."

Ugh. I know you've been on this road for a long time.... I hope they figure it out for you and find a solution that gets you out of braces in a reasonable amount of time.

Just curious; what was your surgeon more concerned about; the limited opening or the open bite?

[EWUgal15]

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Just got home from the ortho:

1. BACK in class II triangle elastics because yup, my bite is relapsing again!

2. My orthodontist at least agrees now that things aren't progressing properly, and he said he's going to call my surgeon to discuss it. I might have to go see my surgeon to discuss all my post-surgery problems (limited side to side movement, open bite not closing, bite relapse). While I'm upset, I'm glad he actually acknowledges the issues since up to now it's been a lot of, "Hmmm let's keep trying the elastics..."

Did you end up telling your ortho that you had been doubling up elastics?

[snapdresser]

Got a phone call from my surgeon's office today. "He wants to see you ASAP." I can't get in to see him until the 22nd. I hope everything goes well but I also hope there is something wrong so we have a clear way forward, you know? Instead of just all this head scratching.

Well, if nothing else, his wanting to see you "ASAP" seems to indicate that he's motivated to get the ball rolling on a solution quickly! Good luck!!!

[jaime]

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Just got home from the ortho:

1. BACK in class II triangle elastics because yup, my bite is relapsing again!

2. My orthodontist at least agrees now that things aren't progressing properly, and he said he's going to call my surgeon to discuss it. I might have to go see my surgeon to discuss all my post-surgery problems (limited side to side movement, open bite not closing, bite relapse). While I'm upset, I'm glad he actually acknowledges the issues since up to now it's been a lot of, "Hmmm let's keep trying the elastics..."

Did you end up telling your ortho that you had been doubling up elastics?

No, I chickened out. My ortho said, "Well, those elastics aren't working at all," so I decided to stay mum on it. Probably the wrong decision, I know.

Nozzel, the surgeon's receptionist didn't say anything other than he wanted to see me, and we scheduled the appointment.

[EWUgal15]

No, I chickened out. My ortho said, "Well, those elastics aren't working at all," so I decided to stay mum on it. Probably the wrong decision, I know.

I think you made the right call since he brought up that they aren't working. If he had said the elastics were finally working, I would have brought it up. At least your surgeon and orthodontist are working together to get you taken care of. Hopefully you get some good news and resolution for all of this.

[Nozzelnut]

Good video on youtube Jaime.

Keep us updated after your appointment.

My left side jus doesn't want to close up either! I like my right side; but the left is very similar to where it was years ago. The left just collapses in whenever we try to pull teeth down. My upper left canine wants to go behind my lowers right now. I hope my ortho takes my concerns to heart at my next appointment. Who knows; maybe I'll ask him to drill some holes in my palate to get things moving or something... Maybe a RPE to keep things open; I won't go with a quad helix again. That was brutal. Pretty frustrated with the things overall. My bite is better but we're still so far away; especially with the way things haven't been moving lately.

Apart from ortho work; I have a learn to curl curling class starting on Sunday! Any pointers Jaime? Canadians have it in their DNA or something; right?

[jaime]

Oh good for you for learning to curl!! I started in 2009 and I love it!

Make sure the bottoms of your sneakers are nice and clean. Wear a few layers so you can adjust if need be (sweeping does warm you up quite a bit), and make sure you're wearing stretchy pants (not jeans/khakis).

It's too bad you're having troubles getting your bite right, too. It is SO hard to find other blogs and vlogs that are in a similar situation. I've been googling "8 months after jaw surgery" lately and I'd say the majority of them have their braces off. It's disheartening.

Make you need a TPA to keep things from collapsing in?

[Nozzelnut]

A TPA would have been great back in January; not sure where he's going to go now. When he was taking the quad helix out he mentioned leaving the arms on it. When he brought it back the molar bands were just that; no arms. Guess he forgot or something... Maybe move the brackets more towards the gum line to get more help from the wire instead of just the elastics...

Seems like ortho's get too busy and don't work with their patients enough. Maybe I'll ask him for a plan of treatment for where we're at right now. I don't think we're looking at the same outcome; especially when I see him for 3 minutes a month and he runs back to his office...

The curling class went pretty well; no blood lost and no concussions.

[jaime]

Glad to hear you survived curling!

Sounds like a good idea to ask what his treatment plan is now. I wish orthos were more open with what they're thinking about when they're looking at your teeth. There's probably so much to it that we don't even know because we didn't go to dental school.

When's your next appointment?

[Nozzelnut]

My next appointment is the 24th.

I'll get my questions together and write them down so I don't forget anything.

[jaime]

Let us know what happens, Nozzel, and good luck!

I had my much anticipated surgeon appointment today. This appointment was only the second time I've felt nervous during this entire process; the only other time being right before I got my braces on. I was soooo nervous about today.

So anyway, my surgeon looked at my bite, had me move my jaw around, bite, open, bite open, etc. Meanwhile he's like, "Hmmm...this is unusual. Lets get some x-rays." Took some x-rays, went and conferred with the resident who was with him. Comes back.

"Your x-rays look great, everything looks perfect. Your joints are perfectly in the sockets, you're showing no signs of relapse and no signs that you might relapse in the future. No signs of condylar resorption or ankylosis. What you do need is some aggressive physiotherapy and possibly to get your braces off so your bite settles."

Phewwwwwwwwww. He said it is unusual that I have such little ROM but everything else looks perfect. He even insinuated that my bite as it is (slightly open on the left) is better than a lot of his patients post-op.

So that was a big relief! He is going to write a letter to my ortho about the appointment. I hope my ortho agrees to remove the braces but I will not be upset if not considering I was expecting way worse from this appointment.

[snapdresser]

Wow! That's great news!!!! Awww what a tough recommendation: get your braces off I hope your ortho agrees to do it!!!

[Nozzelnut]

Great news Jaime! I can't wait to hear the same words from my ortho; as long as I'm in agreement....

More of the similar treatment for me today. Same elastics, a little bend in the lower wire, powerchains, wire tied in upper brackets with powerchains, a little IPR on the lowers.... He mentioned the lowers were close to being ready to come off. But, the front 4 lowers are all canted to my right, so he's going to make some space on the left and let them come back; or something... Still closing the open bite between my uppers and lowers on my left side. Not sure that's going to close without bracket repositioning; the wire looks straight to me... He said he can't move the upper canine until the lowers settle in so hopefully at the next appointment in 3.5 weeks we'll be able to take care of that.

As much as I want these off, I only want to do this once and I'd rather keep them on an extra 2 months than have them put back on 6 months later...

[jaime]

I know what you mean, Nozzel. Getting them back on seems like it'd be way more depressing than wearing them a few months longer than estimated.