June/July 2015 Surgery Buddies

[snapdresser]

ONE YEAR!!!!!!!!

Didn't have a one-year post-op. Not sure if/when I will. Everything's better than ever. Feeling in gums slowly coming back. Strange feelings slowly going away. And getting used to my new face!

On a somewhat related note, I passed a Class 1W Flight Physical. I had to have a note in there that my retained hardware met certain requirements (not transversing a joint, etc.) but for anyone interested in military flight, you can get this surgery and still do it! If you have any questions on specifics, feel free to PM me.

[jaime]

Happy 1 year to all of us! I posted a video on YouTube last night about it, although it ended up being a mostly yet another rant about hating having braces and my ortho's proverbial noodle scratching.

To celebrate one year of being sawed off my skull, my chin was ITCHY today. First time since about July that I have felt ANYTHING except coldness. Hooray!

Congrats on passing your physical!! And that things are improving with your gums.

I really wish Kayla would come back and update us.

[snapdresser]

Ahhh I'm jealous! I want an itchy chin! I still have somewhat dulled sensation in my chin.

I'm sure if she had any issues, Kayla would swing back by, so I guess it's a good thing that she's AWOL. It was always interesting to hear from her tho, since her procedure was a bit different than all of ours.

[KaylaChristine]

HAPPY ONE YEAR POST-OP EVERYONE!!!!

I'm so sorry I've been MIA during a lot of this. I won't lie...after my delayed union issues I got pretty down in the dumps and needed to quit obsessing about it all and just take a breather. I was stressing myself out and worrying constantly. I even took my youtube videos offline and didn't post the last one I recorded, nor make anymore after that one. I think I may put them back online & post a video tomorrow night.

I've thought about you guys often though and I've been back from time to time to read about how you guys have been doing.

I saw my surgeon on June 1st for another checkup (before that I saw him in March & December. The longest I've gone is 3 months so far lol). Anyway, he took another x-ray and said everything looks okay. With that said…I still have some type of movement on the upper jaw. My surgeon is 100% certain that it is not the jaw anymore & my delayed union has healed and that it’s my teeth moving as a unit (even though it looks like it's the jaw--his words). I’m trying really, really hard to believe him but I just don't completely.

In other news, I had yet another sinus infection a few weeks ago (3rd one this year?). It developed after a nasty cold. The left side of my upper lip/above my lip/part of the left nostril went pretty numb for a few days when I had the infection. I feel like that area still has some altered sensation (feels a little stiff and almost cold, and tingles when touched) most of the time but I’ve gotten used to it so it feels like the new normal to me. I see my surgeon on July 12th for another checkup. After that one he is probably going to want to schedule an in office appointment to remove the screws/plates from the left side since I’m having sinus infections and altered sensation. He wants to give it a look to see if anything is wrong/causing all of that as well. I’m not going to lie I’m really nervous to have the screws/plates removed considering I don’t believe that my jaw isn’t moving. It just doesn’t feel stable to me.

Also, can anyone else feel the screws around their nose when they move their nose? I'm really aware of mine and I pretty much have constant sinus problems (partly allergies) so it can get a little annoying. I also sometimes have soreness where the screws are at near the eyes.

Other than all of that I'm thrilled with my results! It feels incredible to actually be able to breathe out of my nose with my mouth shut (so long as I'm not congested lol). It feels great to be able to bite into food as well (as long as the food is soft). I still have a tough time chewing anything that's too tough but I'm sure I'll eventually get there. I also love feeling "normal". I was so self conscious before surgery. I hated speaking to people and I hated people looking at me. I still get self-conscious because that's just how I am but I don't feel like I stand out anymore.

I'm still in braces and will be fore a while until my crossbite is fixed.

I just posted before & after pictures on facebook yesterday to celebrate being one year post-op. I'd love to share them with you guys. I didn't know if you'd want to add me on there or just have me PM the pictures to you since we can't post full face photos here. Message me either way if you'd like to see them or add me on Facebook Here's a couple that don't show my face though. I'll post side shots of my bite later tonight or tomorrow (I'm not at home). I was too self-conscious about my old bite to share those shots on Facebook. The ones of the teeth are in black and white because the lighting in my ortho's office is terrible and I didn't like how my teeth looked lol.

[jaime]

Yay Kayla!!!!! I'm so glad you posted!!

I understand needing to take a break. I've spent some time frustrated too, and as a result, I haven't been posting on my blog at all. I just get too annoyed.

I hope your surgeon is right that your non-union has healed, that's got to be a scary thing to contend with. I also hope your plate removal goes well. Hopefully you'll let us know.

Your before and afters look great!!! Your facial profile is so different now, too!

I know your last name because I have you on IG and tried to find you on FB but couldn't. Can you add me? You know my first name...this is the phonetic spelling of my last name (I don't like being google-able): See-aye-eh-tee-tee-aye (if this makes no sense, look at my IG username). There's only one of me in the world so you should find me easily.

Also, you're in good company with the braces: Nozzel and I still have ours. Guess we were an unlucky bunch with having extra, unforeseen problems. Thank goodness for you two or I'd be going Godzilla on my ortho's office because I'm still in braces!

[Nozzelnut]

Hey Kayla!!

I can feel some hardware near my nostrils but no significant aches or pain with mine. Knock on wood; I had some kind of cold/virus for a couple months earlier this year and after that my nose has had the best airflow I can ever remember.

Something strange for me today; my upper palate right behind my front teeth came back! Wow; talk about hypersensitive.

Next Ortho appointment on Monday. I can't wait for these things to be off. Guessing 6 more months.

[snapdresser]

Hey KaylaChristine! Good to hear from you! It's probably good that your surgeon's going back in to take a peek at those upper plates/screws. I suspect he'll also be able to tell what's causing that movement (or at least confirm if it's a jaw or teeth movement), so it's kind of two birds with one stone. If the connection to your maxilla isn't rock solid, I'm sure he won't remove the plates and screws. I'm super happy for you that you like your results!!! It's a big change and it takes some getting used to, I know And I totally feel you about still getting self-conscious because that's how you are. I'm the same way too lol.

Wow, you have an excellently shaped skull! Hahaha I think that's a compliment you'd only hear from people on here or your surgeon, but there ya go! Kudos to your surgeon

[Nozzelnut]

I had an unscheduled appointment today. My lower arch wire slowly shifted or slide through my brackets and actually popped out of my lower left molar tube. Of course the right side was poking my cheek with about 4mm of wire sticking out the back... I got the new wire due to a couple brackets that were repositioned last appointment.

So I called and they got me in tonight after work. But, I didn't see my regular ortho. His father still practices orthodontics and was in the office today. First time I've met him. A lot more relaxed and willing to spend time with and listen to patients.

So they pulled the lower wire around and figure 8'ed the ligs to hold it better than the box configuration. My front left uppers and lowers were meeting edge to edge because of the new lower wire I got last week. He put a couple bends in it to help move the upper out of the way. I hope it helps round out the left side of my bite.

I kept my regular appointment in 3 weeks... Things are starting to look better though.

[jaime]

Did you have your next appointment after this one yet, Nozzel? How are things going?

I had an appointment 2 weeks ago. I was sure that the elastics weren't helping close my left side, but my ortho seemed to think they were, so he wants me to keep on it for another 4-6 weeks. Unfortunately I had to stretch it out to 7 because of my upcoming holidays. I was so mad that I almost cried when I got back into my car afterwards. I forgot again to mention that my upper jaw is definitely canted...I get so frustrated with whatever he says that I forget all the stuff I've been dwelling on!

Anyway, I woke up this morning and was going about my business when I noticed something odd. One spot on my left is...MAKING CONTACT. It's been coming and going all day, especially after eating, but there is definitely some contact on the left side. I'm shocked, to say the least. I'd long ago given up on it. So now I'm kind of happy I don't have an appointment until August 30th!

[Nozzelnut]

Jaime, that's fantastic news that things are slowly coming together!

Things are still moving for me; last weeks appointment was more of the same. The bracket repositioning a couple weeks ago let the bottom arch look a lot better; and things are rounding out nicely. And the upper is slowly rounding out too. The front left uppers still have to come out and move down a few mm but I'm a lot closer than I was a couple weeks ago. Moving the brackets really let the wires put some better pressure on the teeth.

The down side is the lower left molars have tipped inward with the lighter wire. I brought that up to my ortho and we'll be taking care of it at my next appointment.

So move one thing to the right place and something else moves out...

I did look at my pre braces pics from a couple years ago; I've come such a long way and things are so much better; still a ways to go though.

[snapdresser]

One spot on my left is...MAKING CONTACT. It's been coming and going all day, especially after eating, but there is definitely some contact on the left side. I'm shocked, to say the least. I'd long ago given up on it. So now I'm kind of happy I don't have an appointment until August 30th!

WOOOOOO!!!! That's awesome to hear!

[snapdresser]

Very quiet on this thread these days. I guess that's a testament to how slowly things taper off at the end. I know some of you had 1-year post-op appointments and I finally got around to calling my surgeon's office to see if I was supposed to have gone in for one (it being 14 months post-op now) and they said I'm not due in for a follow-up until the end of this year (18 months post-op).

Anyways, everything's good. Still have weird feelings in my face, still have significant numbness in my gums on the top, and still dealing with that slippery slope I'm getting to the point that when I turn to look in a mirror, I kind of know what to expect now Hope you guys are moving along with your treatments and are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!

[Nozzelnut]

Good to hear Snap!

The last 5% is taking forever for my teeth to come together. I'm done bringing coffee and donuts! Veggie trays and wheat grass from here on out for the assistants!

The feeling in the left side of my chin kinda feels like I have a thin piece of cloth over it. I can feel things; it's just altered or different. I have good days and not as good days with that. Odd that it feels pretty normal some days and has an altered sensation others.

So more of the same for me and my teeth. #thisisgettingold #thisistakinglongerthanthefirsttime and #sodonewithbraces I hope they're off by January 2017

[jaime]

You were bringing coffee and donuts? That was nice of you!! I've never brought my office anything but I might the day I get my braces off...if they ever come off.

It's been a solid month of my left side making contact. It's still not perfect as it comes and goes, especially after eating. I switched my ortho appointment from next week to today. Excited to see what my ortho says about my left side making contact, but he will probably be his usual blasé self about it.

I noticed that my upper left canine has pushed my lower left canine forward so I know we still have some work to do.

Really hoping the braces are off by Christmas. All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...to be brace-free!

[jaime]

I really hope I'm not jinxing myself by talking about it too much, but my ortho is planning to remove my braces by Christmas. I wonder if he read my post above?

We are finally finally finally done trying to close my left side. It took more than a year and I don't think it's perfect, but both sides make contact now.

No more elastic pulling my left molars together. I've got this strange combination now: class II triangle on the left and class III triangle on the right. Things are looking really good now and it's only been 6 days.

The palate behind my front teeth is still numb but I think my gums are normal in the front. I accidentally spit out a lot of food because of the numbness and I hope getting the braces removed will help. Does anyone else find it difficult sometimes to eat with your mouth closed?

Kayla or Nozzel...any news about debracing yet?