Hang in there, everything will be good.
Lin's Story - Extractions, Canine Exposure, and Weirdness :)
Moderator: bbsadmin
It does look like your mouth is making great progress. Luckily the mouth is one of the fastest healers...
When I had my tonsils out a few years ago my mouth look absolutely horrendous for the first week but within three weeks it was virtually back to normal.
Hang on in there..
I had a reaction to anti imflammatory tablets for the first time recently. When I had my four extractions a month ago, I took regular old ibuprofen for a few days and I ended up gaining 8lbs and itching all over!
I had to switch to plain old paracetamol and will have to from now on!
When I had my tonsils out a few years ago my mouth look absolutely horrendous for the first week but within three weeks it was virtually back to normal.
Hang on in there..
I had a reaction to anti imflammatory tablets for the first time recently. When I had my four extractions a month ago, I took regular old ibuprofen for a few days and I ended up gaining 8lbs and itching all over!
I had to switch to plain old paracetamol and will have to from now on!
Hi Lin,
I know what you mean about seeing the gold chain, but not really knowing how or where it is attached. About a week after surgery I could see the loop that the chain was attached to, which is what is attached to my tooth.
Also I too always wonder how those teeth get pulled into place without any damage to the other teeths roots. I guess this is where we just trust our Ortho to know what he/she is going.
Dawg is right up against you lateral tooth, maybe that's good as it's not too high in the pallet. Laverne and Shirley are higher, but seem to be straight up from where they should be. Even though the x-rays showed that they were at an angle. I think it's hard to tell from the x-rays as they are a one dimensional picture.
Hope you start to feel alot better soon. I would have to agree with everyone else about being allergic to the pain killer. My boyfriend is allergic to Vicodin and he does the same thing, every part of his body would itch.
Take Care,
Shawnie
I know what you mean about seeing the gold chain, but not really knowing how or where it is attached. About a week after surgery I could see the loop that the chain was attached to, which is what is attached to my tooth.
Also I too always wonder how those teeth get pulled into place without any damage to the other teeths roots. I guess this is where we just trust our Ortho to know what he/she is going.
Dawg is right up against you lateral tooth, maybe that's good as it's not too high in the pallet. Laverne and Shirley are higher, but seem to be straight up from where they should be. Even though the x-rays showed that they were at an angle. I think it's hard to tell from the x-rays as they are a one dimensional picture.
Hope you start to feel alot better soon. I would have to agree with everyone else about being allergic to the pain killer. My boyfriend is allergic to Vicodin and he does the same thing, every part of his body would itch.
Take Care,
Shawnie
Braced - 10/04/05
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
Hey Lin,
I was wondering when do you go back to your Ortho to have them start pulling on Dawg?
I was eight days post when they started pulling. Besides them having a tough time getting the elastic thread through the chain links, it didn't bother me at all. In fact the assistant asked me when she first tied the thread if it hurt, I said no, so she tightened it more, and it still didn't hurt. She said that's it I'm not going to tighten it any more because it'll hurt tonight. But it never did!
I guess it worked and was tight enough because eleven days later I had to go in because the elastic was very loose. They changed the thread and said that the teeth had moved already. Even though I could not tell they had moved.
So, good luck with your progress, I know you'll keep us all posted.
Shawnie
I was wondering when do you go back to your Ortho to have them start pulling on Dawg?
I was eight days post when they started pulling. Besides them having a tough time getting the elastic thread through the chain links, it didn't bother me at all. In fact the assistant asked me when she first tied the thread if it hurt, I said no, so she tightened it more, and it still didn't hurt. She said that's it I'm not going to tighten it any more because it'll hurt tonight. But it never did!
I guess it worked and was tight enough because eleven days later I had to go in because the elastic was very loose. They changed the thread and said that the teeth had moved already. Even though I could not tell they had moved.
So, good luck with your progress, I know you'll keep us all posted.
Shawnie
Braced - 10/04/05
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
5 Days Post-Op Report:
Hi all, thanks for all the responses and caring thoughts!
I've been popping Tylenol pills as though it were candy, but it seems like it takes the edge off better than anything else, short of the nasty oxy which I will never go near again. I had never had oxy before, so I do think it was probably an allergic reaction... it probably kicked in after I had accumulated a few days' worth of it in my system.
The pain seems to have plateaued... it's constantly very sore, but I think I am getting used to having it always there. I just tell myself that it beats hiccups & itching attacks Right now, I feel better than before. The hardest thing is eating and talking. I can't eat or drink anything cold without the exposure area hurting a great deal... must be the exposed roots/bone/new tooth that are so cold sensitive, as the pain of it travels up and through my skull and even makes my sinus cavity feel funny. I can actually kind of feel my pulse somewhere up, behind, and to the right of my nose... probably it's the swelling, but it's a strange sensation. As for talking, well, I never realized how many consonants require the tongue touching exactly where my exposure site is 
Ih ashually I've bih 'alking like 'is, an' am ge'ng (n)o eh(n) of grief abou' ih. (Translation: In actuality, I've been talking like this, and am getting no end of grief about it). I could actually make a better effort of it, but I figure the less I stick my bacteria-ridden tongue in the newly-exposed "Dawghouse," the faster it will heal.
But, I think I need to just accept that my mouth will probably be constantly sore in some way or another for the next eight months, so, might as well get on with life! I would really like the Dawghouse to heal up enough that at least contact with foods and cold stuff doesn't hurt so much. Talking isn't as much a requirement, as I suppose I only have occasion to speak to one or two people per week between my outrageously unchecked work and social lives.
I'm going to try heading back to work tomorrow and see how long I last. With any luck, a bit of work will distract me from that crazy Dawg for awhile. Hardly a thing has been accomplished in my stead at work, so unless I get back and get stuff done, there will be widespread consequences!
Karen: I got some good rest and even some fresh air/sunshine today... I think that helps! Could use a bit more and wish I could relax a bit more tomorrow, but I think work needs me!
Flora: Very much hoping you're right about the colors... I'm going to post some pix below to see what other folks think too. I really want it to just be something normal for the process!
Sjsarre: Wow, I have not had my tonsils out, but I can imagine that is not a walk in the park either. I can't wait for my mouth to start looking a bit better, but I admit the colors do make me nervous. As for the med allergies... how strange that they can cause such itching!! No wonder medical science is such a hit or miss kind of thing, with every person's body its own unique system responding in its own way to everything.
Shawnie: I sure do hope my ortho knows what he is going to do. And I really have to cross my fingers that the random assistants who have to do it don't make it more painful than necessary, which, in the past, they have unfortunately excelled at (making it painful, that is). I go back to my ortho (I think) on May 1 or so. I will need to double check my appointment cards at the office tomorrow. But I know that it is quite soon that Dawg will be leashed into the fray. So they will attach the chain to elastic and the elastic to the archwire? Is that normally how it is done? I honestly don't know what comes next. I am so glad that all the tugging did not hurt for you
I hope for the same!
Linda: I really cannot complain, because nothing in my memory can compete with my wisdom teeth extractions surgery of several years ago. This was happy-cotton-candy-tufted-teddy-bears compared to that!! I can't say this is much fun or that I enjoy looking like a freak of nature with teeth ripped out here and metal hanging there and glued there and there.... but I do know things can always be much worse. I'm a lucky girl! And no more surgeries to anticipate right now..... yay! As for the headstand tricks, I just had a feeling it would work. I thought about applying a bit of crushed aspirin topically, but decided that might lead to unpredictable results. Not that headstands don't, but hey, if one is going to experiment, one must err toward the dramatic. I think I might have even gotten some exercise out of it. You had your tonsils out as well as sjsarre... eek, that does not sound fun at all. I am keeping an eye out for nastiness such as pus, and am hoping the brown and black is indeed just the cauterized tissue. I have been doing warm saltwater rinses several times a day (especially after eating or drinking anything other than water), and am hoping it does the job. Have wondered if puttering around with a mouthful of saltwater for an hour or more might lead to miraculous healing, but finally decided that would just be asking for trouble with family trying to make me laugh. Though, it is their floors...
Without further ado, I shall introduce below my somewhat graphic photo of Dawg and his grand entrance into the world that is my mouth. I hope those of you who are reading this aren't too terribly grossed out. I know I am.
DAWN OF THE DAWG:
You can see the three upper extractions there as well as the exposure site (and an exposure site detail). I can't tell if the white is bone or tooth or infected tissue in the Dawghouse. But the black flecky stuff does make me nervous. What could it be? Also, you can see that my cool Dawg bling is tied by some mysterious black sinew-type substance to my wire. The upper right extractions aren't healing as fast as the others, at all, and one of them has stitches around it, I think. I'm sure some serious, sharp jabbing went on up in there. I think those are brown stitches in the roof of my mouth, too. Cool, I just noticed that!
Lower extractions:
These boys are hardly worth mentioning, they've healed up so nicely already, after just a few days. I'm sure the gaps will disappear soon. They don't even hurt, unless something touches the sockets. How do you like my yellow-brown bumper lig colors? Yeah, they have been stained with coffee and other colorful culinary delights on a daily basis for going on eight weeks now. They used to be clear, believe it or not, but for some reason they didn't change them at my last adjustment. Probably because I was making puddles on the floor with tears of agony from the debanding.... hmm... guess that makes sense then
I really think they need to change them, since I would wager I need to brush behind there to prevent staining. Plus they look quite disgusting. Is it ridiculous to have 5 tooth gaps and still want pretty ligs?
Overall teeth photo:
This is my maw of metal and rocks right now. I'm hoping it gets better. I really am. I'm not going to be able to smile for at least the next year and feel good about it. Too bad, too, because my teeth actually looked straightish enough before the surgery that I was smiling widely like I've never done in my life before. Grr! The interesting thing about this photo, though, is that there is now about a millimeter of space between my upper centrals that opened just since Wednesday's surgery. Talk about overcrowding!! They are absolutely popping apart now. Now if they can just behave properly once Dawg is wired up...
I honestly never thought I would ever do all of this. I think the surprising part is that when I'm not in great pain from one aspect of the process or another, I actually find it all quite fascinating and, at times, somewhat amusing. Can you imagine a conversation about the prospect of braces taking place a thousand years ago? I tend to imagine it would go rather like this:
Osric: I say, Sigbert, friend, thou hast a maw abrim with rocks as delicately and judiciously arranged as eggs in a pigeon's nest upturned by the hand of an angry mistress. Yours, no doubt.
Sigbert: Osric... friend... thou dost flatter me so. One as myself might think thou hast been put to such compliments by mine own mistress. 'Twas God's good will that I be born with teeth so fine, striking, and of a hue much akin to that of any summer dandylion. Crooked or not, friend, they are my lot!
Osric: No, seriously, mate, forget the fake medieval speech, your teeth are bloody crooked.
Sigbert: What do you care? Not a bloody thing can be done about it. Now I know the missus put you up to this.
Osric: I've a great idea... an absolutely fantastic thought. Brilliant, actually.
Sigbert: You thought flying trees would be a brilliant idea, too, but the dozen pigeons you tied to the oak in the town square thought otherwise, and no shortage of townspeople thought so, either.
Osric: Metal, mate. We'll have the smith smack on a bit of metal here and there to your teeth, and then we'll have horsedrawn carts pull at the metal until your teeth line up. As long as it takes! I reckon it wouldn't take all that long. It's absolutely brilliant!
Sigbert: Are you positively off your rocker?
Osric: Oh, just you wait, this will be the fad of the future. Metalsmithing the mouth to aesthetic perfection... there is gold to be made in this work! So what do you say, shall we try it out? The missus will love it.
Sigbert: You are a sick man, Osric. You are not right in the brain. Get away from me, and take your metal, horsecarts, and pigeons with you!
Okay, so it probably wouldn't have gone that way, but it's the best I can imagine it tonight. Apologies to all for all above strangeness and goriness depicted in words, images, imagination, or otherwise
Hi all, thanks for all the responses and caring thoughts!
I've been popping Tylenol pills as though it were candy, but it seems like it takes the edge off better than anything else, short of the nasty oxy which I will never go near again. I had never had oxy before, so I do think it was probably an allergic reaction... it probably kicked in after I had accumulated a few days' worth of it in my system.
The pain seems to have plateaued... it's constantly very sore, but I think I am getting used to having it always there. I just tell myself that it beats hiccups & itching attacks
Right now, I feel better than before. The hardest thing is eating and talking. I can't eat or drink anything cold without the exposure area hurting a great deal... must be the exposed roots/bone/new tooth that are so cold sensitive, as the pain of it travels up and through my skull and even makes my sinus cavity feel funny. I can actually kind of feel my pulse somewhere up, behind, and to the right of my nose... probably it's the swelling, but it's a strange sensation. As for talking, well, I never realized how many consonants require the tongue touching exactly where my exposure site is Ih ashually I've bih 'alking like 'is, an' am ge'ng (n)o eh(n) of grief abou' ih. (Translation: In actuality, I've been talking like this, and am getting no end of grief about it). I could actually make a better effort of it, but I figure the less I stick my bacteria-ridden tongue in the newly-exposed "Dawghouse," the faster it will heal.But, I think I need to just accept that my mouth will probably be constantly sore in some way or another for the next eight months, so, might as well get on with life! I would really like the Dawghouse to heal up enough that at least contact with foods and cold stuff doesn't hurt so much. Talking isn't as much a requirement, as I suppose I only have occasion to speak to one or two people per week between my outrageously unchecked work and social lives.
I'm going to try heading back to work tomorrow and see how long I last. With any luck, a bit of work will distract me from that crazy Dawg for awhile. Hardly a thing has been accomplished in my stead at work, so unless I get back and get stuff done, there will be widespread consequences!
Karen: I got some good rest and even some fresh air/sunshine today... I think that helps! Could use a bit more and wish I could relax a bit more tomorrow, but I think work needs me!
Flora: Very much hoping you're right about the colors... I'm going to post some pix below to see what other folks think too. I really want it to just be something normal for the process!
Sjsarre: Wow, I have not had my tonsils out, but I can imagine that is not a walk in the park either. I can't wait for my mouth to start looking a bit better, but I admit the colors do make me nervous. As for the med allergies... how strange that they can cause such itching!! No wonder medical science is such a hit or miss kind of thing, with every person's body its own unique system responding in its own way to everything.
Shawnie: I sure do hope my ortho knows what he is going to do. And I really have to cross my fingers that the random assistants who have to do it don't make it more painful than necessary, which, in the past, they have unfortunately excelled at (making it painful, that is). I go back to my ortho (I think) on May 1 or so. I will need to double check my appointment cards at the office tomorrow. But I know that it is quite soon that Dawg will be leashed into the fray. So they will attach the chain to elastic and the elastic to the archwire? Is that normally how it is done? I honestly don't know what comes next. I am so glad that all the tugging did not hurt for you
I hope for the same!Linda: I really cannot complain, because nothing in my memory can compete with my wisdom teeth extractions surgery of several years ago. This was happy-cotton-candy-tufted-teddy-bears compared to that!! I can't say this is much fun or that I enjoy looking like a freak of nature with teeth ripped out here and metal hanging there and glued there and there.... but I do know things can always be much worse. I'm a lucky girl! And no more surgeries to anticipate right now..... yay! As for the headstand tricks, I just had a feeling it would work. I thought about applying a bit of crushed aspirin topically, but decided that might lead to unpredictable results. Not that headstands don't, but hey, if one is going to experiment, one must err toward the dramatic. I think I might have even gotten some exercise out of it. You had your tonsils out as well as sjsarre... eek, that does not sound fun at all. I am keeping an eye out for nastiness such as pus, and am hoping the brown and black is indeed just the cauterized tissue. I have been doing warm saltwater rinses several times a day (especially after eating or drinking anything other than water), and am hoping it does the job. Have wondered if puttering around with a mouthful of saltwater for an hour or more might lead to miraculous healing, but finally decided that would just be asking for trouble with family trying to make me laugh. Though, it is their floors...
Without further ado, I shall introduce below my somewhat graphic photo of Dawg and his grand entrance into the world that is my mouth. I hope those of you who are reading this aren't too terribly grossed out. I know I am.
DAWN OF THE DAWG:
You can see the three upper extractions there as well as the exposure site (and an exposure site detail). I can't tell if the white is bone or tooth or infected tissue in the Dawghouse. But the black flecky stuff does make me nervous. What could it be? Also, you can see that my cool Dawg bling is tied by some mysterious black sinew-type substance to my wire. The upper right extractions aren't healing as fast as the others, at all, and one of them has stitches around it, I think. I'm sure some serious, sharp jabbing went on up in there. I think those are brown stitches in the roof of my mouth, too. Cool, I just noticed that!
Lower extractions:
These boys are hardly worth mentioning, they've healed up so nicely already, after just a few days. I'm sure the gaps will disappear soon. They don't even hurt, unless something touches the sockets. How do you like my yellow-brown bumper lig colors? Yeah, they have been stained with coffee and other colorful culinary delights on a daily basis for going on eight weeks now. They used to be clear, believe it or not, but for some reason they didn't change them at my last adjustment. Probably because I was making puddles on the floor with tears of agony from the debanding.... hmm... guess that makes sense then
I really think they need to change them, since I would wager I need to brush behind there to prevent staining. Plus they look quite disgusting. Is it ridiculous to have 5 tooth gaps and still want pretty ligs? Overall teeth photo:
This is my maw of metal and rocks right now. I'm hoping it gets better. I really am. I'm not going to be able to smile for at least the next year and feel good about it. Too bad, too, because my teeth actually looked straightish enough before the surgery that I was smiling widely like I've never done in my life before. Grr! The interesting thing about this photo, though, is that there is now about a millimeter of space between my upper centrals that opened just since Wednesday's surgery. Talk about overcrowding!! They are absolutely popping apart now. Now if they can just behave properly once Dawg is wired up...
I honestly never thought I would ever do all of this. I think the surprising part is that when I'm not in great pain from one aspect of the process or another, I actually find it all quite fascinating and, at times, somewhat amusing. Can you imagine a conversation about the prospect of braces taking place a thousand years ago? I tend to imagine it would go rather like this:
Osric: I say, Sigbert, friend, thou hast a maw abrim with rocks as delicately and judiciously arranged as eggs in a pigeon's nest upturned by the hand of an angry mistress. Yours, no doubt.
Sigbert: Osric... friend... thou dost flatter me so. One as myself might think thou hast been put to such compliments by mine own mistress. 'Twas God's good will that I be born with teeth so fine, striking, and of a hue much akin to that of any summer dandylion. Crooked or not, friend, they are my lot!
Osric: No, seriously, mate, forget the fake medieval speech, your teeth are bloody crooked.
Sigbert: What do you care? Not a bloody thing can be done about it. Now I know the missus put you up to this.
Osric: I've a great idea... an absolutely fantastic thought. Brilliant, actually.
Sigbert: You thought flying trees would be a brilliant idea, too, but the dozen pigeons you tied to the oak in the town square thought otherwise, and no shortage of townspeople thought so, either.
Osric: Metal, mate. We'll have the smith smack on a bit of metal here and there to your teeth, and then we'll have horsedrawn carts pull at the metal until your teeth line up. As long as it takes! I reckon it wouldn't take all that long. It's absolutely brilliant!
Sigbert: Are you positively off your rocker?
Osric: Oh, just you wait, this will be the fad of the future. Metalsmithing the mouth to aesthetic perfection... there is gold to be made in this work! So what do you say, shall we try it out? The missus will love it.
Sigbert: You are a sick man, Osric. You are not right in the brain. Get away from me, and take your metal, horsecarts, and pigeons with you!
Okay, so it probably wouldn't have gone that way, but it's the best I can imagine it tonight. Apologies to all for all above strangeness and goriness depicted in words, images, imagination, or otherwise
Lin, I think your extractions/exposure are healing pretty well.
The exposure site looks very much like my complicated extraction of my lower 2nd bicuspid. I was sure I was getting an infection because it would hurt a bit, and it was discolored with white spots...I also thought it was bone or something...and I had stitches there as well. Needless to say, after 1 week, things got better. And it will for you as well
The lower extractions have healed really well! The top ones will too in a few days, I'm positive.
I really am surprised your ortho didn't change those 2 stained ligs...I think that if my ortho wouldn't change them...I would be so pissed at him! lol. What are bumpers exactly? What do they do?
As with your various other comical writing, I LOVED reading your thousand years ago conversation. I absolutely love the way you write!
Hang in there and your mouth is healing pretty well
The exposure site looks very much like my complicated extraction of my lower 2nd bicuspid. I was sure I was getting an infection because it would hurt a bit, and it was discolored with white spots...I also thought it was bone or something...and I had stitches there as well. Needless to say, after 1 week, things got better. And it will for you as well
The lower extractions have healed really well! The top ones will too in a few days, I'm positive.
I really am surprised your ortho didn't change those 2 stained ligs...I think that if my ortho wouldn't change them...I would be so pissed at him! lol. What are bumpers exactly? What do they do?
As with your various other comical writing, I LOVED reading your thousand years ago conversation. I absolutely love the way you write!
Hang in there and your mouth is healing pretty well
~~~~~~
Ceramic top braces: January 9th, 2006
Metal bottom braces: May 1st, 2006
Lin, your gold chain is tied on with a black STITCH, if its like mine were. As to whether you will have an elastic thread right off, it depends on your ortho. My ortho did a few things. First, he tied the gold chain to my archwire with a wire ligature, and cut off the extra chain links. Each month, with the chain links coming down as the tooth moved, he'd chop off another link and tie the next link onto the archwire with the wire lig... and so on. Eventually, he threaded my archwire THROUGH the link on the gold chain. At that point, my teeth had moved quite a distance, but could not be seen under the gums... See, your ortho was able to leave your tooth exposed, but mine were too deep, so they had to cover them back up and move them under the gums. Sooooo, eventually, I had a 2nd and 3rd exposure to leave them exposed like yours. At that point, eventually a button was placed on the teeth and it was tied to the archwire with an elastic thread. That was my orthos method.
Other orthos put the elastic thread on the gold chain immediately and just tie it up tighter each time.
Pam
Other orthos put the elastic thread on the gold chain immediately and just tie it up tighter each time.
Pam
Pamela W.
FORMER IMPACTED CANINES,
FORMER IMPACTED CANINES,
LIN don't worry about the white stuff. When I had my tonsils out my mouth was entirely covered even under my tongue with that white stuff. Its your mouths way of healing. It takes a while to go. Sometimes up to a month and in fact it may spread a bit further.
Glad to see you managed so rest and relaxation.
Don't be too quick to return to work. Best to try it out like you say and see how it goes.
Glad to see you managed so rest and relaxation.
Don't be too quick to return to work. Best to try it out like you say and see how it goes.
Great photos Lin!
At two and a half weeks they cut the entire chain off and attached the eleastic thread directly to the button loop thing on the tooth which was then tied to the springs on my archwire. At the previous appointment they attached the thread to the chains. They attached it as close to the exposed tooth as they could which was two links from the button loop that I couldn't see at that first appointment, which was eight days post-op.
It looks like they may be able to attach yours right to the button loop and get rid of the chains from the very beginning. Because you can see the loop it's not in the gum with just the chains comming out. If that makes any sense. Anyway, it's just my thoughts on this, as I've read every Ortho has his/her way of doing things.
Take Care
Shawnie
At two and a half weeks they cut the entire chain off and attached the eleastic thread directly to the button loop thing on the tooth which was then tied to the springs on my archwire. At the previous appointment they attached the thread to the chains. They attached it as close to the exposed tooth as they could which was two links from the button loop that I couldn't see at that first appointment, which was eight days post-op.
It looks like they may be able to attach yours right to the button loop and get rid of the chains from the very beginning. Because you can see the loop it's not in the gum with just the chains comming out. If that makes any sense. Anyway, it's just my thoughts on this, as I've read every Ortho has his/her way of doing things.
Take Care
Shawnie
Braced - 10/04/05
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
6 Days Post-Op Report:
Nothing much new to report, so I probably won't be posting every day now. The exposure is still very sore and I am still relying on the Tylenol. I hate the prospect of eating every day, as it really hurts a great deal. Dinner brought tears to my eyes tonight, and not because it was the best or worst thing I've tasted! One stray nudge on the Dawghouse = big ouch factor. I also find it annoying to spend so much time rinsing and syringing saltwater in my mouth after eating or drinking anything other than water. Looks like I need to curb my habits and return to a pure liquid diet for awhile... but I so love mac & cheese! Oh well, it's all for a greater purpose.
Work really took all the energy out of me today... and I only managed about 3 hours of it. Trying to talk is very frustrating, and now I have to meet with a client this week and try to actually get lucid words across... yikes. And so much to get done before then...
I realized that I am not sure if I can survive work without my coffee. I have something of a mad coffee addiction on my workdays. So I am hoping that drinking coffee with lots of sugar and cream won't overly harm my exposure site, not to mention the caffeine...? I'll try to saltwater afterward, but it's so hard to do any braces/mouth cleaning kind of stuff at work where I share one restroom with all the other ladies on floor (i.e. if I'm in there rinsing for 15 mins, everyone else is outside waiting). And there is no counter space at all. Here's hoping my addiction doesn't break me. Caffeine will probably be my downfall, I've not encountered anything quite as addicting, with the possible exception of chocolate and sugary treats.
After rinsing tonight, the exposure site looked a bit more red and inflamed than it has, possibly because of going off the antibiotics(?)... I will just keep faith that things will get better with time!
May 1 is my orthodontic appointment for my next adjustment + the wiring of the Dawg.
May 2 is my follow-up appointment with the oral surgeon. It's darn cruel of them to just decide to schedule it on that day for 8 AM without caring to ask me since I was unconscious That's too early for my taste. (Now I'm just nitpicking).
Flora: By the time they had finished the debanding at my last adjustment, I was ready to do anything to get out of there. But the bumper ligs I have now definitely have got to get replaced, yuck! Basically, bumper ligs are thick ligs that, in my case, are tied so that the bulk of them rest mostly on top of the lower metal brackets in my mouth that a few of my top teeth would otherwise hit down hard on when I bite and likely pop them off (due to my overbite). Fancy words for cushioning, really! So instead of feeling like I am biting down on metal, it feels like I am biting down on squishy rubber.
Pam W.: I can't imagine having to go through two more exposure surgeries just to work canines out and into the clear. You are a brave woman!! How long did all of that take for you? It remains to be seen what my ortho will decide to do, but I will let you know!
Karen: I think Sigbert ended up using the horsedrawn carts to sort out Osric's rocks instead!!
Sjsarre: I'm relieved to know from you and Flora that the white stuff seems to be normal. I won't worry about it, but just keep an eye on things and keep those healing thoughts in my mind!
~
7 Days Post-Op Report:
One week since my surgery! Yay! Doing a bit better today, taking less and less Tylenol. Weird thing today was, after drinking coffee, and for the rest of the day, had that overwhelming teething-esque feeling... the one where one wants to bite down and chew and grind teeth like mad. I really wished I had had a bite wafer or something to gnaw on. I guess the teeth are all jostling elbows, wondering which way to go now. If teeth actually have elbows, that is. If I can manage not to grind my teeth and pop a bracket off at night this week, it will be Very Good.
I managed a fuller day at work today, and am generally feeling more normal, with the exception of soreness, talking, and eating. Even trying to eat soup hurts a great deal now. Anything that touches the exposure site is painful, even liquid.
Linda: Ahh... dried blood would make sense, if it is caught in little crevices. It might even be burnt tissue from the cauterization? Hmm... As for the medieval script... well, I had to fit pigeons in there somehow!!
Shawnie: It sure would be nice to have Dawg tied up and as far into the game as possible. I wasn't actually sure they would be able to leave Dawg exposed, but I guess they did. I am not sure they knew either, before the surgery. What is it like having the elastic thread in your mouth? Is it truly rubbery, i.e. does it try to snap and get in the way of your tongue/eating? I'm sure it depends on the location of the canines, but I do wonder how it will affect my eating habits after the exposure site heals somewhat. How has it changed your daily habits?
I'll let you all know how the wiring of the Dawg goes! Thank all of you again for your thoughtful comments and encouragement this week, not to mention all of the answers/opinions on various matters. It has really made the past week bearable and it is so good to know that I'm not alone in all this!
Nothing much new to report, so I probably won't be posting every day now. The exposure is still very sore and I am still relying on the Tylenol. I hate the prospect of eating every day, as it really hurts a great deal. Dinner brought tears to my eyes tonight, and not because it was the best or worst thing I've tasted! One stray nudge on the Dawghouse = big ouch factor. I also find it annoying to spend so much time rinsing and syringing saltwater in my mouth after eating or drinking anything other than water. Looks like I need to curb my habits and return to a pure liquid diet for awhile... but I so love mac & cheese! Oh well, it's all for a greater purpose.
Work really took all the energy out of me today... and I only managed about 3 hours of it. Trying to talk is very frustrating, and now I have to meet with a client this week and try to actually get lucid words across... yikes. And so much to get done before then...
I realized that I am not sure if I can survive work without my coffee. I have something of a mad coffee addiction on my workdays. So I am hoping that drinking coffee with lots of sugar and cream won't overly harm my exposure site, not to mention the caffeine...? I'll try to saltwater afterward, but it's so hard to do any braces/mouth cleaning kind of stuff at work where I share one restroom with all the other ladies on floor (i.e. if I'm in there rinsing for 15 mins, everyone else is outside waiting). And there is no counter space at all. Here's hoping my addiction doesn't break me. Caffeine will probably be my downfall, I've not encountered anything quite as addicting, with the possible exception of chocolate and sugary treats.
After rinsing tonight, the exposure site looked a bit more red and inflamed than it has, possibly because of going off the antibiotics(?)... I will just keep faith that things will get better with time!
May 1 is my orthodontic appointment for my next adjustment + the wiring of the Dawg.
May 2 is my follow-up appointment with the oral surgeon. It's darn cruel of them to just decide to schedule it on that day for 8 AM without caring to ask me since I was unconscious
That's too early for my taste. (Now I'm just nitpicking).Flora: By the time they had finished the debanding at my last adjustment, I was ready to do anything to get out of there. But the bumper ligs I have now definitely have got to get replaced, yuck! Basically, bumper ligs are thick ligs that, in my case, are tied so that the bulk of them rest mostly on top of the lower metal brackets in my mouth that a few of my top teeth would otherwise hit down hard on when I bite and likely pop them off (due to my overbite). Fancy words for cushioning, really! So instead of feeling like I am biting down on metal, it feels like I am biting down on squishy rubber.
Pam W.: I can't imagine having to go through two more exposure surgeries just to work canines out and into the clear. You are a brave woman!! How long did all of that take for you? It remains to be seen what my ortho will decide to do, but I will let you know!
Karen: I think Sigbert ended up using the horsedrawn carts to sort out Osric's rocks instead!!
Sjsarre: I'm relieved to know from you and Flora that the white stuff seems to be normal. I won't worry about it, but just keep an eye on things and keep those healing thoughts in my mind!
~
7 Days Post-Op Report:
One week since my surgery! Yay! Doing a bit better today, taking less and less Tylenol. Weird thing today was, after drinking coffee, and for the rest of the day, had that overwhelming teething-esque feeling... the one where one wants to bite down and chew and grind teeth like mad. I really wished I had had a bite wafer or something to gnaw on. I guess the teeth are all jostling elbows, wondering which way to go now. If teeth actually have elbows, that is. If I can manage not to grind my teeth and pop a bracket off at night this week, it will be Very Good.
I managed a fuller day at work today, and am generally feeling more normal, with the exception of soreness, talking, and eating. Even trying to eat soup hurts a great deal now. Anything that touches the exposure site is painful, even liquid.
Linda: Ahh... dried blood would make sense, if it is caught in little crevices. It might even be burnt tissue from the cauterization? Hmm... As for the medieval script... well, I had to fit pigeons in there somehow!!
Shawnie: It sure would be nice to have Dawg tied up and as far into the game as possible. I wasn't actually sure they would be able to leave Dawg exposed, but I guess they did. I am not sure they knew either, before the surgery. What is it like having the elastic thread in your mouth? Is it truly rubbery, i.e. does it try to snap and get in the way of your tongue/eating? I'm sure it depends on the location of the canines, but I do wonder how it will affect my eating habits after the exposure site heals somewhat. How has it changed your daily habits?
I'll let you all know how the wiring of the Dawg goes! Thank all of you again for your thoughtful comments and encouragement this week, not to mention all of the answers/opinions on various matters. It has really made the past week bearable and it is so good to know that I'm not alone in all this!
Hi Lin,
I too wondered about the elastic thread. But to tell you the truth it doesn't make any difference in eating or anything else. The only extra thing I do regarding cleaning is brush Laverne and Shirley and clean with a cotton ball with Hydrogen Peroxide on it.
The elastic thread does not feel stretchy in my mouth. When they first tie it to the archwire it is very tight, but as time goes on it gets a little loose, then they tie it tighter again. Mine is a little irritating to my gums due to the fact that I have my baby canines still, so they have to run the thread on the side of the baby teeth which cuts into my gums.
I have springs going across both of the baby canines, which in themselves are quite annoying, upper lip always sticks on them! So sometimes the knot, if it is sticking out will really bother me. They try to turn it to the inside, but I think as things loosen the position of the knot changes. I think if I didn't have the baby teeth maybe the knot would be able to be more inside my mouth. So if the knot starts to bug you what I do is try to slide it around so it's not rubbing on my inner lip. Sometimes it will stay real good other times it just wants to keep coming back to the outside. I would have to say that the knots are the most irritating thing for me. But this week I've got them in a really good position, and they don't bother me at all. Now if I could just do something with these springs! (Soon they'll extract the baby teeth and then I don't think I'll have this knot issue)
Hope the exposure site starts to not be so sore. I can't see my exposed teeth, even though my Ortho can, so maybe that is why you are more sore than I was.
Take Care
Shawnie
I too wondered about the elastic thread. But to tell you the truth it doesn't make any difference in eating or anything else. The only extra thing I do regarding cleaning is brush Laverne and Shirley and clean with a cotton ball with Hydrogen Peroxide on it.
The elastic thread does not feel stretchy in my mouth. When they first tie it to the archwire it is very tight, but as time goes on it gets a little loose, then they tie it tighter again. Mine is a little irritating to my gums due to the fact that I have my baby canines still, so they have to run the thread on the side of the baby teeth which cuts into my gums.
I have springs going across both of the baby canines, which in themselves are quite annoying, upper lip always sticks on them! So sometimes the knot, if it is sticking out will really bother me. They try to turn it to the inside, but I think as things loosen the position of the knot changes. I think if I didn't have the baby teeth maybe the knot would be able to be more inside my mouth. So if the knot starts to bug you what I do is try to slide it around so it's not rubbing on my inner lip. Sometimes it will stay real good other times it just wants to keep coming back to the outside. I would have to say that the knots are the most irritating thing for me. But this week I've got them in a really good position, and they don't bother me at all. Now if I could just do something with these springs! (Soon they'll extract the baby teeth and then I don't think I'll have this knot issue)
Hope the exposure site starts to not be so sore. I can't see my exposed teeth, even though my Ortho can, so maybe that is why you are more sore than I was.
Take Care
Shawnie
Braced - 10/04/05
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
Lin, I had the FIRST exposure surgery to uncover the adult canines in May 2002. Second surgery was in May 2003, to leave the canines exposed. Unfortunately, the bone and gum regrew over them very quickly, and by the time I got to the ortho, there wasn't enough space even for that. So, I had my third exposure surgery June 2003 to do the same thing as the second one. It wasn't all that bad, really. I did local anesthesia for all of them.
Oh, you're probably okay to try a tiny bit of peroxyl now if you want, maybe just dab a q-tip with a bit onto some of the areas around the exposure site. A week is sufficient to have healed nicely enough for that. You can also try Biotene mouthwash... it helps to heal tissues and is an anti-bacterial, and very gentle on your mouth. They also make toothpaste.
Congratulations that a week has gone by!
Pam
Oh, you're probably okay to try a tiny bit of peroxyl now if you want, maybe just dab a q-tip with a bit onto some of the areas around the exposure site. A week is sufficient to have healed nicely enough for that. You can also try Biotene mouthwash... it helps to heal tissues and is an anti-bacterial, and very gentle on your mouth. They also make toothpaste.
Congratulations that a week has gone by!
Pam
Pamela W.
FORMER IMPACTED CANINES,
FORMER IMPACTED CANINES,
2 Weeks Post-Op Report
Yay, two weeks have gone by past the surgery, and everything seems so much better without having to anticipate such a thing any longer. I have no regrets after doing it, and I actually feel a thousand times stronger for having faced my worst fear and come out just fine. The head-on approach is helping me in other areas of my life as well right now, and I will, no doubt, be taking on other challenges soon to accomplish certain of my goals. It always does seem like change comes into my life with a cascading effect.
Did I mention that I took a peek at the cute little teeth that they ripped out of my skull? They were considerably larger than I thought they would be, but I guess I tend not to envision the sheer size of teeth roots when I think of teeth in my head. I was particularly impressed with the baby tooth root... I bet that tooth would have stuck around till my own old, old age had I just left it there.
Here are the teeth next to a U.S. nickel for size comparison:
(baby canine is on the inside upper left of the photo)
I remember falling asleep the night after my surgery and, no doubt with some influence of the oxy, having flashbacks to aspects of the surgery that I should have been unconscious for, or else the anesthesia-induced amnesia should have blocked out. I would almost fall asleep, then I would have the sensation that someone was holding my head and yanking a tooth out really hard, then I would jolt fully awake. It was a very interesting thing to have jolt-awakes from...
Anyway, I had my second adjustment + the wiring of the Dawg on Monday. The adjustment itself went smoothly, thank goodness it wasn't like the first time. I was lucky and got a decent assistant this time, and not the scary Pain Guy from last time. I have to admit that the female assistants at my ortho's office have a gentler touch. I think Pain Guy was treating the grill on my teeth like the inner workings of a car engine. Who can say?
After chatting with a girl in the adjacent chair booth about how she has just one gap left to close before being done with her braces, my ortho came over to my chair. He looked at my new array of gaps and the Dawg and tsk-tsk'ed a bit, saying how much work "we have to do." No kidding! I can't wait until I stop looking like a little kid who put raisins all over her teeth to look like a zombie hillbilly of some sort. Then it was "show and tell" time, and a bunch of the assistants checked Dawg out, since I guess canine exposures through the roof of the mouth aren't terribly common there... at least, not all the assistants had seen that before.
I got two new archwires... not twisted this time. Boy did they go on tight... that wasn't so comfortable. But this "pain training" (as I think of everything thus far in my braces journey) has been working, and I am getting tougher to faze as time goes on.
They put the upper archwire through maybe the seventh or so link in Dawg's bling chain. The ortho had commented that he just wanted to basically let the bone know things were going to be moving a bit, rather than tugging hard on Dawg so early on. Here's the thing, though. The chain looked tautly attached to the side of the archwire at the adjustment, but by the time I got home, it was completely slack since the chain slid to the front of my archwire, rather than staying taut on the side. They didn't use elastic thread or anything to keep it in place. I am wondering if I should go back to have them address that, since essentially, Dawg isn't getting even the faintest amount of pulling right now. And I don't want to wait nine months for the Dawg to move into place! Babies are conceived and born in less time! So, hmm, I guess I should call my ortho next week and ask.
The aftermath of the adjustment was really very painful. I had no idea an adjustment could create so much pain a few hours later, but that is what people talk about on here. I could actually hear my teeth screaming, "Let's get this pah-tay STARTED!!!" It was truly, truly mad. I guess for the last adjustment, my teeth had virtually nowhere to go anyway, but BOY are they moving now. I left work early Monday since my whole head was throbbing. I couldn't smile, or talk, or eat, or brush my teeth with an extra soft toothbrush, because it hurt too much. With lots of aspirin and two days gone by, though, it feels okay again. But my teeth have shifted quite a bit since Monday. New gaps have opened up on the top and bottom between centrals and laterals... just new bits of space here and there. I would say at least a total of 2 mm of movement on both upper and lower, spread out a bit. Monday night, every single non-molar tooth in my mouth was "popping" and loose... I mean, you could wiggle each one a good amount and see it move! Not that that felt good.
In any case, I am very excited. Because stuff is actually going on in my mouth now that I can see. Plus I got new, pretty, clear, and unstained bumper ligs on those bottom two problem brackets. I stuck with silver ligs for everywhere else, and I will continue with that until we're nearly done walking the Dawg and all the gaps close, I think.
Yesterday, my oral surgeon checked on the exposure site and sockets and told me that everything looks good. He said just to keep up with the saltwater and keeping it clean, which I have been. Of course, Dawg likes his coffee more than saltwater, but I think he is adjusting just fine. Also, you all were right about the white stuff around the exposure site. My surgeon said it was simply the mouth's version of a scab, and that it will disappear eventually... it isn't an infection or anything, which I was convinced of anyway, since the exposure site hurts less and less each day. It has healed up quite a bit!
So glad I went for exposure and not extraction, too.
Karen: Thank you! Everything is getting much better, and there is a lot to be said for finally seeing any movement at all. It really helps to see progress, even just a little.
Shawnie: I don't have a spring in place for Dawg yet, probably because of the adjacent premolar extraction. I am thinking my ortho needs to close that gap up a fair bit before reserving space for Dawg with a spring...
Pam W.: I am finally able to use diluted Peroxyl overall now, with my surgeon's approval... and the saltwater helps so much too! Also, gentle like Biotene, I enjoy a natural ("Tom's of Maine") mouthwash that uses witchhazel and is very mild. The q-tip thought has helped a lot! You always have great ideas and insights... thank you! And I still say you are a brave woman for going through three exposures, especially with just local anesthesia!
Yay, two weeks have gone by past the surgery, and everything seems so much better without having to anticipate such a thing any longer. I have no regrets after doing it, and I actually feel a thousand times stronger for having faced my worst fear and come out just fine. The head-on approach is helping me in other areas of my life as well right now, and I will, no doubt, be taking on other challenges soon to accomplish certain of my goals. It always does seem like change comes into my life with a cascading effect.
Did I mention that I took a peek at the cute little teeth that they ripped out of my skull? They were considerably larger than I thought they would be, but I guess I tend not to envision the sheer size of teeth roots when I think of teeth in my head. I was particularly impressed with the baby tooth root... I bet that tooth would have stuck around till my own old, old age had I just left it there.
Here are the teeth next to a U.S. nickel for size comparison:
(baby canine is on the inside upper left of the photo)
I remember falling asleep the night after my surgery and, no doubt with some influence of the oxy, having flashbacks to aspects of the surgery that I should have been unconscious for, or else the anesthesia-induced amnesia should have blocked out. I would almost fall asleep, then I would have the sensation that someone was holding my head and yanking a tooth out really hard, then I would jolt fully awake. It was a very interesting thing to have jolt-awakes from...
Anyway, I had my second adjustment + the wiring of the Dawg on Monday. The adjustment itself went smoothly, thank goodness it wasn't like the first time. I was lucky and got a decent assistant this time, and not the scary Pain Guy from last time. I have to admit that the female assistants at my ortho's office have a gentler touch. I think Pain Guy was treating the grill on my teeth like the inner workings of a car engine. Who can say?
After chatting with a girl in the adjacent chair booth about how she has just one gap left to close before being done with her braces, my ortho came over to my chair. He looked at my new array of gaps and the Dawg and tsk-tsk'ed a bit, saying how much work "we have to do." No kidding! I can't wait until I stop looking like a little kid who put raisins all over her teeth to look like a zombie hillbilly of some sort. Then it was "show and tell" time, and a bunch of the assistants checked Dawg out, since I guess canine exposures through the roof of the mouth aren't terribly common there... at least, not all the assistants had seen that before.
I got two new archwires... not twisted this time. Boy did they go on tight... that wasn't so comfortable. But this "pain training" (as I think of everything thus far in my braces journey) has been working, and I am getting tougher to faze as time goes on.
They put the upper archwire through maybe the seventh or so link in Dawg's bling chain. The ortho had commented that he just wanted to basically let the bone know things were going to be moving a bit, rather than tugging hard on Dawg so early on. Here's the thing, though. The chain looked tautly attached to the side of the archwire at the adjustment, but by the time I got home, it was completely slack since the chain slid to the front of my archwire, rather than staying taut on the side. They didn't use elastic thread or anything to keep it in place. I am wondering if I should go back to have them address that, since essentially, Dawg isn't getting even the faintest amount of pulling right now. And I don't want to wait nine months for the Dawg to move into place! Babies are conceived and born in less time!
So, hmm, I guess I should call my ortho next week and ask.The aftermath of the adjustment was really very painful. I had no idea an adjustment could create so much pain a few hours later, but that is what people talk about on here. I could actually hear my teeth screaming, "Let's get this pah-tay STARTED!!!" It was truly, truly mad. I guess for the last adjustment, my teeth had virtually nowhere to go anyway, but BOY are they moving now. I left work early Monday since my whole head was throbbing. I couldn't smile, or talk, or eat, or brush my teeth with an extra soft toothbrush, because it hurt too much. With lots of aspirin and two days gone by, though, it feels okay again. But my teeth have shifted quite a bit since Monday. New gaps have opened up on the top and bottom between centrals and laterals... just new bits of space here and there. I would say at least a total of 2 mm of movement on both upper and lower, spread out a bit. Monday night, every single non-molar tooth in my mouth was "popping" and loose... I mean, you could wiggle each one a good amount and see it move! Not that that felt good.
In any case, I am very excited. Because stuff is actually going on in my mouth now that I can see. Plus I got new, pretty, clear, and unstained bumper ligs on those bottom two problem brackets. I stuck with silver ligs for everywhere else, and I will continue with that until we're nearly done walking the Dawg and all the gaps close, I think.
Yesterday, my oral surgeon checked on the exposure site and sockets and told me that everything looks good. He said just to keep up with the saltwater and keeping it clean, which I have been. Of course, Dawg likes his coffee more than saltwater, but I think he is adjusting just fine. Also, you all were right about the white stuff around the exposure site. My surgeon said it was simply the mouth's version of a scab, and that it will disappear eventually... it isn't an infection or anything, which I was convinced of anyway, since the exposure site hurts less and less each day. It has healed up quite a bit!
So glad I went for exposure and not extraction, too.
Karen: Thank you! Everything is getting much better, and there is a lot to be said for finally seeing any movement at all. It really helps to see progress, even just a little.
Shawnie: I don't have a spring in place for Dawg yet, probably because of the adjacent premolar extraction. I am thinking my ortho needs to close that gap up a fair bit before reserving space for Dawg with a spring...
Pam W.: I am finally able to use diluted Peroxyl overall now, with my surgeon's approval... and the saltwater helps so much too! Also, gentle like Biotene, I enjoy a natural ("Tom's of Maine") mouthwash that uses witchhazel and is very mild. The q-tip thought has helped a lot! You always have great ideas and insights... thank you! And I still say you are a brave woman for going through three exposures, especially with just local anesthesia!
I'm so happy to read that all is going well!
It's awesome that you are feelings things moving. I hear ya for the pain though! I've been in pain for 2 days now and it sucks...but oh well...we just have to deal with it. Hopefully it won't last too long!
Glad that your bumbers were changed! Hopefully those new ones won't stain as much
Good luck with everything
It's awesome that you are feelings things moving. I hear ya for the pain though! I've been in pain for 2 days now and it sucks...but oh well...we just have to deal with it. Hopefully it won't last too long!
Glad that your bumbers were changed! Hopefully those new ones won't stain as much
Good luck with everything
~~~~~~
Ceramic top braces: January 9th, 2006
Metal bottom braces: May 1st, 2006
