"Not quite dead yet"

[zou]

Okay, the title of the post was for the Monty Python lover out there...you know who your are.

Despite how it may have appeared as of late I am not dead....although there are days that I think that is the only way I'll get any sleep.

Things have been going pretty well since I was unwired on February 1st. I still have residual swelling (mostly on that right side where the Evil Wire was) but I have finally been able to sleep in a prone position again which was rather weird.

The ROM is still just barely 3 fingers (about 32cm) but no one seems overly concerned. The Evil Wire caused some extra gum tissue to grow and next month that will be removed and reshaped so that I don't keep biting it. The OS may also reshape the gumline around the two front upper teeth because the wire that was holding the palate splint in place did a number on the gum and it makes one tooth look much larger than the other now.

The bite is "perfect" or nearly so and the OS and Ortho keep smiling and gushing about it. I have a new AW on the top with a small kink in it to try to make a slight adjustment to one of the front teeth the close a slight gap near the root. It is more aesthetic than anything, but since we have the time while the bottom teeth are finished I appreciate that they are addressing it.

After a few rather funky variations of elastics (most of which I refused to wear during the day because they were harder to function in than being completely wired) they have all been discontinued. The decision has been made to not try to pull the bottom jaw forward the little bit that it needs to because it will most likely do it on its own sometime in the next 9 months. Rather than be agressive and then end up with an overcorrection everyone agrees that this is the better course of treatment.

So, that means I'm in a stronger wire on the bottom and probably have two more to go and then I'm done. The goal is to have the last wire completely activated by mid-June and I'll be out of these braces not long after that.

The end is finally in sight. I had my first post-op cleaning and my dentist was thrilled at the health of my teeth and gums. She said that she didn't know how I had done it, but there was actually less plaque than she would normally see and what was there was soft and easy to remove. All I can guess is that the complete removal of gluten from my diet and the addition of lots of soy had some sort of effect on that. Not sure I'll ever know for sure.

Still wondering when things won't ache after I've been still and not talking, but if it never gets better than this I could still live with it.....but someone, tell me when things started moving smooth and freely without that pulling feeling.

Take care all and sorry for being AWOL.

[Arvensis]

Okay, the title of the post was for the Monty Python lover out there...you know who your are.

I'm getting better! feeeeeeeel happy!


Things don't seem to be "pulling" for me, but I go through random days where the muscles pull my jaw one way then the other. (IE I open my mouth and it looks like the jaw goes to the left instead of straight down) - my stepsister is a massage therapist so I've been working with her some and this is getting better.

Nothing aches after talking for me; I suspect this is because you were wired shut, so you'll just have to keep exercising those muscles

[loulou123]

hey zou

sorry to hear youve had a few problems too, hope there all behind you now.

I get alot of aches in my jaw, and know the "pulling" feeling well, tho as im only 6 weeks post op, cant help you with how long it lasts im afraid.

Think in my case being tightly banded shut caused the muscles to seize up, so it must be tons worse for you after being wired.

[Andantae]

Good to hear your progress Zou. I can't imagine anything nicer to hear post op than having your surgeon smiling and gushing about his work!

Congrats on the A+ for oral hygene and, of course, keep us posted, especially on the debanding date!!!!

[Andantae]

Good to hear your progress Zou. I can't imagine anything nicer to hear post op than having your surgeon smiling and gushing about his work!

Congrats on the A+ for oral hygene and, of course, keep us posted, especially on the debanding date!!!!

[Andantae]

Good to hear your progress Zou. I can't imagine anything nicer to hear post op than having your surgeon smiling and gushing about his work!

Congrats on the positive feedback on your oral hygene and, of course, keep us posted, especially on the debanding date!!!!