SEPTEMBER 2010 BUDDIES!!

[chicago29]

Just got back from the ortho to let him have a look at things. He was pleased. I'll be in bands once he is able to take over at the end of the month. There are some movements we need in the back teeth to get my bite correct, but other than that right now things are looking pretty good.

As for recovery, things are going well. I slept in my bed for the first time last night and tried to sleep somewhat "normally". That of course resulting in the requisite morning swelling. I remember this dog and pony show from my first surgery

I still have a ton of swelling in the upper lip. This is what I'm anxious for to come down. I'm hopeful in the next couple of weeks that it settles down.

Hope the rest of you are progressing well...it sounds as if that is the case!

-Chicago29

[mamaneedsanewjaw]

Chicago- Glad to hear things are coming along well for you!! Yikes- I keep forgeting that I won't be able to sleep regularly for awhile. Are you sleeping in a recliner??

How is your energy level??

[chicago29]

For most of the time, I've slept on my couch with a foam wedge and two pillows - I'd say probably a 45 to 50 degree angle. And, of course I'm sleeping on my back when on the couch.

The last two nights I've slept in my bed, although still at an angle. I have slept on my side just a bit to ease back into it. It surely is more comfortable, but it absolutely makes the swelling increase come morning (nothing severe, though).

It's a delicate tradeoff for the next couple of weeks, but at least being in my bed is better. My couch doesn't exactly support my back too good!

As for recovery, I would say my energy levels are as good as they can be, given a liquid diet. I still have numbness in places, and there is still a good deal of swelling in the upper lip and maxillary sinus area. But honestly, 21 days out I can't complain. Only time is going to fix these things, and 3 weeks out is WAY too soon to worry...

I went to the Ortho yesterday for him to have a look and he was pleased. Hopefully things stay put so that he's able to resume at the end of this month.

Hope everybody is doing well...

-Chicago29

[**Stephie**]

Sounds like things are picking up for you now Chicago which is good to hear. You sill on the liquid diet at moment? I know that was rather boring when I was doing it, but I found whatever you could blend into liquid I could manage.

I just had my second vist to my orthodontist, and he was still really pleased with how things have gone. So please that he asked if I was fine with him getting back to his work, so he changed my upper and lower wire, the ligs which are now Blue again and positioned the elastic bands a little differently. My midline is still slightly off but not by much, so it should sort itself out soon. Have two gaps on top still to be closed as well as pulling teeth together to close my bite etc.

Only annoying thing I have at moment is the numb spot on my chin and part of lower lip on the left. Keep getting the pins and needles feeling a lot at moment, the itchy feeling is the strange one. You keep scratching but the itchyness is still there
Anyone else got this random feeling yet at all?

Hope everyone else is doing fine as well

[heidis]

I have been reading topics on this site for a couple months now and just decided to join and start interacting. I had my Leforte I Osteotemy on September 23rd. I've been expanding 1 turn every day since September 28th and my last turn will be in 1 week, October 18th when I am getting my upper braces put on.

At this point my complaints are minimal. I am back to my normal routine and have been since about 10 days post surgery. Except for eating but I've noticed a lot of progress over the past 3 or 4 days with that since I just discovered a place where my where I can actually get my teeth to touch (back molars) and chew foods. Finally! My gap is pretty big and ugly but I've been suprised at how easily I've embraced it and how I can laugh with my friends, family and even co-workers at how silly it is.

The thing bothering me the most is one spot the left side of my upper lip (near the corner) that is so completely numb it is paralyzed. Before surgery my OS specifically told me I would be numb but he clearly said that I would be able to move my lips, just not feel it. So my first post-op checkup I asked him about it. He said it wasn't paralyzed...just numb. But I don't understand because the rest of my lip is numb and I can move it. He said with confidence that it will come back but said it can take up to 2 months after I stop expanding. I'm going back to my OS tomorrow for my 2nd and final post-op checkup and I'm considering asking about it again. But maybe I am just being impatient? I can deal with the numbness but as you can imagine I am very uncomfortable with a dead spot and these thoughts are haunting me that it will never come back. Has anyone else experienced this or am I alone?

[DrBlur]

HI all, hope everyone is doing well! Quick question...is it normal that I have a couple of teeth on top that hurt when pressed and are loose? That's the only feeling I've gotten back on my upper jaw and I'm a little freaked out about it...

[chicago29]

My front teeth have never been the same since SARPE...they've hurt, felt loose, etc etc. In fact, they've both had pretty bad root resorption after all this surgery and braces. I'm convinced I'll need to extract them and get implants at some point. My orthodontist and oral surgeon say it likely won't come to that.

In any regard, what you are experiencing is totally normal. Your front teeth are now in new bone, and it will take months for them to solidify. Also, keep in mind you still have braces on, and braces are well known to make teeth loose. After all, that's how they move!

So, I wouldn't worry too much, but it never hurts to let your orthodontist and oral surgeon know about it.

Best of luck as you continue to heal.

Regards
Chicago29

[RickC]

Just a quick update on my progress so far.

Just over 6 weeks post op and now chewing normally but still not onto the really crunchy stuff that I used to eat pre surgery.

Lower gums are still numb, so is the majority of my lower lip but I am getting some feeling back in my chin which is a bonus.

I've been in elastics 24/7 since 2 weeks post op as I was left with a slight open bite after surgery, that is near enough gone now just hoping I can still meet my target of being bebraced before I go on holiday on Dec 10th.

I have about a 1 maybe 2mm open bite, is my target realistic?

Hope all other September buddies are doing well.

[chicago29]

I thought I would resurrect this thread. I had my 6 week follow up with the surgeon today. He said all looks good and he cleared me to eat whatever I want. I go to the orthodontist tomorrow, so he said to stop wearing the rubber bands he gave me and do what the orthodontist says going forward.

I have about a 2-3 mm open bite in the back on both sides, which from what I understand is very common when the lower jaw is rotated. This will hopefully be fixed with elastics, which I'll confirm tomorrow with the ortho.

As for numbness, my upper palate and back side of the upper teeth are still 95% numb. I get a lot of tingles and a very small patch of feeling is back, so I'm optimistic this will continue to heal. All the other numbness is gone, although I still have some altered sensations in the upper lip.

I can't believe it was 6 weeks ago I had this surgery. At times it seems like it has been taking forever, but some parts seem like the time really flew.

All in all, so far I'll say it has definitely been worth it. I just hope I continue to heal and I'm singing the same tune 6 months from now.

I hope all my other September 2010 buddies feel the same way!

Regards
Chicago29

[sarahorsomeone]

5 weeks post op yesterday.

Doing pretty well, only a small amount of swelling left around my nose; and the only place I don't have full feeling back is a small area around my left nostril and my upper gums. Though mysteriously if I touch just to the left of my nostril I feel the tip of my nose being touched aswell; even though nothing is actually stimulating that area .

I had surgery to correct: maxillary excess, a-symmetry (which stopped any of the teeth on the left side meeting) and a tiny bit of an overbite. Still have a tiny-bit of an open-bite at the front-left side of my mouth, but it's hardly anything, and my molars are level on both sides now . Maxillary excess is all gone, so no more lip-incompetance, air gingivitis and gummy smile for me! Overbite all gone too, but it was really hardly anything to start with; they only corrected it because they had to fix the a-symmetry in the lower-jaw anyway.

I'm loving the functional results because I can speak better, I can put my head to one side without dribbling, I can wash without getting soap in my mouth, I can breath through my nose better (though I'm not quite sure what's sorted that out), my lower jaw/chin doesn't keep sliding from side to side and much more besides!

Cosmetic results are even more impressive. Before surgery I hated looking in mirrors and photographs had been known to reduce me to tears, now I really like the way I look. I even had a stranger tell me about three times how beautiful I was yesterday; that never happened before! In fact I've had an awful lot of compliments from about week one (even when I looked a bit beaten up); even my orthodontist managed a rather enthusiastic "your lip position is really lovely!"

[sarahorsomeone]

HI all, hope everyone is doing well! Quick question...is it normal that I have a couple of teeth on top that hurt when pressed and are loose? That's the only feeling I've gotten back on my upper jaw and I'm a little freaked out about it...

In my three years of braces I've had that happen loads of times, and that's without having had any surgery at the point, for me it usually goes again after a few months. If it's worrying you it might be worth pointing out to your orthodontist; but I'm sure it'll go back to normal in time.

[DrBlur]

Hi everyone, long time no post! I hope everyone is continuing along nicely in their recovery...it looks like you're all doing well!

I'll hit 6 weeks this Friday since my ortho told me to stop expanding. I see this Friday and he had told me now he's going to begin the long work of closing my enormous gap and straightening everything on the top and bottom. I am slowly but surely regaining feeling in my upper gums and teeth, but...

The teeth hurt like hell, but in a different way than they do with just braces. And the gums...they have this weird "nervy" pain, but not like I can describe...almost what it feels like when they clean inside your gums at the dentist and rub against the nerve sheath below the tooth...they feel really weird like that, and most teeth are tender to the touch and feel loose. Will this ever go away? I sure hope so!

I do see the surgeon next week for my final follow-up, so I'll ask then...

[DrBlur]

*bump*

How are all the September people doing?

Things are going well on my end. I've had two braces adjustments since the surgery (November, and last week) and the gap in my front teeth has shrunk down to almost nothing! Powerchains may make your teeth sore and feel tight, but they work quickly! Right now I have most, but not all, of the feeling back in my upper gums, although the front teeth still feel loose and kind of weird.

How is everyone else doing?

[chicago29]

I'm doing well...I am resigned to the fact that I'll never have great stability and feeling in my upper/lower front teeth. I still am very hesitant to bite into anything remotely difficult, but as long as the teeth stay put I'll put up with this inconvenience.

And, much more exciting news...the braces COME OFF on Tuesday 1/18! I'm in my final hours of braces hell!!!

Hope others are doing well...

-Chicago29

[24braceface]

That's good news chicago. I thought your braces were supposed to be removed in February. Glad things have gone well for u!