June/July 2015 Surgery Buddies

[jaime]

I put a vlog last night on YouTube for anyone who's interested. It's probably not terribly interesting since you guys already know about my saga.

Also, I have a feeling that the comment I got on that video is just someone with a braces fetish. It wouldn't be the first time.

https://youtu.be/q1xKcjeFNEU

[KaylaChristine]

Jaime, congrats again on getting your braces off!!! You look great!! Saw your post on FB and figured I'd check out new posts here.

I hope everyone has been doing well!

I see my ortho tomorrow to see if mine are ready to come off & if they are I might get them off tomorrow if they have time. I'm not sure how perfect my bite can get since I'm missing two premolars on top...so I really don't know if I'm ready or not--I'm leaning towards no though. We'll see! Either way, it's soon!!!

How's everyone been doing? Any problems? I still have that upper jaw movement when I bite down but I'm not letting it drive me nuts anymore . Surgeon doesn't seem concerned at all. I still have altered sensation around my left lip area. I feel like it's been getting a little more noticeable as it's getting colder. I haven't had any more sinus infections so we postponed screw/plate removal for now.

[jaime]

Jaime, congrats again on getting your braces off!!! You look great!! Saw your post on FB and figured I'd check out new posts here.

I hope everyone has been doing well!

I see my ortho tomorrow to see if mine are ready to come off & if they are I might get them off tomorrow if they have time. I'm not sure how perfect my bite can get since I'm missing two premolars on top...so I really don't know if I'm ready or not--I'm leaning towards no though. We'll see! Either way, it's soon!!!

How's everyone been doing? Any problems? I still have that upper jaw movement when I bite down but I'm not letting it drive me nuts anymore . Surgeon doesn't seem concerned at all. I still have altered sensation around my left lip area. I feel like it's been getting a little more noticeable as it's getting colder. I haven't had any more sinus infections so we postponed screw/plate removal for now.

Woooo I hope they come off today! It would be a fun coincidence if we got our braces off a day apart.

Does your surgeon think your jaw will eventually stop wiggling?

I don't think my bite will ever be perfect, either. Too many years of wear but we'll see what happens when things settle. Within an hour of getting my braces off, my bite felt different. Every few hours it feels different, it's wacky.

Do let us know what happens at your appointment!

And good news for you and Nozzel...the whole process of getting the bonded retainers and removing the brackets was not as bad as I'd read online. I'm sure it's slightly different for everyone, but I was expecting more pain. There was only a little pain when the molar brackets came off (hello sensitive gums) and a few teeth were sensitive when the glue was getting ground off. Only once did I actually flinch. It seemed to be the teeth that I wore elastics on up until yesterday morning which hurt the most. EVERYONE said getting the glue ground off was awful and uncomfortable but I didn't think it was bad at all! I was thinking, "This is it!? This is what everyone hated?!"

[snapdresser]

Wow, so that's your triumphant return, eh Jaime? I expected more emojis Yeah, getting them off isn't bad. And now you're free-wheeling with your cool new jaws! Is that it? You're all done? Did your surgeon say you needed to go back again at some point?

[jaime]

Wow, so that's your triumphant return, eh Jaime? I expected more emojis Yeah, getting them off isn't bad. And now you're free-wheeling with your cool new jaws! Is that it? You're all done? Did your surgeon say you needed to go back again at some point?

Hahaha a lot of the excitement is out of my system now! I did update my own thread though, if you want to read that!

I go back to my surgeon for a 3-year postop in 2018. I also have to go back to my ortho's and get my Hawley retainer in 2 weeks. I would have preferred an Essix but I figured with all the problems I've had, better to have something that's adjustable.

I just called a dentist office in my new city (still in Canada) and booked a cleaning. It's for this Thursday, otherwise I would have had to wait until January. This week might be too soon but I don't want to wait a month because they said it looks like I have a cavity (it was an area blocked by a molar band).

[snapdresser]

Wow, so that's your triumphant return, eh Jaime? I expected more emojis Yeah, getting them off isn't bad. And now you're free-wheeling with your cool new jaws! Is that it? You're all done? Did your surgeon say you needed to go back again at some point?

Hahaha a lot of the excitement is out of my system now! I did update my own thread though, if you want to read that!

I go back to my surgeon for a 3-year postop in 2018. I also have to go back to my ortho's and get my Hawley retainer in 2 weeks. I would have preferred an Essix but I figured with all the problems I've had, better to have something that's adjustable.

I just called a dentist office in my new city (still in Canada) and booked a cleaning. It's for this Thursday, otherwise I would have had to wait until January. This week might be too soon but I don't want to wait a month because they said it looks like I have a cavity (it was an area blocked by a molar band).

3-year post-op?! I wonder what they could possibly expect to see at that point that wouldn't have been apparent at 2-years post-op... Daaaang, a cavity right off the bat eh? I had some decalcification on a couple of my lower front teeth but no cavities IIRC. I'm gonna check out your update on your thread

[jaime]

Yeah, the 3 year post-op is weird. My guess is to see if it's relapsing at all.

I just had my first dental cleaning post-braces! I didn't really want to go this soon after debracing but their next appointments weren't until January and I wanted to get that possible cavity looked at asap. And yup, it's a cavity. The tooth it's on was covered by one of the bands so I kind of just assumed I'd have a cavity or two from that. I had molar bands for 3 solid years, so IMHO, it's par for the course.

Nozzel and Kayla: Hopefully you are guys are better than me with flossing. I've only been Waterpik'ing and it wasn't good enough. I bled a lot during my cleaning.

I also have to start using some OTC toothpaste.

Anyway, this isn't terribly exciting...I mostly just wanted to warn Nozzel and Kayla to floss well if you're not already! And make sure your ortho gets ALL the glue off because mine left some on and the dentist is most likely going to charge me to remove it, although I'm going to ask the ortho to remove it when I go pick up my retainer.

[Nozzelnut]

Jaime, thank you for the heads up!! I've been going to the dentist for cleanings 3x a year instead of 2. I have to pay for 1 out of pocket but that's ok. They said they wouldn't have a problem getting the cement off for me if my ortho didn't scrape it all off. For the record I only waterpic too; actual flossing is a PITA. But, I do mix water and mouthwash instead of just water. Not sure if that helps or not.

Another appt for me next Wed. Had a problem with the class 3 elastic on the right though... It pulled the lower 3 up and in (collapsing the arch) more than it moved the lower right side back; what she was hoping for. So had an unscheduled appt and my regular ortho said use the triangle on the right too; but that was pulling it up too much. So I stopped all elastics on the right until they can put a stiffer wire in or figure out a different solution.

I'm not sure if wires alone will get me to my width goal for my tongue room; another 4-5mm would be great for top and bottom. It's getting old resting my tongue between my molars or feeling like my tongue is crowding my throat when I bring my teeth together. I'll bring it up with them and hope we can figure out a plan. Not that I'd want another expander, but I'd trudge through it; again. It seems like things have slowly settled back inward; even with her bending wires out. I guess my facial muscle memory keeps squeezing things back to where they were.

Ups and downs of orthodontics...

[KaylaChristine]

Jaime,

I didn't end up getting them off that day, but I am scheduled to get them removed on January 5th (would have been sooner but they are closed for Christmas vacation)!! How long will you have to wear your retainer full-time? I got a letter in the mail saying I'd be wearing mine full-time for a year, and then only at nights after that. The first go around I had with braces (upper teeth only) I only wore them six months full-time. Does your ortho not make the retainers at the office? I only ask because I have two appointments on the day I get mine off, one for the removal, and then one in the afternoon for the retainer.

He seems to think so--but he's convinced it's my teeth moving as a unit...for some reason .

Thanks for the heads up! I'm pretty good about flossing, so hopefully all is good on my end. I floss every night unless it's late & I'm super tired. I don't think I have a cleaning until March, but I'm definitely going to call and setup an appointment for x-rays after they're off. And I need to get a crown at some point too.



I'm kind of dreading getting them removed. My teeth are always super sensitive (mostly the upper front teeth). I'm also dreading the molds they're going to take. I mean, I WANT them off, but I just want them to magically come off haha. I can't wait to feel my teeth again.


Nozzelnut, hang in there! Hopefully the width issue gets sorted out soon!

[Nozzelnut]

Hey Jaime, what kind of retainer are you getting?

I've heard Hawley's hold expansion better than invisalign types.

[jaime]

Yay Kayla!!!! Congratulations! That's so awesome!

Don't dread the removal too much! I'm sure it's probably a little different for everyone and every ortho office, but just by nature of what they're doing, they're not focused on any one tooth for very long. It made any pain more manageable, I found. I also didn't think it was nearly as painful/uncomfortable as I was expecting.

I'm so pumped for you! I can't wait to see a photo!

As far as my retainer goes, I'm getting a purple Hawley. I don't remember how long they said I'd have to wear it for. They only mentioned it during my initial consultation (in 2013!) and I seem to remember it was 24/7 for a year but we'll see. I'm sure they'll tell me tomorrow when I pick it up.

Nozzel, I've heard Hawley's are better in some ways and as much as I'd rather an Essix, I want to do the smart thing. I was going to see about getting both, but when my sister requested an Essix from my ortho, they really didn't want to give her one.

Today is 2 weeks without braces for me. Every night before bed, after I brush my teeth, I instinctively think about putting in elastics. I think it's going to be awhile before that goes away!

Looking forward to seeing my ortho tomorrow. My lower teeth hit the upper permanent wire when I bite down. It's the strongest part of my bite which is very bad. It's been making my teeth sore, too. I hope you guys don't have to get a permanent wire behind your upper teeth!

[jaime]

Just a little update! Got my retainer last night. I hadn't noticed any teeth shifting in the past two weeks but holy shnikes was it ever tight at first. I almost thought my orthodontist was insane when he first put it in. It felt like a vice. After an hour or two, it was fine, though. I haven't had too much problem with a lisp.

I ended up ordering an Essix from them to wear during the day. $200, oi. I don't think I would have gone for it except that I'll be on 24/7 wear for a year. It'll also just be good to have a backup in case anything ever happens to one of them.

Nozzel...if you think you have no room for your tongue now, wait until you get your Hawley.

[Nozzelnut]

We're still working on some more room; ortho bent the wires some more at my last visit. My tongue still rests between my molars a few mm. A lot better than when I started but I can really use some more width.

But, yes I'm coming to the realization that I'll probably be on my CPAP forever. Unless I (we) do something significant to change that. I follow my data with my CPAP; basically look at every breath I take while wearing it. If I'm on my stomach; things are OK; not great as I still have flow limits during REM. Those are when my airway gets constricted some for whatever reason. If I'm on my back (very rarely) it's like I never had anything done; and is as bad as when I first got tested.

SARPE with further lower expansion, another expander on my upper, try adding expansion with a positioner, maybe that evil looking Herbst sleep apnea appliance ...

I am starting to get a bit tired of the whole braces thing; even though I've said I won't get them off until they were as good as they could get. It's just so hard to really talk to an ortho that's only looking in my mouth for 1 minute every 4 weeks. Might be time I have a sit down with him and explain my concerns; either that or find a new ortho as I'm sure he's sick of seeing me.

[jaime]

I don't blame you for getting tired of it all.

It does sound like you're due for an honest conversation with your ortho. I know what you mean about only seeing them for a minute. It doesn't make it any easier bombarding them with questions and concerns.

It is really frustrating to go through this much and it not be as perfect as it should be.

[jaime]

HELLO KAYLA WE NEED A PHOTO!!!!! I AM WAITING PATIENTLY* HERE.

*that's a lie, obviously. hahaha