Shortly after surgery, my OS told me the plan was to complete my treatment down the road with veneers on 6 bottom teeth. My bottom teeth are teeny tiny and have gaps between all front 6. To prevent shifting of my teeth and for bite retention they would need to be touching. I discussed this with my OD and asked him what plan B was. I told him I was not comfortable with 6 lower veneers if I had another option. I just couldn't stand the thought of altering my natural teeth which were perfectly functional even though they didn't look perfect. I shuddered at the cost, the fact that veneers would need replaced at some point in my life, and the thought of my bottom teeth looking different from my top teeth. So, he came up with plan B for me which was to pull the bottom 6 together with braces then build up the two teeth behind my bottom eye teeth to close those two gaps. I was much more comfortable with this plan as it only altered two teeth. So, we progressed with this plan and have been working on it for the past several months.
Skip to last week...
It didn't work. My bottom teeth did come together. But my jaws are wonky and not symmetrical, so to keep the midlines lined up I ended up with a very large space on the left side and none on the right. You could almost put another tooth in that gap! So, we've had to nix plan B and go back to plan A. I'm very frustrated. Not with my team or anything, just with the situation. They tried, and I'm thankful for that.
I saw the cosmetic dentist my OS wants me to see. He said 6 lower veneers are my only option at this point. If I would have gone along with this recommendation from the begining, I'd be done and brace free today. Oh well. Now, we must spend the next few months spreading the teeth back out to where they were to prep them for veneers. I know, I know, I'm an idiot! I've had these braces on since July of 2010 and I'm antsy to be done.
Over the next 3 months, hopefully the teeth will cooperated and I'll get started on my veneers. I have to come up the 10 grand ASAP to cover the cost. Nauseated! Between the $5,500 for braces (this round), several hundred dollars in out of pocket expenses for surgery and $10, 000 for veneers, I'm financially drained. At least the surgery was covered I guess, but I wasn't expecting the braces to cost so much and I was never planning on 10 grand in veneers so I'm feeling quite stressed about all the money.
Sorry for the whining, I should be more grateful I suppose. I'm just stressed about the unexpected costs.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Almost over
I just came from the OD. He said it's possible I'll get my braces removed in 2 months! I'm so excited about this. I could have gravel free teeth in 8 short weeks :)
Once they are removed, I'll go for my retainers. Then I plan on having my teeth bleached but not sure what my options are. I'll have to look into it, but I'll probably go with what ever works the fastest. I'm tired of waiting, and waiting for results. So, I'm looking for some instant gratification here. Anyone have some advice? Then, I'll have to have some cosmetic work done on a few teeth to fill the gaps. Then new retainers again.
So, in 3 months (fingers crossed) I may have a perfect smile. I can't wait!
Once they are removed, I'll go for my retainers. Then I plan on having my teeth bleached but not sure what my options are. I'll have to look into it, but I'll probably go with what ever works the fastest. I'm tired of waiting, and waiting for results. So, I'm looking for some instant gratification here. Anyone have some advice? Then, I'll have to have some cosmetic work done on a few teeth to fill the gaps. Then new retainers again.
So, in 3 months (fingers crossed) I may have a perfect smile. I can't wait!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Recent pics
Keir and I went to a wedding on Sunday. We managed to snap a few photos. I am so much less paranoid about my face now. These pics were taken quickly, no posing or posturing of my jaw like I've done for years. It's nice to finally not HATE the random pictures.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Almost 6 months!
I can't believe I'm almost 6 months post-op now. At times it feels like just yesterday I was a big ball of misery on my Mom's easy chair. I'm feeling pretty good these days and don't have any major complaints. My pain is minimal and at this point I'm in much less pain than before surgery. That said, I'd have to consider this journey all worth the hassle. Though, I'll admit, there were times when I wasn't so sure.
I'm so greatful to be at this point. My jaw and face are mostly healed and I didn't have any major complications. I'm back to a normal life and I'm starting to forget about my broken face. Most days I'm not freaked out when I look in the mirror, so I guess the new look is growing on me. There is a small vain voice in my head once in a while that wishes I could have had a better asthetic outcome. You know, more symmetry, less jowls, a better nose. I mean, they took my face apart, so why couldn't they put me back together to look like Cindy Crawford? I know, they are surgeons not miracle workers. So, I'm just thankful to have a slightly improved look and greatly improved function.
I saw the OS yesterday. He is very pleased with everything and doesn't want to see me for 3 months. That is such a relief because the every 4 week appointments were getting bothersome. I see the OD on October 2nd and we will talk about how much longer I'll need these wretched braces. It's taking a while because the OS and OD wanted to have veneers placed on my bottom teeth to close the gaps on my very tiny lower 6 teeth for bite retention. I really didn't want to go that route, so the OD is trying to pull my lower 6 together with a power chain, then I'll have some bonding done behind them to close those 2 gaps. Seems to be working. Fingers crossed!
I'm so greatful to be at this point. My jaw and face are mostly healed and I didn't have any major complications. I'm back to a normal life and I'm starting to forget about my broken face. Most days I'm not freaked out when I look in the mirror, so I guess the new look is growing on me. There is a small vain voice in my head once in a while that wishes I could have had a better asthetic outcome. You know, more symmetry, less jowls, a better nose. I mean, they took my face apart, so why couldn't they put me back together to look like Cindy Crawford? I know, they are surgeons not miracle workers. So, I'm just thankful to have a slightly improved look and greatly improved function.
I saw the OS yesterday. He is very pleased with everything and doesn't want to see me for 3 months. That is such a relief because the every 4 week appointments were getting bothersome. I see the OD on October 2nd and we will talk about how much longer I'll need these wretched braces. It's taking a while because the OS and OD wanted to have veneers placed on my bottom teeth to close the gaps on my very tiny lower 6 teeth for bite retention. I really didn't want to go that route, so the OD is trying to pull my lower 6 together with a power chain, then I'll have some bonding done behind them to close those 2 gaps. Seems to be working. Fingers crossed!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Blog settings
Does anyone know how I can make my blog slightly less public without setting it to private?
For instance, when one googles "droopy dog jaw" my blog pics come up in the internet search. I'm not too sure how I feel about this level of public access to my messed up mug. I do want my blog to be accessible for public searches but I'd rather my pics not pop up everywhere. Any suggestions?
For instance, when one googles "droopy dog jaw" my blog pics come up in the internet search. I'm not too sure how I feel about this level of public access to my messed up mug. I do want my blog to be accessible for public searches but I'd rather my pics not pop up everywhere. Any suggestions?
Saturday, August 25, 2012
5 months or 155 days
It's been 155 days since they sawed my face apart. Although I expected to be much more recovered at this point, the last few weeks have shown drastic improvement. A quick run-down of key jaw surgery talking points for you:
Pain
SOOOO much better the past 2 weeks. I thought it may never let up. I'm able to be more
active without paying for it the next day. I even managed yard work in the heat last weekend without my face getting sore. I actually climbed up on a ladder and trimmed trees! Go me. It's still a bit sore and tender to touch on either side of the bridge of my nose, sort of on the front of my cheeks. Also, the spot on my left mandible (where I was afraid a pin was loose) is still sore to press on or lay on. My TMJ pain is significantly better the past 2-3 weeks. All in all, I'm fairly pain free.
Swelling
My cheeks are still puffyish, but it is slowly melting away. I've always had kind of chubby cheeks though, so I don't know if it will get much better at this point. I think the puffiness is just slightly relocated from where it used to be. I know my joint swelling is still decreasing though because things are lining up with my bite and the pressure feels a lot less in the joint. I'm still taking Ibuprofen twice daily (doctor's orders) and if I miss a dose, I start to feel it.
Numbness
I still have two spots of tingly numbness on either side of the bottom of my chin. It feels really strange to touch it there. My lips are maybe 20% numb now, but I don't notice it much. My top 4 teeth and the roof of my mouth directly behind the teeth is all still fairly numb but it doesn't bother me a bit. If my numbness didn't improve beyond this point, I could live with it and not be very bothered. At the end of the day, I still have a bit of that mask-like feeling of my cheeks and lips where it all feels tight and weird. But it's not a big deal.
Bite
My bite is finally starting to feel comfortable. I don't have to think about lining up my jaw when closing my teeth together. Most of the time, it just goes where it should. My four back molars still don't touch but the OD took the brackets off those teeth with hopes they will come down and eventually make contact. My midlines are lining up better and I haven't needed to wear my guiding elastic in over 2 weeks. Yay! The gaps to either side of my top 4 teeth (where they segmented my jaw) are almost completely closed now. So it's looking slightly less wonky. The gaps in my lower teeth (that I have always had) are closing up nicely also, thanks to the closed link power-chain from hell. Ouchie.
Eating
I am at one with the lettuce! I can now manage to eat a salad without incident, talk while eating without spitting, and have a proper social lunch with friends. I've conquered steak and potato chips lately also, without pain. I've come to conclusion that black beans and rice are the anti-braces meal for a proper social lunch with friends. Regardless of how easy they are to eat, and regardless of how yummy they may be, trust me my friends, you do NOT want to attempt this meal in public. Unless, of course, you would like to make a true spectacle of yourself while flashing a grill FULL of black and white lumps. That, and cooked spinach. For goodness sakes, avoid the spinach!
Speech
No real problems with my speech now. I've learned to say my S's and T's without biting my tongue. Very happy about this accomplishment. My lisp (pre-surgery) is mostly gone now that I have top teeth over bottom teeth. I do whistle accidentally through my teeth once in a while (like granny's ill-fitting denture whistle) but I cannot manage to whistle on purpose. Go figure!
Hope you all are doing well either in your recovery or in your pre-op preparations. And if any of my posts worry you, just remember that I was a more complicated case than many, and most people will recover more quickly than I have. Despite this long road, I'm fairly certain I will have no regrets in the long run. Smiles!
Pain
SOOOO much better the past 2 weeks. I thought it may never let up. I'm able to be more
active without paying for it the next day. I even managed yard work in the heat last weekend without my face getting sore. I actually climbed up on a ladder and trimmed trees! Go me. It's still a bit sore and tender to touch on either side of the bridge of my nose, sort of on the front of my cheeks. Also, the spot on my left mandible (where I was afraid a pin was loose) is still sore to press on or lay on. My TMJ pain is significantly better the past 2-3 weeks. All in all, I'm fairly pain free.
Swelling
My cheeks are still puffyish, but it is slowly melting away. I've always had kind of chubby cheeks though, so I don't know if it will get much better at this point. I think the puffiness is just slightly relocated from where it used to be. I know my joint swelling is still decreasing though because things are lining up with my bite and the pressure feels a lot less in the joint. I'm still taking Ibuprofen twice daily (doctor's orders) and if I miss a dose, I start to feel it.
"Seriously? With the cheeks? Still?!"
Numbness
I still have two spots of tingly numbness on either side of the bottom of my chin. It feels really strange to touch it there. My lips are maybe 20% numb now, but I don't notice it much. My top 4 teeth and the roof of my mouth directly behind the teeth is all still fairly numb but it doesn't bother me a bit. If my numbness didn't improve beyond this point, I could live with it and not be very bothered. At the end of the day, I still have a bit of that mask-like feeling of my cheeks and lips where it all feels tight and weird. But it's not a big deal.
Bite
My bite is finally starting to feel comfortable. I don't have to think about lining up my jaw when closing my teeth together. Most of the time, it just goes where it should. My four back molars still don't touch but the OD took the brackets off those teeth with hopes they will come down and eventually make contact. My midlines are lining up better and I haven't needed to wear my guiding elastic in over 2 weeks. Yay! The gaps to either side of my top 4 teeth (where they segmented my jaw) are almost completely closed now. So it's looking slightly less wonky. The gaps in my lower teeth (that I have always had) are closing up nicely also, thanks to the closed link power-chain from hell. Ouchie.
Eating
I am at one with the lettuce! I can now manage to eat a salad without incident, talk while eating without spitting, and have a proper social lunch with friends. I've conquered steak and potato chips lately also, without pain. I've come to conclusion that black beans and rice are the anti-braces meal for a proper social lunch with friends. Regardless of how easy they are to eat, and regardless of how yummy they may be, trust me my friends, you do NOT want to attempt this meal in public. Unless, of course, you would like to make a true spectacle of yourself while flashing a grill FULL of black and white lumps. That, and cooked spinach. For goodness sakes, avoid the spinach!
Speech
No real problems with my speech now. I've learned to say my S's and T's without biting my tongue. Very happy about this accomplishment. My lisp (pre-surgery) is mostly gone now that I have top teeth over bottom teeth. I do whistle accidentally through my teeth once in a while (like granny's ill-fitting denture whistle) but I cannot manage to whistle on purpose. Go figure!
Hope you all are doing well either in your recovery or in your pre-op preparations. And if any of my posts worry you, just remember that I was a more complicated case than many, and most people will recover more quickly than I have. Despite this long road, I'm fairly certain I will have no regrets in the long run. Smiles!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Almost 5 months post op
Time is really buzzing by these days. Over the last two weeks I've seen the OS and the OD. The surgeon is really happy with how everything looks. I was worried about a pain I've been having on my left mandible. Around where the hardware is, when I rub it too hard, like when washing my face or applying sunscreen, I get this sharp pinch in my skin like something is cutting me. I was concerned a pin may be coming loose. But they took an xray and said it looks fine. He said the area of pain is where the ligament connects to bone and it's probably just sore still. I'm also worried about my abilities; the heat is hard on me. When I get overheated more than one day in a row, I get lots of swelling and pain. I'm also still not able to bend over for long without a lot of pressure and aching in my face. I told the OS, "I still can't scrub my floors." His response was, "well, you shouldn't be doing that yet, tell your husband to do it." HAHAHAHAHAHA, yeah, sure doc. He's a good guy and all, but not exactly a scrubbing the floors kinda guy. He said, "you tell him I said it's doctors orders." I love my surgeon :) He told me not to worry and just take it easy. And that total recovery for this surgery is 6 to 12 months. I know he said this prior to surgery, I just didn't believe him I guess.
The OD has fit me in a couple extra times to make adjustments to my wires. I've had problems lately with a couple teeth on the front left hitting first and throwing off my bite. It then flairs up my ongoing right joint pain and is truely a bother. He's getting it sorted out though and things are feeling a bit better. Eating is getting easier, but I have to back off because I've put on a few pounds lately (sigh). But I'm working on that now. Last night I had my first salad. I've missed my salads, it's the one thing I really can't eat well. But, after 50 min, I consumed and entire Insalata Mista with grilled chicken from Bravos and it was delicious!
I go back to the OS and the OD in about 4 weeks. I'll update then with pics. Hope you all are feeling well and enjoying this beautiful summer!
The OD has fit me in a couple extra times to make adjustments to my wires. I've had problems lately with a couple teeth on the front left hitting first and throwing off my bite. It then flairs up my ongoing right joint pain and is truely a bother. He's getting it sorted out though and things are feeling a bit better. Eating is getting easier, but I have to back off because I've put on a few pounds lately (sigh). But I'm working on that now. Last night I had my first salad. I've missed my salads, it's the one thing I really can't eat well. But, after 50 min, I consumed and entire Insalata Mista with grilled chicken from Bravos and it was delicious!
I go back to the OS and the OD in about 4 weeks. I'll update then with pics. Hope you all are feeling well and enjoying this beautiful summer!
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