Saturday, June 4, 2011

Pictures of my braces

Hey everyone! Just wanted to take some proper picture of my braces for future comparison before I end up getting a stronger wire and my bite ends up changing more. I really always thought I had more of a chin but I guess I really don't. Its amazing what you notice when you realize how abnormal your jaw really is. I also have a permanent pouty lip lol. Fortunately this will all change after the surgery. Just a quick refresher.
  • I got my braces about 2 months ago
  • I got my wisdom teeth removed about 2 weeks ago (i think)
  • I am going to the orthodontist on the 22nd of this month (June)
  • I should be surgery ready by December
  • I am hoping to have surgery in April 2012
I really wish I could go ahead with surgery in December but I really want my mom to be here and since she lived in Australia she is worried that the weather might be bad here and that she might have a delayed flight or that something might get in the way. This way in April the weather is decent here and we're less likely to have a snowstorm. I don't think I could totally trust anyone else to care for me so its worth the wait.

Every day I get more and more excited for this surgery and to just imagine that next year at this time I will have a whole new bite and jaw!!
There are a couple other surgeries I am considering now that my fear is gone. I have a really hard time breathing properly through my nose and I have also had issues with my tonsils for years and years. My childhood doctor didn't believe in removing them and they sort of never stopped swelling up. I was suppose to have them removed a few years ago as I was constantly waking up in the middle of the night not breathing and just getting throat infections etc. I chickened out! Anyway I'm lucky they haven't gotten worse but I mean they give me trouble so they're not worth having. I also need to have my adenoids removed. I may have a deviated septum as one side of my nose doesn't work at all, so I'm going to wait until this jaw surgery business is over to see of my nose works properly.
I was actually looking into rhinoplasty before I found out I needed jaw surgery and hopefully the surgery will help with my convex nose that is so obvious due to my convex profile. It seems that jaw surgery changes a lot of the facial features so hopefully my nose will fit with my jaw once its all in line. Well thats that and here are some pictures I just took.





My teeth and lips closed from the side


Teeth and lips closed from the other side


This is my lips closed, its very un-natural as you can tell



This is the natural position my lips close in, with my mouth closed


These are my teeth fully closed from the side


Teeth fully close from the other side


This is my teeth fully closed from the front, smiling big lol

10 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Hey Terra,

    The jaw surgery is going to so beneficial for you. You have the exact recessed chin and convex profile as myself pre surgery. Remember the braces are accentuating you open bite, so your profile will change also. Your bottom lip is exactly how mine was too. Due to having to force you mouth over the bite, the muscles in your chin dimple and your bottom lip becomes bigger because of the muscles that are used to help it meet your top lip. My OS explained this all to me.. very interesting how your jaw has a direct effect on your lip competence.
    I was also considering Rinoplasty and spoke to my OS about combining my septoplasty and Jaw Surgery with the Rinoplasty. He does not advise doing both as there are huge risk and complications. It may be something I do later on down the track but at the moment the genioplasty has made a world of difference in making my nose look less strong and prominent. You will love the results of the surgery!!!! Excited for ya :)

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  3. Your teeth are so big and beautiful, you will be so stuning when all is said and done, even more than now. It is avery good thing that you are correcting your bite now, instead of years later like some of us, lol. I can't wait to follow your blog when it's your time.

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  4. @ Rhianna, Your nose is so perfect now!! It seems like the surgery really balanced everything out so well, you look great! the whole open bite lip competence really sucks. I hate having my mouth open all the time but I just look angry when I close it plus my chin ends up looking so weird. I'm so excited for the jaw surgery.

    @ Tina, you are still so young!! And you look even younger now! I think I would be so nervous and probably be second guessing the whole procedure if it wasn't for the great blogs I've been following. You look so good! I was looking at your before pics one day and your vertical overgrowth looks completely gone now! Your face is so balanced.

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  5. Thanks Terra! I wanted to thank you for that link you posted on my blog with that guy's 3 months worth of progression pics. I keeo referring to it when I am feeling so swollen and lopsided still. He is still swollen until day 54! It totally puts my mind at ease! Thank you!!!!

    And yes, my gummy smile is virtually gone. There still is a little of it but I am totally fine with it because my teeth are small. I keep forvetting that now I can laugh without covering my mouth! Cheese! :D

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  6. Oh, and also, I just shared that link with dani too, to give her some perspective on how long it takes to heal. :)

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  7. Hey Terra!
    Reading through your medical history you've mentioned in this post (the problems with your tonsils, swelling adenoids, deviated septum...no wonder you are having so many mouth issues girl!!! Here is a video I really like about mouth therapy, but watch the part where the therapist shows the illustrations of a tongue thruster vs. a normal person. You'll understand another reason why you can't breath through your nose! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC9-8JSem4Q
    Good luck as always, I'm rooting for you!!! I hope the double jaw surgery helps open up your nose airway! Once you can breath through your nose you will be able to fix the rest of your mouth issues.
    Meghan

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  8. @ Meghan I love that video, I think I'm going to send it to everyone who doesn't understand why I have these issues. The pictures explain perfectly whats going on inside my mouth. Thanks so much, your blog has been so amazing for helping me with this tongue thrust and I'm sure it will continue to be. Actually I think I'm going to head over there now to see your updates :)

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  9. Are you a Glee fan? There was an episode where Finn Hudson accidentally broke Rachel Berry's nose. The doctor advised her to undergo elective rhinoplasty, which would not just remodel her nose but also help her breathing, thus enhancing her singing talent. Anyway, good luck with those surgeries. You rock those braces by the way and your teeth are so white! They're so beautiful!

    Aurea Robillard

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  10. I hope your surgery went well on that expected date. My sister had her braces on two years ago and I witnessed the adjustments she had gone through. The first few weeks were a bit tough, according to her. The pain was, at times, intolerable. She couldn’t eat well. She was only allowed soft food. But, I always reminded her that it’s for the best. Soon, her orthodontist will take off her braces and she’ll have the most wonderful smile ever.

    Isadora Kesten

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