Question about teeth moving before jaw surgery

Hey everyone! I'm a little confused because I have noticed that after my last last visit to the ortho, my bite opened more, and now after this visit I just had, my bite looks more closed. The images from the front make it hard to tell where my jaws are actually sitting, just how open my bite is.

 

First Adjustment

Hey Everyone!

So yesterday I went for my first adjustment. It has been about 10 weeks since my braces were put on. So anyway I went in and an assistant removed my top wire and replaced it with a thicker wire. She changed all my bands which was really nice because they weren't looking oh so clean after 10 weeks.

Two of my teeth are not perfectly in line and the bands alone haven't moved them enough so she decided to tie wire around them to pull them forward in the place of the bands. The wire is really hard to see but I feel the pressure mostly on the bottom tooth.

I asked my orthodontist how long he thinks it will be until I'm surgery ready and he said at this point it looks like 6-8 months. He informed me that at my next appointment we will have a much better idea and I'll have more answers at that point.

My main concern was getting a surgery date that works for me, since my surgeon books pretty far ahead, fortunately my ortho informed me that it won't be a problem, and once he has a good idea as to exactly when I'll be ready he will let me book the surgery, although technically it won't be 6 months yet. I was really happy to hear that. He said he was happy with the progress and next time I'll have a stronger wire put on the top. I don't want to imagine what my last wire before surgery is going to look like, this wire is already pretty thick in comparison to my last wires.

I will probably make a video talking about my wisdom teeth healing and my teeth moving once I actually see them move a little bit more. Keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that I have a lot of progress these next two months so I get the okay to book the surgery. I think that will be the most exciting day I have this year!

At this point my teeth are all very sore and I've been on liquids because chewing is too painful, I really regret not buying ice cream lol. I've been making smoothies so it hasn't been bad, I'm trying really hard not the clench my teeth as I think that causes the most pain. I now run with my tongue in between my top and bottom teeth and I find this makes running much more comfortable. I have a little race/obstacle course coming up in two weeks so I'm hoping my stamina is good. I've also noticed that my diet has been a huge help. I am a vegetarian/vegan for about 8 years now I think and I really realize how important nutrition is now. For anyone undergoing a no chew diet, I can't emphasize enough how amazing vega supplement is, its like those protein powders you get in a tub thing except its all natural and it gives me so much energy. I can tell you, I'm going to be making drinks out of this stuff everyday when I have jaw surgery.

Tongue Thrust Progress!

My jawline with the tongue thrust, it was actually worse before, this is just me trying to show you guys now

To anyone who doesn't know, I've been trying to correct my tongue thrust. It will be a lot easier after I have jaw surgery, but I'm doing what I can, it has made a huge difference in my side profile when looking at my jaw line. The tongue thrust caused the area under my jaw and chin to sort of bulge out.

Also, just wondering if any jaw surgery patients out there are runners? I'm a runner, and I run long distance. I've noticed that now with my jaw worsening its really hard to keep my bottom jaw shut and not vibrating as I run. I guess because my jaws don't fit closed its causing some shock. Its horrible, I'm hoping this will improve post surgery as I would really love to run without my jaw hopping around. I got new runners, haven't tried them out yet but they are soo comfy, and super cute.

Hope all you guys are doing well.

I have an adjustment on Wednesday and I'm hoping I can get an idea of when I'll be surgery ready. Wish me luck everyone! Can't wait to get this done!!

Also, thanks so much to all the wonderful bloggers that have been so helpful and have provided so much information. I love love love it!! I'm going to do a very awful post with my orthodontist pictures of my face, they are horribly ugly and I hope you guys don't have nightmares.

Terra

Favourite Lip Balm

Hey anyone reading this,

So I know how important chap stick and lip balm are for anyone with braces or undergoing jaw surgery. I have become addicted to lip balm. Anyway I got the new MAC liquid lip balm a couple weeks ago, its from their surf line and it is so great! Its a little pricy for lip balm, about the same cost as the lipsticks I think? I have a mac pro card so I got 40% off. Anyway it looks kinda like a lip gloss but feels like a balm, and it has a nice light shimmer. I actually keep it in my pencil case for when I'm studying or I'm at school.

Just a little advice to anyone in uni, summer courses are not worth wasting your summer! What was I thinking. Anyway I'm just finishing midterms which is why I am up at 3am making a post. Other than the mac lip balm, I love the palmers chap stick. It looks like a giant glue stick. the texture is really nice and it lasts forever.
Sorry the images are mirror image, ughh, i don't know how to change this on a mac, anyone know how?

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

WISDOM TEETH and BRACES

My Panoramic X-ray

Day 4 After Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Hey everyone!

So it is day 4! I had my wisdom teeth removed on Friday morning and it is now Monday afternoon. I wanted to let everyone know that it all went great and that I didn't have any pain.

the first day went by pretty quick, I just had a lot of liquids and sat around a whole lot. I ended up getting my booster juice that I wanted. My lovely boyfriend brought it over. I have been sleeping really well also.

The next day it was beautiful outside and I couldn't stand being indoors any longer. We went to a farmers market and spent some time outside. It was really nice. Everyone was out gardening at my house and I started to do a little but ended up getting tired really fast so I stayed on the couch and watched some tv.

I will be on antibiotics until friday and I stopped taking painkillers. I don't know if I even needed the painkillers at all, I haven't had any pain. The only thing I can somewhat complain about is that I can't open my mouth very wide. It doesn't matter much as I'm not chewing foods yet but every time I yawn it sort of won't open.

I have chosen to stay on liquids for most of this first week because I really don't want to get food lodged into the extraction sites. My bottom ones were not stitched and they look like big dark holes so I am trying to keep them clean. Since that is the area my surgeon will be cutting through when I have jaw surgery, I want to make sure it heals as well as possible.

I was giving a very large container filled with chocolate covered raisins the night before my surgery but unfortunately I haven't been able to enjoy them since I was fasting the night before and now I can't chew :( Despite this, they are depleting so I'm guessing my brother has been the lucky one enjoying them. He also went a bought 4 bags of chips yesterday and has been crunching on delicious kettle chips all weekend as I consume my liquids and mushy stuff.

Really looking forward to my holes closing up! They said I could start flushing them after a week so I still have a few days of being super careful.

Hope everyone is doing well and I can't even start to say how excited I am about jaw surgery.

I'm 6 months I will be allowed to book my surgery as long as my bones reform where the teeth were pulled. I was giving 18 months in braces when I got them put on so now I am down to 17 months! Everything is happening so fast.

Hope everyone has a great week and happy Victoria Day to any Canadian readers :)

Me sounding like a 5 year old. I don't really remember much of this part

WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL

Hey everyone!!

I am very proud to say that I have said farewell to my 3rd molars (wisdom teeth).

At 8am this morning I went to my oral surgeon and I signed my life away, went into a surgery room, sat down, and started crying lol.

I wasn't nervous at all until I got into the room. I told the nurse "I am really bad with needles", and she was like ok sit down and I'll give you the nitrous oxide." I sat down and she put it over my nose. Since I can't breathe through my nose due to my anatomy I wasn't feeling very high. I started crying my eyes out when she was asking to see my arm. she was one of those nurses that wasn't very sympathetic. Anyway I told her I couldn't do it over and over and she left and this other nurse came in. This nurse "Katie" was amazing! She was so kind and you could see in her eyes how sweet she was. anyway I told her that I couldn't breathe through my nose and she put the nitrous oxide over my mouth and I started feeling calmer. She put the IV in and it didn't hurt at all. I honestly didn't think she was even done but she was.

After that the surgeon came in and he said hi. He put something in my IV and he asked me if I had questions. I asked him about brushing my teeth. Then I swear I don't even remember closing my eyes, I just remember waking up in a different room and I felt awesome!

This is a video from when I was still at the surgeons. I took a couple other videos that I will make into one video. the other videos are from the drive back and then once I got home.

Honestly for all you nervous people. DON'T BE!

It didn't hurt and I feel great.

Right now I am taking

Clindamycin and Codeine and I have hardly any swelling! :)