So its been 5 months since I got my braces and I still haven't seen my orthodontist since before this :/ I am supposed to be seeing him in less than 2 weeks and I can't wait! It feels like it can't come soon enough. I've got so many questions but I know when I get in that room I'll forget them all and my mind will come up blank!
I've noticed I've got a tongue thrust and a reverse swallow, so I've spent the past month trying to correct this with exercises and constantly thinking about where my tongue is positioned in my mouth. Its hard but I know it will be worth it in the end. I don't want to go through all this and then have to deal with a relapse at the end of it. I'm planning to ask my ortho if I will be getting permanent retainers after all this - I hope so!!!
Another thing - My surgeon and ortho 5 months ago told me they want to do the surgery this january and i'm itching to know if i'm still on target for this. I hope he isn't particularly vague when I ask him. If he said I was on track that would make me one seriously happy bunny!!
Friday 26 August 2011
Tuesday 26 July 2011
The week after wisdom teeth fun
So as soon as I got home I think I scared my mum half to death, she looked on at my face in horror. Okay so I was weirdly swollen to say it had just happened and was expecting most of it to come out overnight. I did have bits of blood on my aswell, struggled to speak and threw a glass of water down me trying to take a sip. It must be bedtime I thought..
I was feeling sorry for myself and this was pretty much the theme for the week. I went to bed and we put some tele on. At this point I refused to go to sleep even though the anaesthetic was working I didn't want to give in. I finally did. It was a restless night as the pain started to kick in after a few hours. I managed to sleep propped right up with about four pillows, took some pain killers and then tried to get a few hours kip more. I was awake fully for about 7am and decided to get up. Some how I appeared to be even more swollen than the night before and lovely bruising had started to come out.
I couldn't really manage to eat and still felt really sick from the anaesthetic. This went on for about 5 days. My friend came to visit me that first day and was shocked at my face (Nice ! :P haha) The days went by and I have to say I was pretty bored being off work and home alone. I wasn't supposed to be taking any time away from work and I ended up needing the whole next week off. I lost 9 1/2 pounds in 8 days - weight just seems to drop off me. Not when I actually want it to haha. So I was feeling pretty weak and was still bruised and swollen.
All in all I didn't expect the extractions to be that bad but I've heard mixed stories. Some people had same as me, worse or were completely fine afterwards. I think its because they were compact and one impacted though. I have got nerve damage and can't feel my chin still after 2 months. I'm hoping it will come back but its not the end of the world if it doesn't. The damage may get worse anyway after my actual surgery.
Here's a picture of me before the op:
Here's a picture of me after the op:
And a few days after:
I was feeling sorry for myself and this was pretty much the theme for the week. I went to bed and we put some tele on. At this point I refused to go to sleep even though the anaesthetic was working I didn't want to give in. I finally did. It was a restless night as the pain started to kick in after a few hours. I managed to sleep propped right up with about four pillows, took some pain killers and then tried to get a few hours kip more. I was awake fully for about 7am and decided to get up. Some how I appeared to be even more swollen than the night before and lovely bruising had started to come out.
I couldn't really manage to eat and still felt really sick from the anaesthetic. This went on for about 5 days. My friend came to visit me that first day and was shocked at my face (Nice ! :P haha) The days went by and I have to say I was pretty bored being off work and home alone. I wasn't supposed to be taking any time away from work and I ended up needing the whole next week off. I lost 9 1/2 pounds in 8 days - weight just seems to drop off me. Not when I actually want it to haha. So I was feeling pretty weak and was still bruised and swollen.
All in all I didn't expect the extractions to be that bad but I've heard mixed stories. Some people had same as me, worse or were completely fine afterwards. I think its because they were compact and one impacted though. I have got nerve damage and can't feel my chin still after 2 months. I'm hoping it will come back but its not the end of the world if it doesn't. The damage may get worse anyway after my actual surgery.
Here's a picture of me before the op:
Here's a picture of me after the op:
And a few days after:
Extraction time
I'm having to write most of these from memory as I've let time get away with me and not done it straight after things happened.
When they put my braces on I was told I'd need both my bottom wisdom teeth out as well to prepare for Jaw surgery. As my teeth with compact, one impacted and I had a big nasty nerve running right next to it the surgeon wanted me to be put under for it. Now I was scared as I had never had GA but I think I would have been terrified if they did it with me awake in the dentist chair. Hurrah I thought. After a pre-op on the same day they booked me in for the op... Friday the 13th! Great!
So I had five weeks to wait and I was getting a little bit scared but I tried to push it to the back of my mind. They were doing the extraction on a friday and said I wouldn't need anytime off work (I work mon - fri) so I thought how hard can it be? The day before the op was my boyfriends birthday so we went out for tea. I took this opportunity to stuff my face as much as I could, after all eating with a tender mouth from the next day onwards meant meal times would probably be a bit boring.
The next day rolled round and I was terrified. It was the anaesthetic that was really getting to me. I didn't like the thought of the lack of control when going to sleep and I didn't know how I was going to feel when I woke up because of it. I got dropped off at the hospital shortly before 12 and was asked to change into my robe and take off jewellery etc. It was a big room with lots of other patients in waiting and so I took a seat and started the process of waiting around. Occasionally I got saw by a nurse or doctor to answer some questions and finally got took down at 3.30pm for the op. I was so nervous when the nurse asked me to take everything off except the robe I forgot I was wearing slippers and left them on. I couldn't understand why she kept asking me to remove everything. When I was on the bed I remember they were talking to me about alcohol... weird. Asking me whats my favourite drink etc. They were struggling to find my vein and was trying to keep me preoccupied but to be honest the needle wasn't bothering me. I was breathing in the oxygen and talking inbetween and then the next thing I remember was waking up.
I looked at the clock and 1 hr and 10 mins had passed. I was struggling to keep my eyes open and a nurse kept speaking to me, I felt so tired and everything was slightly muffled. I felt really sick, my face felt the size of the moon and I was in pain. The sickness was definitely worse. They left me alone and I kept dozing in and out of sleep everytime I woke up I'd look at the clock and about 30 mins would have passed. They occasionally came over to check on me. They asked me if I wanted anything to eat but I could not think of anything worse. I was led there trying not to be sick it was horrible. They got me a glass of water and in 2 1/2 hours I think I only managed about 2 sips. At about 7pm a nurse came over, pulled me forward and started whacking my back. She said I'd swallowed a lot of blood and needed to be sick. I don't think it helped that as she was doing this I was trying my hardest not to be sick, in the end I won. They tried to coax me with some food again as they didn't want me to leave without having any but I couldn't manage it. All the other patients had gone home and all nurses bar one. It was 7.45pm when they decided to ring my boyfriend to pick me up. I could not wait to get home...
When they put my braces on I was told I'd need both my bottom wisdom teeth out as well to prepare for Jaw surgery. As my teeth with compact, one impacted and I had a big nasty nerve running right next to it the surgeon wanted me to be put under for it. Now I was scared as I had never had GA but I think I would have been terrified if they did it with me awake in the dentist chair. Hurrah I thought. After a pre-op on the same day they booked me in for the op... Friday the 13th! Great!
So I had five weeks to wait and I was getting a little bit scared but I tried to push it to the back of my mind. They were doing the extraction on a friday and said I wouldn't need anytime off work (I work mon - fri) so I thought how hard can it be? The day before the op was my boyfriends birthday so we went out for tea. I took this opportunity to stuff my face as much as I could, after all eating with a tender mouth from the next day onwards meant meal times would probably be a bit boring.
The next day rolled round and I was terrified. It was the anaesthetic that was really getting to me. I didn't like the thought of the lack of control when going to sleep and I didn't know how I was going to feel when I woke up because of it. I got dropped off at the hospital shortly before 12 and was asked to change into my robe and take off jewellery etc. It was a big room with lots of other patients in waiting and so I took a seat and started the process of waiting around. Occasionally I got saw by a nurse or doctor to answer some questions and finally got took down at 3.30pm for the op. I was so nervous when the nurse asked me to take everything off except the robe I forgot I was wearing slippers and left them on. I couldn't understand why she kept asking me to remove everything. When I was on the bed I remember they were talking to me about alcohol... weird. Asking me whats my favourite drink etc. They were struggling to find my vein and was trying to keep me preoccupied but to be honest the needle wasn't bothering me. I was breathing in the oxygen and talking inbetween and then the next thing I remember was waking up.
I looked at the clock and 1 hr and 10 mins had passed. I was struggling to keep my eyes open and a nurse kept speaking to me, I felt so tired and everything was slightly muffled. I felt really sick, my face felt the size of the moon and I was in pain. The sickness was definitely worse. They left me alone and I kept dozing in and out of sleep everytime I woke up I'd look at the clock and about 30 mins would have passed. They occasionally came over to check on me. They asked me if I wanted anything to eat but I could not think of anything worse. I was led there trying not to be sick it was horrible. They got me a glass of water and in 2 1/2 hours I think I only managed about 2 sips. At about 7pm a nurse came over, pulled me forward and started whacking my back. She said I'd swallowed a lot of blood and needed to be sick. I don't think it helped that as she was doing this I was trying my hardest not to be sick, in the end I won. They tried to coax me with some food again as they didn't want me to leave without having any but I couldn't manage it. All the other patients had gone home and all nurses bar one. It was 7.45pm when they decided to ring my boyfriend to pick me up. I could not wait to get home...
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Train track hell
As I left the hospital with my boyfriend I thought to myself, these aren't too bad! little did I know that was just the beginning!!
I went straight to boots and stocked up on orthodontic toothpaste, mouthwash, interdental brushes. Basically anything I could get my hands on and then off i went home. The first hurdle was trying to eat something at lunch. I'd never found a time when it hurt to eat soup? But I powered through, it was uncomfortable but it didn't hurt that bad!
It was the next day when I really noticed. The dull pain had kept me awake a bit but I just took some pain killers and got on with it. The next day I was in work and was anxious for everyone to see my new braces. I'm 23 and work in management so obviously I did feel self conscious. The first person I saw was my old boss who could be bitchy at the best of times. hmmmm what have you done to your teeth? he said.... They're not *that* bad I suppose! But you can really see them can't you!? .... What a great start to the day and I hadn't even got into the office yet!
Everyone else was so supportive of them, they were great. I really struggled with talking for the first day just because of the pain. I was lucky because the brace didn't actually caused a lisp or anything. That day I was going out for a leavinglunch as I'd just left one team and moved into another department. We went to an italian and I ordered a sloppy lasagne - I think I managed about 1/5 of it and it was a rather small piece!
For the next week I did sturggle to eat. I mainly lived off rice pudding, porridge, rice and mashed potato. In total I lost 7lbs in about 9 days. Result I thought! That half a stone I've been wanting to shift has just falling off me .... needless to say it found its way back to me quick enough! :)
After that first week things got much better - i couldn't eat everything i once could and of course things took a lot longer for me to chew but I was in no where near the pain I was at the beginning! I was finally starting to see that the braces would be worth it!
I went straight to boots and stocked up on orthodontic toothpaste, mouthwash, interdental brushes. Basically anything I could get my hands on and then off i went home. The first hurdle was trying to eat something at lunch. I'd never found a time when it hurt to eat soup? But I powered through, it was uncomfortable but it didn't hurt that bad!
It was the next day when I really noticed. The dull pain had kept me awake a bit but I just took some pain killers and got on with it. The next day I was in work and was anxious for everyone to see my new braces. I'm 23 and work in management so obviously I did feel self conscious. The first person I saw was my old boss who could be bitchy at the best of times. hmmmm what have you done to your teeth? he said.... They're not *that* bad I suppose! But you can really see them can't you!? .... What a great start to the day and I hadn't even got into the office yet!
Everyone else was so supportive of them, they were great. I really struggled with talking for the first day just because of the pain. I was lucky because the brace didn't actually caused a lisp or anything. That day I was going out for a leavinglunch as I'd just left one team and moved into another department. We went to an italian and I ordered a sloppy lasagne - I think I managed about 1/5 of it and it was a rather small piece!
For the next week I did sturggle to eat. I mainly lived off rice pudding, porridge, rice and mashed potato. In total I lost 7lbs in about 9 days. Result I thought! That half a stone I've been wanting to shift has just falling off me .... needless to say it found its way back to me quick enough! :)
After that first week things got much better - i couldn't eat everything i once could and of course things took a lot longer for me to chew but I was in no where near the pain I was at the beginning! I was finally starting to see that the braces would be worth it!
Brace face time
31st March 2011 is definitely a day I will not forget in a hurry. The day I got braced.
I was told when I arrived I would only be getting my top braces on, something that at the time I was disappointed about. In retrospect I think I was definitely lucky for it to be done in stages. It didn't actually take too long for me to get braced. I was expecting a good hour of pulling, tugging, tightening etc. I now know the bracing isn't the bad part really its the aftermath!
They gave my teeth a quick clean and then started gluing each bracket on. easy! It felt so weird after that and between them putting the wire on because they left me for a minute. I ran my tongue over each bracket, getting used to the alien feel of it on my teeth. When they put the wire on I felt so much pressure. I will admit it was an uncomfortable thing to go through but by no means unbearable - although i did break a few nails without realising because I was digging my nails in to my legs. I actually though, couldn't believe it was over so quickly.
The assistant then led me into another room. I said thanks, or at least tried to, when she opened the door for me. okay, I thought, this may not be as easy as once thought. She talked me through the horrors of tooth decay, scare mongering me into brushing after every meal... and it worked! Then she let me go. My boyfriend had come to the appointment with me and I was so scared to let him see me with them on. I knew he wasn't going to bother but I would and they hadn't even let me look in a mirror yet. So I hid my mouth and told him not to speak to me until I could get to a mirror! (baby I know!)
I was told when I arrived I would only be getting my top braces on, something that at the time I was disappointed about. In retrospect I think I was definitely lucky for it to be done in stages. It didn't actually take too long for me to get braced. I was expecting a good hour of pulling, tugging, tightening etc. I now know the bracing isn't the bad part really its the aftermath!
They gave my teeth a quick clean and then started gluing each bracket on. easy! It felt so weird after that and between them putting the wire on because they left me for a minute. I ran my tongue over each bracket, getting used to the alien feel of it on my teeth. When they put the wire on I felt so much pressure. I will admit it was an uncomfortable thing to go through but by no means unbearable - although i did break a few nails without realising because I was digging my nails in to my legs. I actually though, couldn't believe it was over so quickly.
The assistant then led me into another room. I said thanks, or at least tried to, when she opened the door for me. okay, I thought, this may not be as easy as once thought. She talked me through the horrors of tooth decay, scare mongering me into brushing after every meal... and it worked! Then she let me go. My boyfriend had come to the appointment with me and I was so scared to let him see me with them on. I knew he wasn't going to bother but I would and they hadn't even let me look in a mirror yet. So I hid my mouth and told him not to speak to me until I could get to a mirror! (baby I know!)
Wednesday 18 May 2011
Appointment city and I'm the mayor
So after forking out £80 for one consultation its not surprising the world was my oyster at when I would like to be seen and how soon I would. I only had to wait about 2 weeks.... the longest two weeks of my life it would seem. But finally the day arrived. I was so excited to finally go and find out if I was a valid candidate for braces on the NHS or how must it would all cost if I decided to go privately. Surely this appointment was going to be an all singing and dancing appointment seen as it cost so much.... maybe not!
I walked in to the room and was greeted by a friendly assistant and orthodontist... great start I thought. He sat me down, asked me a couple of questions and then had a quick look in my mouth. 'Right' He said... great I thought this must be where they take all the pictures, do all the moulds etc etc....wrong! The orthodontist then gave me a break down of prices for private braces only but said I was a candidate for orthognathic surgery and braces on the NHS..... then I was sent packing to mull over it orthagnathic surgery, Dvd in hand.
So I walked away feeling kind of deflated..... its not all bad though I thought maybe I wouldn't have to pay the whole £80 seen as the consultation wasn't completed. Wrong again. Now that really hurt. But the positive bit was I'd been seen a lot sooner than if I had waited for an NHS appointment, they had agreed to do the surgery and braces for free and they were going to send me a real consultation appointment. So I watched the Dvd to make sure I fully knew what I was letting myself in for. After the full hour of watching bits of operations, listening to people explain how hard it is to go through I miraculously still wanted to go through with it. So all I had to do now was wait for my next appointment to come through.
This didn't actually happen until 4 1/2 months later. Needless to say I was restless. But at least the main consultation was going to happen and we could really get down to business. Wrong again. I went to a different town to see my orthodontist because it meant I could have an earlier appointment. When going into the room once again I was excited to be moving on the process..... I spent and entire 3 minutes in the room before being discharged. The disappointment was indescribable. No moulds. No pictures. No real info. I just got told I was going to have to go and make another appointment to see my orthodontist again. That second appointment only really acted as a ultimatum appointment. Will she or won't she sign her life away?
Its not all bad though.... I made my next appointment and my orthodontist swindled it so I could see him and my surgeon at the same time. I did have to wait another 2 months but in the end it really was worth it. I arrived and was taken straight to a room to have my photos taken, then all my moulds were done, I was then sent for my xrays and after that I had a joint appointment with my orthodontist and surgeon. After that I only had to wait 2 weeks and my pearly whites were braced.
I walked in to the room and was greeted by a friendly assistant and orthodontist... great start I thought. He sat me down, asked me a couple of questions and then had a quick look in my mouth. 'Right' He said... great I thought this must be where they take all the pictures, do all the moulds etc etc....wrong! The orthodontist then gave me a break down of prices for private braces only but said I was a candidate for orthognathic surgery and braces on the NHS..... then I was sent packing to mull over it orthagnathic surgery, Dvd in hand.
So I walked away feeling kind of deflated..... its not all bad though I thought maybe I wouldn't have to pay the whole £80 seen as the consultation wasn't completed. Wrong again. Now that really hurt. But the positive bit was I'd been seen a lot sooner than if I had waited for an NHS appointment, they had agreed to do the surgery and braces for free and they were going to send me a real consultation appointment. So I watched the Dvd to make sure I fully knew what I was letting myself in for. After the full hour of watching bits of operations, listening to people explain how hard it is to go through I miraculously still wanted to go through with it. So all I had to do now was wait for my next appointment to come through.
This didn't actually happen until 4 1/2 months later. Needless to say I was restless. But at least the main consultation was going to happen and we could really get down to business. Wrong again. I went to a different town to see my orthodontist because it meant I could have an earlier appointment. When going into the room once again I was excited to be moving on the process..... I spent and entire 3 minutes in the room before being discharged. The disappointment was indescribable. No moulds. No pictures. No real info. I just got told I was going to have to go and make another appointment to see my orthodontist again. That second appointment only really acted as a ultimatum appointment. Will she or won't she sign her life away?
Its not all bad though.... I made my next appointment and my orthodontist swindled it so I could see him and my surgeon at the same time. I did have to wait another 2 months but in the end it really was worth it. I arrived and was taken straight to a room to have my photos taken, then all my moulds were done, I was then sent for my xrays and after that I had a joint appointment with my orthodontist and surgeon. After that I only had to wait 2 weeks and my pearly whites were braced.
Wednesday 27 April 2011
The rest is history...
So after years of being unhappy with my teeth I decided to take action myself and march down to the dentist to ask for a brace. There is a bit of background regarding my gnashers...
When I was 16 they sent me to the hospital to get my jaw checked out and told me I needed surgery. Of course I did what any 16 year old would do when given the choice of having a major operation or getting to keep my summer holidays to laze around with mates - I said no.
When I was 20 I had changed to a different dentist when it creeped up on me again. Would I like to have jaw surgery to correct my bite? Still naive and young at heart I thought better of it. Why was I always given this grand choice? Why not just waltz me off to the theatre and be done with it? My mum and dad weren't overly impressed with the idea of me having my jaw broken when it didn't seem to be an imperative thing. So once again I got away with it, my jaw intact.
Fast-forward 2 1/2 years later and I started to feel self conscious about my pearly whites. I'd over analyse pictures of myself, make sure I was at a particular angle on photos, smile with my mouth closed. Anything to not have to look at those teeth of mine. I noticed they were getting more and more out of line as the months and years went by. I longed for that perfect hollywood smile. I ate, slept and breathed having an amazing smile. Starting a new job - I felt self conscious. What were people going to think of my teeth?? Probably nothing - they're just teeth right? But to me they were getting to be all I could think about. Everytime I met someone new I'd analyse their teeth and smile. Triumphant that maybe one of my teeth was better aligned than theirs or unhappy that they didn't live constantly chained up in a world of crookedness.
Now as you're reading this you may think 'She must have the worst teeth in the world'. I didn't. Far from it. But it was just something that became so central and important to myself. That day in the dentist when I asked for a brace he told me I was probably eligible for it free on the NHS because of my jaw but I could get a quicker consultation if I paid £80. So I did it. Anything to get this show on the road...
When I was 16 they sent me to the hospital to get my jaw checked out and told me I needed surgery. Of course I did what any 16 year old would do when given the choice of having a major operation or getting to keep my summer holidays to laze around with mates - I said no.
When I was 20 I had changed to a different dentist when it creeped up on me again. Would I like to have jaw surgery to correct my bite? Still naive and young at heart I thought better of it. Why was I always given this grand choice? Why not just waltz me off to the theatre and be done with it? My mum and dad weren't overly impressed with the idea of me having my jaw broken when it didn't seem to be an imperative thing. So once again I got away with it, my jaw intact.
Fast-forward 2 1/2 years later and I started to feel self conscious about my pearly whites. I'd over analyse pictures of myself, make sure I was at a particular angle on photos, smile with my mouth closed. Anything to not have to look at those teeth of mine. I noticed they were getting more and more out of line as the months and years went by. I longed for that perfect hollywood smile. I ate, slept and breathed having an amazing smile. Starting a new job - I felt self conscious. What were people going to think of my teeth?? Probably nothing - they're just teeth right? But to me they were getting to be all I could think about. Everytime I met someone new I'd analyse their teeth and smile. Triumphant that maybe one of my teeth was better aligned than theirs or unhappy that they didn't live constantly chained up in a world of crookedness.
Now as you're reading this you may think 'She must have the worst teeth in the world'. I didn't. Far from it. But it was just something that became so central and important to myself. That day in the dentist when I asked for a brace he told me I was probably eligible for it free on the NHS because of my jaw but I could get a quicker consultation if I paid £80. So I did it. Anything to get this show on the road...
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