Ding dong the RPE is gone...

The expansion device is gone! As of 330 today the torture device is not longer in place.  It was a bit torturous to have it removed...a couple big crunches and it was over but it did make me a little woozy....

We then had to take three impressions.  One for the temporary retainer that would be made in the office and two to be sent out...that process was not too bad...I went back to work for about an hour and came back about 5pm for my temp device.  This one is pretty much soft plastic and covers my entire pallete and top teeth and even includes a  tooth! So even the gap is gone..now I just have one tooth right in the middle but I have to say it is better than the gap...

It will take me a day or two to get used to this new contraption in my mouth and of course I have to wear it all the time.  I have to take it out to eat..and I think I will lose even more weight because I really can only have water while it is in my mouth..tea and colored drinks will stain and get behind it..etc etc..so we will see...about 8-9 lbs lost at this point.  

The news I did not want to hear is that although healing is coming along there is still some movement and everything needs to be secure before we put the braces on..so I thought braces would go on in 2-3 weeks but it may be more like 5-6 weeks..

In about 10 days the more permanent retainer will come in and I will get that one...it is a more acrylic device that will also include a tooth..since the one I have now is just a very pliable plastic there will be some backwards movement and the more permanent device will push it back out..so it will feel tight for a few days..that retainer will just have a few clips on my back teeth and keep my pallete stable while it continues to heal so eating and drinking should be easier once I have that one...

I will see the surgeon and the orthodontist on Jan 11th and 12 th so we will see how they think I am healing and when we may see some braces but when I pushed the ortho for his best professional guess he said not more than 6 weeks..uggggg

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Just checking in...one week until my RPE is removed! Can't wait...chewing is definitely a nice change.  I definitely  feel as thought I am getting full and enjoying eating a little more...now I will look forward to being able to bite something again...

My upper gums are still mostly numb. And my nose is still sore especially it I hit or bump it the wrong way..kind of behind my nose..if that makes sense...brushing my upper teeth feels weird since I really can't feel my teeth or gums.

We are headed up to Wayne's parents for Christmas so a whole new group to show off my gap to!

Merry Christmases!

I CAN CHEW AGAIN!!!

What an exciting day!  I sent a note to my surgeon asking about when I could chew again...We never really discussed exactly how long after surgery or how long after I stopped turning that I would be able to eat again and surprisingly I can not find anything on anyone else's blog or anywhere in my search on when people start chewing again.   My follow up appt with him is not until January 11th and I was hoping it woudl not be that long.    So I sent him a note- I said it would really suck if I went through Christmas and NY not eating when I could have been eating and I am getting a little sick of Pasta. 

He replied  "You can chew just take it slow"....

Now what to eat first...!  I am still a little hesitant to go for something hard like BACON - which I desperately miss..So today we get to have breakfast in the restaurant at the hotel so I am thinking some nice Crunchy French Toast..Which is not even on the menu anymore but they still make it for me.  It is not too hard but the crunchy coating will give me a nice little crunch as I ease back in to eating...

OH HAPPY DAY!!! 

The healing continues

Just a quick update so no one thinks I have abandoned my blog(Peter)..  This week I went back to the gym..very low impact exercises..a yoga basics class and an aqua class in the pool.  I am not quite sure I am ready for much more yet.

I am feeling pretty good..still hungry and would kill for a potato chip right now ...I am dreaming of my first meal when I can eat again..I am thinking a nice filet mignon . yummmm..of course after a potato chip...I am not quite sure exactly when I am allowed to chew again so I will reach out to the surgeon , or his chief resident this week to see what they say before the holiday.  My next appt with them is not until Jan 11th. I would hate to go through Christmas , New Years and a week in Florida not eating real food and then find out that I could have been eating.

I noticed that I have been clenching my teeth a lot and that I get a weird throbbing in my front teeth..but read on someone else's  blog they had the same feelings..so normal I guess..she said that she thought the clenching had to do with getting used to the new bite which is more lined up now than it has even been.  Since I expanded so quickly after only turning the device for one week one side the bite is slide is very slightly over and the other side is perfect but all will be fixed with the braces..

Still counting down to Dec 29th..RPE device removal..Yeah!  17 days..I will checkin again soon!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Follow up visit to the surgeon

I had a follow up with Drs Taub and Palermo today.  They took a look and said everything is healing very nicely and looks great! The did talk about how fast my expansion was..it was mostly due to the direction of my teeth and shape etc.

Based on how many turns I did I thought I was at 6mm but the space between my front teeth is actually 11 mm..which yes is huge...I have been playing around with trying to make a fake tooth but no luck yet figuring it out.

Dr Taub did say he wants to be sure we do not rush closing the gap to ensure all the roots are good and everything heals properly..sounds like longer with the gap than I would like...

Today was my first day back at work and the first day in three weeks that I have not taken a nap.  Since it was a short day it was not so bad.  Talking on the phone is very difficult and hard for someone to understand me.  Talking in general is tiring..still counting the days until the torture device is removed!  27 days to go!

I am still eating soft foods or foods I do not need to chew..which is taking any fun out of eating.  I can barely taste food.  Every seems to think that I would lose a ton of weight..right now it is about 5 lbs...not huge but I will take it.  Hoping to go back to the gym next week!

Back to work tomorrow

So myrecovery time has come to an end..headed home from Florida and back to work tomorrow.

I have figured out that I can pretty much eat whatever I want as long as I can cut it up bite size/ swallow size but whether I enjoy it is a differ t story.   I had a turkey burger for dinner last night..no bun but just cut it up..it does take me about 3 times as long to eat as anyone else..which I am sure is better than eating the way most of us normally do..as quick as we can.  But eating is still a chore and quite a process.  I can't wait until I can enjoy a nice meal again.

We are now 28 days until I have my expansion torture  device removed...which I cannot wait for! My gums are still mostly numb and my sinuses are still pretty sensitive.  Talking for a long time is very tiring...we will see how my first day back at work goes..