Word of the day..Propel..

So today was my latest visit to the orthodontist..He mentioned that my gap was not closing as quickly as he would like and I mentioned that I am also getting a little sick of looking at it.  I mentioned that I would be seeing Dr Taub  in a few weeks and his first though was to ask Dr Taub if he could close the gap surgically to get my surgery date sooner..I was not a big fan of that idea..I did not feel that rushing that process was the right ideas..I said I was fine with surgery in November or December which would actually be best for work and if we needed more time that was fine.

He then mentioned there was another option to make things move along a little quicker.  When you have a wound blood rushes to the area which will make the teeth move quicker so out comes the word of the day PROPEL.  which is the process of drilling little holes or wounds in my gums..so that the blood rushes to that area to heal and power chaines are then put on every week to get things moving a little quicker.

Since I am already a huge fan of the power chains...not ...I can tell this is going to be lots of fun!

I just keep telling myself that it will all be worth it in the end...

My orthodontist..

Where we are now...

At this point I am visiting the orthodontist every 2 weeks to have my wires replaced a  new power chain placed across my front teeth to get the gap closed...it is getting pretty small now...still dealing with the stubborn root issue which has just started to hurt again.   I am hoping that doesn't mean a further delay for my surgery date.  Everything needs to be straight and my teeth need a little time to get comfortable in their new place before surgery.

I got back to see Dr Taub in a few weeks ..if the gap is closed we will start doing some molds in prep for surgery.

I have found a chat group of people from around the world who either are going through or have recently gone through surgery.  It is very helpful to hear what works during recovery and how it has been.  The experiences are very different...some going back to work as early as 3 weeks ..which seems crazy since most people do not really seem to be able to sleep for the first few week more than an hour or two at a time..also learning what you need for recovery has been helpful..especially the severely chapped lips and the best thing to use.

All for now!

Visit to the oral surgeon

I went to see  Dr. Taub on Friday..I saw the resident first and asked for the "official" names of the surgery I would be having.  The surgery once my top is a Lefort 1 osteotomy and the bottom is a bilateral split osteotomy ..plus a  genioplasty .

He said we don't want to rush being ready for surgery and want to be sure everything is in its right place so we definitely need to get that root back in place that started to push out the ring way..

Really can wait for the gap to be closed..getting a little tired of looking at it..and it does keep me from smiling..which makes everyone thing something is wrong all the time...

It has been just about a year since me first visit to the orthodontist..and I am hoping if all goes well by this time next year my braces will be off..I will be back to almost fully eating normally and getting ready to go on vacation to celebrate our 10th anniversary!

The Gap is back

Went to the Orthodontist yesterday for a tightening and lots of other stuff that did not feel so great...The have removed the Pontif..( Fake tooth) to give the gap the space it needs to close up now..The Dr says it will be 2-3 more visits until the gap is closed- which is 6-9 more weeks..The gap is about the size of Madonna's gap when she choose to have one..but I am not used to having one so I am very self conscious about it and the braces are over it with the power chains and another contraption on my front teeth for the weird root thing I have going on - which Dr Tunjay has confirmed is slowing down my preparation for my 2nd suregey.

We need to get my roots back in place .. right now their shape and the work the braces has done so far is pushing to very upper part of the root out so we need to redirect the teeth so the root will be redirected back in...there are little brackets on the front of my teeth that you have to look pretty closely to see but they cause quite a good deal of pain...

I asked Dr Tunjay is his very educated opinion when I would be ready for the 2nd surgery- and asked November?  he agreed that 6 more months sounded right and that it would have been sooner without the set back of the root issue...That was always the date I had thought so to me I guess it was not really a set back...

Usually after a tightening the pain lasts about 2 days so hopping tomorrow is better...

Off to See Dr Taub( Surgeon) on the 24th and back for a tightening on the 30th...

Double Power Chains....

I again tortured myself with a 7am orthodontist appointment.  I am learning new things on each visit to the orthodontist...today was " double power chains"  they are across my front teeth - and putting them on was painful...I have several very sensitive teeth so the whole process of tightening is not pleasant...My pontiff as they call it or fake tooth as I call it has been shaved down to almost nothing..They gave me the option to leave it out but the gap is still a little too big so I have them put it back in.  One the next visit they will remove it for good.  So it has been a while since a pic so here it is..my toothpick of a fake tooth...

Sorry can't seem to get eh pic right side up...

I almost Forgot!

Wayne and I went out for happy hour about a week ago.  I order a cocktail and some lettuce wraps.  The lettuce wraps came...I fixed mine all up with the sauce - wrapped it up and proceeded to pick it up...and I got it just about to my mouth when I remember...I can't bite anything..

It was nice to know that I can forget for a bit...

My Latest Trip to the Orthodontist!

I am not sure why I thought that a 730am appointment was a good idea but I guess at the time I just wanted to get it over with...no one is ready for that kind of pain at 730am..  Dr Tunjay tightened up my braces...put new wires in and felt like he was pretty much moving my teeth.  Pretty unpleasant.

We shaved down the fake tooth again and now it just looks silly.  I think we will shave it one more time on my next visit in three weeks then I will go back to having a gap while we close up the last of the gap....but a much more manageable gap.  not the 11mm that I started with. 

I am hoping one more month until the gap is gone and I can go back to looking semi-normal again...