Thursday, October 20, 2011

Expander coming out YAYAYAYAY

Hi Everyone

Its been a while since my last post, I have had lots going on and its been pretty quite on the braces front. But I am so excited that I will be getting my expander taken out and braces on tomorrow. I cannot be happier as it is earlier than I expected. I was hoping before Christmas as he said 6 to 9 months and its been 7 months now so all is travelling well.
My bite has definitely changed and has come closer together, I have a few more teeth touching. My ortho said the braces will bring it in so much more which I am excited about. This is my 3rd set of braces so im not really bothered about getting them, just happy I get rid of this horrid expander.
I do find these anchorages plates annoying though and they sometimes get quite sore. I think it makes it worse that I sleep on my side with my hand on my face, probably squashing them against my cheek all night. They have been infected a couple of times too.

But in other exciting news and one of the reasons I have been pre occupied is because IM PREGNANT! I am 22 weeks pregnant and very very excited to be having my first baby :)  They say being pregnant makes your teeth move a lot faster and I think it has definitely helped. One of the ortho's I saw for a consultation actually told me that having an expander in my mouth would help with fertility and that I would fall pregnant straight away - well she was spot on - first month. Apparently there is a fertility trigger point in the roof of your mouth. So if it really did contribute then it has been worth the 7 months of annoyance :)

Anyway, I hope everyone's treatment is going well. I will post a photo of my new bite soon.......

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Still no braces

Hi Everyone

Well I still dont have braces on  my top teeth and it looks like it will be at least another 6 weeks or so before that happens. Im currently in the middle of root canal treatment on my front tooth. I had my first session on Thursday and had another set back because my dentist said my root seems very short and wide. Apparently the top of your tooth root should be narrow and pointy. I need to get xrays to determine what my root looks like because he said its very unusal. One reason he thinks it MIGHT be like that is from surgery. He said its possible the tip of my root could have been cut off during the operation. But I guess ill find out soon enough what is really going on....
I have to wait a little while before I can get xrays as I have so much going on with work and personal life, I cant keep taking time off work for more dentist appointments. I feel like I am at a dentist appointment every week between my general dentist and ortho.

On another note though my bite seems to be improving ever so slowly. The elastics on the plates seem to be working, but its a very slow process.

One thing I have noticed which I don't remember when I had braces before is, that I will get a random tooth that will be sore for about a week then it will stop! Each time its a different tooth, but I just find it weird. Why is just one tooth sore and why for only a few days.... strange.....

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Bad news :(

Well I was suppose to get braces on the top teeth last Thursday but I showed my ortho that my very front right tooth seemed to look a little grey in colour. Its definitely darker than the other front tooth. My worst fears were realised when he told me it looks like my nerve/tooth has died and that I would need root canal :(
I was not happy and a little upset and I will be seeing my normal dentist this Thursday. The ortho said he can't put my braces on until its been fixed.
I asked what has caused it and it could be a number of things, basically its died because ive had trauma to it. He kept asking me if I had knocked that tooth, or was hit in the face etc etc but I can't remember anything like that happening.
I think it could be from a few things:
1. My operation
2. My teeth moving so quickly closing the gap
3. My night splint I use to wear, it went on my front two teeth and I use to bite/snap my teeth together during my sleep ( I use to wake myself doing it)  A bit like a crocdile snapping its jaw together

In the end the appointment wasnt completely wasted as he put brackets on my back teeth (which I now have huge ulcers from) and he put elastics on the bottom plates. So I now have all 4 plates being used. My teeth were so sore after he put the elastics on, I was back to soft foods for a few days. It is working as well, my open bite is definitely coming together.

Anyway I will update you all after I see the dentist on Thursday, fingers crossed its not going to cost me too much to get fixed as I heard root canals can cost a fortune!!!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

My first infection

Hey Everyone
I am back from Hawaii and had a fantastic time. But unfortunately what I brought back with me was an infection in my bottom right anchorage plate :(  I noticed it on the last couple of days in Waikiki but I was prepared and had some Savacol anticeptic mouth wash with me which seemed to have helped. But a few days after I returned it flared up again. I am now on anti biotics and it doesnt seem to be helping just yet. Fingers crossed in the next few days it gets better. It isnt really that sore, its just very gross - too much info alert - I have some puss coming from it when I push on the site with a toothbrush.

I just hope it clears up and doesn't keep recurring. I have a feeling it will though, one of the main down sides of this treatment.....

Also my gap has pretty much GONE and I dont even have braces yet. My teeth have moved so much over the past couple of weeks and my top jaw has come down. I use to be able to put my pinky finger in between my top and bottom jaw but i cant now. I will post some photos soon of my progress.
I have also noticed I am starting to look different and people have commented on how my face has changed. I saw a recent photo of myself and noticed how much wider my smile was - I really like it :)

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Date for my upper braces

Hi Everyone
I had another ortho appointment today (story of my life at the moment) and we have booked in my upper braces for 30th June YAY. I am excited because this gap will finally close.
Everything else is going well, he just changed the elastics on my implants. I did notice though that he tied one of them differently this time.

Anyway, I will be a bit quiet on the blog for the next few weeks as im off to Hawaii on Thursday and cannot wait!
Aloha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

8 week update with photos

Hey everyone

Its been 8 weeks now since my surgery and 3 weeks since the ortho put elastics on my implants.
I took some photos last night and I realised I am actually still swollen. Some mornings I wake up and feel a little swollen but you will see in the photos below my cheeks are still puffy.
I also can eat pretty much anything now as long as I have a knife and fork (which I have mentioned before). Last week was the first time I had a steak, I was quite excited!! It stills takes me ages to eat and I still can't eat anything really hard like crackers/biscuits (even McDonalds fries is sometimes too hard).
My implants and the elastics really do not bother me at all, it doesnt hurt. I do think my jaw has moved down a little bit, but Ill see what the ortho says tomorrow.
I really want to get my braces on the top soon to start closing the gap. Over the past two weeks my gap has started to close, but closing tilted, not straight. So they are starting to look quite 'buck' now.
I think I will throw a party the day my expander comes out :), its really annoying some days. I just want to be able to talk properly again. I should have this out by Christmas.

My gap last night

Puffy cheeks still


Here are some photos of how the implants work. You can see the elastic tied to the implant and then my bracket. Sorry for the gross mouth shots, you can see everything because its zoomed in!!!


I like this photo because you can see the scars in my mouth from surgery. Notice how it looks lumpy up the top, this is from where I was stitched.  

Monday, May 16, 2011

not much happening

Hey guys

It's been just over 7 weeks now and nothing new to report. Still have the elastics on the implants but I can't really tell if they are working or not. The ortho said I would notice my teeth coming together soon but if its happening I havent really noticed. I go back in a week so I will update then.

On another exciting note IM OFF TO HAWAII in 10 days!!! I am so excited, its cold in Sydney at the moment so im looking forward to getting a tan and relaxing for 12 days - oh and how could I forget the best part SHOPPING!