Some before and afters :)

Hey all! Just thought I would post some more before and after pictures. If anyone out there has any questions, please feel free to ask!

They're off!!!!!

Howdy!

Well yesterday was the big day! My braces are long gone! I had an early appointment with Dr. Wolk at 10:45am. When they started taking the braces off, it hurt quite a bit. I had to tell Veronica to stop after every third tooth or so because the pressure was quite painful. The process of taking the braces off didn't take very long at all and soon my teeth were free! I then got to go to the mirror to check out my pearly whites! They looked fantastic! I could not be happier! Then I brushed... oh my gosh, what a  feeling!!!!
Next it was time for some molds to make my retainers. If anyone has had molds before, you know how much fun it is.... ugh! I kept reminding myself that it was going to be over shortly! And it was. So after we were done with the molds, it was time to go eat my first meal, and we chose Peters. Best burgers and onion rings ever. Delicious! I didn't have to clean my teeth after every bite either... my teeth stayed clean! Imagine that! Haha. Back to the orthodontist a couple hours later to get my retainers. They are just temporary ones for now because the permanent ones have to be sent away to be made. They are clear and look like mouth guards that athletes wear. They're comfortable and discreet, I just don't like the way they make my teeth fit together because they don't fit flush with my teeth so it makes it look like I have an open bite again. I wear the top retainer most of the day and then the bottom retainer at night. I also have a wire glued to my bottom front teeth to keep them in place forever.

Not sure if I mentioned this, but I am now a married woman! My HUSBAND and I eloped at the beginning of September and could not be happier! Life is great.

I would like to share some pictures with you :)

And there was Sept. 1, 2011

Update Aug 23, 2011

Yo brace faces! If you're not, then I apologize!
Last week I went and saw the orthodontist again. I had a few things that set me back and were slightly frustrating... First of all, the dental assistant that was working on me the time before made a few mistakes and forgot to do a couple of things which therefore caused me some discomfort and pain. She forgot to clamp the breaks that they put between a couple brackets which are supposed to prevent the wires from moving too much to either side. By forgetting to do this, the wire moved and was completely out of my back bracket. There was also a bracket on one of my bottom front teeth that wasnt shut so my tooth shifted a bit. Needless to say, my mouth was hurting when I left that appointment. I was told by my orthodontist that things were looking really good and that it was basically perfect. He also told me that I DON'T HAVE TO WEAR MY ELASTICS ALL DAY! ONLY AT NIGHT NOW! (and occasionally when I am at home if I want). This is great news!!!!! Progress I would certainly say! So I took my appointment sheet to the receptionist and she noticed that it said I was to see the orthodontist in 3-4 weeks and asked me if I was getting my braces off soon. I said that I was unsure because he never really mentioned it. She told me that usually when appointments start to get closer together, it is usually a good indication that your braces will be off soon! AWESOME! I hope this is the case because they are getting old pretty fast! My mouth is feeling great, I can eat mainly everything and I am happier than ever! I will update at my next appointment in mid September to share the news!


Here are a few pics I thought I would share.
Enjoy! (If anyone has any questions or are scheduled for surgery or just came out of surgery, let me know!)

Almost 11 weeks post op

Sorry for not updating this. I really am not good at the whole blogging experience anymore but that is simply due to the fact that not too much new information needs to be shared. I went to the orthodontist and things are going well again. Got some new elastics which are tight (thank goodness) and are supposed to pull my teeth back as the overbite is at 4mm and should ideally be at 2mm. I went to the surgeon a week after I was at the orthodontist and he told me that my overbite was now at 3mm (so according to my calculations, my teeth moved 1mm in a week?!). The surgeon's visit was really good and uplifting because he told me everything was healing as it should be and the bones should basically be where they should be again. He also told me that I can basically eat anything again and at this point I can almost live a normal life again. Just to be careful and remember to take it easy. I do not need to go and see the surgeon again until my braces are off, which should be Dec or Jan according to the surgeon! Yipee!!!!!
Another thing I discovered is that a water pik is your best friend (once its cleared with your surgeon!). I used it for the first time last night and it was a wonderful experience! I thought that I was getting my teeth so clean by brushing and I was sadly mistaken! I used the pik and it cleaned everything so well (it was a really messy magical experience though). It almost feels like I just got back from the dentist as everything is so clean. There is a brush type thing that cleans your brackets too! I can see why the surgeon wouldn't want a patient to use one until the wounds in your mouth are healed because that pressure wouldn't do them too well.

Wow, a whole paragraph on a water pik.... not THAT'S exciting! Hahaha. See why I don't blog so much anymore?

To conclude this rambling on blog, I will leave you with some pictures. I am not sure how many days into surgery these pics are, but they are fairly recent... within the past couple of weeks.

I went to a concert this day and had

the most amazing time!

My friend and I at the concert.

Thanks for reading! I will update it as soon as something significant happens.... Maybe when my braces come off! Won't that be something!

ONE MONTH POST OP!!!! ( & Day 32 - 34)

What a wonderful day! It has been exactly one month since surgery and I am feeling pretty great! I can breathe, have tried out my new bite (a bit scary and slow, but I WILL get it working perfectly soon), and am noticing my self confidence increasing significantly on a daily basis! I had an appointment with my surgeon today. The lovely nurse whom I always appreciate didn't recognize me when she called my name in the waiting room. That was kind of neat! Brandon, my mom, and my grandma came for moral support today and to just hear that the surgeon had to say (Im sure it had nothing to do with our IKEA visit that would happen after our appt, haha). The surgeon was very happy with his work and after gently feeling around my jaws and looking in my mouth at my gums and bite said that things were healing great and that everything should be mainly healed by now. He also said that I could use lighter elastics for the time being and that when I visit my orthodontist next, he will be the one who decides if I even need my elastics or how long I have to wear them, or if they need to be on different teeth instead. Exciting! He also said that I would see him less often now that things are running smoothly.... I see him once next month and then he said it may be 6 months after that until I see him again. I liked seeing them and hearing their encouragement! Plus all the people there are very nice! The surgeon told me that the swelling will continue to decrease and I will start to notice more of a difference! My stitches are kind of hanging down from my upper gums now... and its gross and a little uncomfortable. I was brushing my teeth and the stitch was hanging down between my tooth and the wire on my braces and my brush hit it and it started to pull and boy oh boy it was scary and sickening! After a day of just dealing with it, I had Brandon cut it for me. He got the wire cutters (that we have never used... they came in my recovery kit) and I pulled my lip up and held the stitch and he cut it. Amazing what difference it made! Wahoo!!! The cut stitch was probably about an inch in length so it was plenty long. When I brush and can look up at my gums you can see lots of stitches just hanging there and same thing on the bottom - stitches bunched up all over the place! That means I am healing and that makes me a happy camper!
I can eat mainly anything now... except obvious things like steak and corn on the cob. If I can use a knife and fork and cut it into teeny pieces then its going in my mouth! Haha. I have lost a bunch of weight though. Pants that were skin tight on me before surgery are now baggy and have lots of room. That is kind of nice! Let's hope I can maintain it now! I still get tired from doing too much in the day. That needs to change. If anyone is still thinking about getting this surgery done and is worried about it, please don't be! Please know that I was excited to get it done as the surgery was something that I had been needing/wanting for years, but I was also very nervous. It is SO SO SO worth it. One month after and I have noticed a significant amount of positive changes as opposed to a few negative inconveniences that eventually will disappear! The first week is the worst. Hands down. But guess what? It passes! And then guess what? You start to feel better! And then guess what? You start to look better! And it skyrockets from there! It is exciting to look into a mirror and see what your bite looks like, to see how wide you can open your mouth, to take a DEEP breath through your nose, to smell the rain (ahhhhh!) and to just feel darn good about yourself. I think I am a happier person now, hands down. So the point of my rant. Any hesitations are normal absolutely, but don't stop... keep going and experience and take in every moment of the ordeal because as I was told lots before and during the surgery/recovery, "IT'S TEMPORARY". Completely true. Do it.
I have an appointment with the orthodontist in a few days (I am excited to see them all there too, as I haven't seen them since a few days previous to surgery) and I will do an update then as I may find out when they think my braces will come off. (My surgeon said that he thinks at least another 6 months).

Thanks for reading my friends, and as always, have a nice day!

One month post op!

Day 32

Day 33

Day 34

Day 29 & 30

Hey Peeps! Here are a few pics from days 29 and 30... not much new to post. I don't know why I am even blogging these days, other than the fact that I have to upload the pics to my computer anyway so just add them to this blog!

Daaaaaaay 29!

I think my eyes look like they have bags under them.

Maybe I was just tired.

Daaaaay 30



Aaaaand 26, 27, 28

Hello! I am writing this blog on the official 4 week post op point! Wahoo! I feel as this is a major turning point! I have lived, live, and will live! (I know thats not how the saying goes). 4 weeks post op and I am feeling basically the same as I have been for the past week or so. I am mainly having good days and am having the same twitches. The feeling below my right eye is now about 75% back I would say, so that definitely is some great news! I have a visit with my surgeon in Calgary on Thursday. I need to ask him if I should cut my stitches that appear to be hanging (on the top) or clumping down in my gums (on the bottom). I am nervous to ask him because I don't want him to cut them for me! They have all had enough time working on my mouth and I would like to do it myself - thank you very much! Ha!

Not much else to report. I will post pictures from 3 days at a time I think and give a synopsis of my life while doing this. There isn't much changing so writing a lot for each day seems impossible! Thanks for checking in!

Day 26 post-op! I went to a bonfire this day!

Outside feels FANTASTIC!

Day 27 post-op!

Day 27 again... I know its blurry, but I wanted

to document that I CAN smile almost normally now!!!!

4 WEEKS POST-OP!

Profile day 28 post-op :)