Facing Up To It - 20

Well it’s been some time since I blogged about the jaw and teeth, since I went from April to November in limbo, being surgery ready and waiting for THE DATE along with jaw buddies of mine in a certain Facebook group. 

Then it all began to happen. I got the surgery date, and I went to several appointments in preparation. There’s one on Monday with the surgeon too. That should be proper interesting. 

And these bad-boys were fitted, surgical hooks to create more mouth ulcers and facilitate wiring during the actual op. They are on the bottom teeth as well, pointing downwards! 

So today, with one week to go, I’ve taken a selfie for you. I normally compensate for my bite, but here I’m hiding nothing and have bitten together to show you my actual pre surgery face. I don’t look like a fun, inventive creative person from this picture. That’s why I mostly show you my stuff, or my cute kids. 

But here I am, for the record. Next Friday will see me under the knife. Hammer. Well, however they separate jaw bones, I do not really want to know. Eeeep! 

Facing Up To It - 19

I went to orthodontics again yesterday, when I had been in braces 777 days! The black bands were removed and I got .... Well I will show you at the end, but first a flash back to sometime in March when I had a sort of deja vu experience of cameras, mould making and a new X-ray of my profile for working out what a surgeon should do while I'm fast asleep in Poole Hospital shortly ...

Orthodontist and nurse set about me with mirrors and odd spoons ....

 

Usually we see the close up results of these photos but Michael stepped in to show just how those gob-shots are taken. I have such a tiny mouth that when they pop these things in and ask me to bite together I laugh, and they have to release more of my lip. I can appreciate just how much they get stretched for surgery, but I still don't really want to think bout it much!

 

Left, right, front all my teeth are captured. I can wait to see them at the joint clinic at the end of May! 

 

And back to yesterday, Mary and I have our birthdays in May, so I got some very cheerful and celebratory coloured bands, as well as a new left hand bed spring and power chains top and bottom. But L declared me surgery ready, there are just a few issues that could easily be fixed post surgery. 

 

On Monday 24 April I met my surgeon, or actually one of my surgeons and we had a talk about expectations versus reality, and she said she would make 2 plans, and let me consider them both. I always thought I was up for double jaw surgery, but this might not be the best option for me now. We shall see. On Monday 8 May I meet the other surgeon and see what he has to say. Yikes! 

Facing Up To It - 14

Just wanted to share how much difference a bit of fine tweeking can make, by first sharing this photo of my teeth on the 28th June this year.

Check out these incisors looking nice and straight in today's snapshot! I've been in braces for 527 days, but as yet, no date for surgery. The hygienist asked me this when I saw her yesterday, and gave me a super sand-blast and polish including my face. Free exfoliation too! 

I've even got a different style of bracket fitted but my dream is to get copper bands (ligatures) or maybe gold? These are supposed to be silver but they look gun-metal-grey to me? 

Facing Up To It - 8

I'm blogging on time and up to date as I pose with one of my eight new bees. The fuZZIES want one each, for Christmas!

So here I am with an ever changing smile. The lack of lower teeth, or lip support, gives away my lack of lower jaw bone. It looks like I stick out the top deck on purpose. 

I chose silver as the colour to tie on my wire - the same wite as last time - and it looks like a gentle blue as it catches the light. Many of them are double twisted to tie me down a bit tighter! My teeth really hurt tonight. 

My nurse today was Hannah, wondered how Kelly was doing and if she's reading this? Off to finish more Bees. They debut soon! 

Facing Up To It - 6

Royal red bands for me next! And my first

Upgrade of wire thickness! Since the last adjustment my teeth now meet in two places and eating salad has become slightly esier with four molars almost working together!

Then I got a super shine up with the in-house hygenist. She tackled staining, and some scale, and gave advice on problem areas. I can see her every two months or a little more often if I would like to!

Good progress is being made by teeth on the move. In six months time we shall have more idea on the time scale, but Mrs Furness said surgery would not be before next summer. I can still scare myself thinking about facing it...

But Mary can make me laugh for photographs!

Facing up to it - 5

Back to orthodontist for adjustments, this time for my fourth colour I have chosen aqua. I also got to take all the girls with me, all keen to see how eveything worked!

When my orthodontist asks me to 'bite together' only metal and metal actially meet! But she seems happy anyway and I'll be back in 4 weeks time!

Here is Daisy using LIPSY which is a touch screen interactive computer with lots of information on it. I've been dying to show Mary just what can result from thumb sucking! 

After they each had a go on LIPSY, we bought some disclosing tablets from the receptionist so that we could carry out the experiment shown, to see just how well we were cleaning our teeth!

They do not taste very nice at all

Each child saw which bits they had been missing after toothbrushing, and set about doing a better job!

Matty had to clean the tops of her teeth again!

Mary had to scrub the fissures of her molars, and the next morning we still looked like we had consumed some very vivid cordial!

Facing up to it - 4

A big blue smile from me this month. I chose Julia's House blue especially as I'm competing for Carnival Queen this year!

This time chez DCH I got four new brackets at the back of mouth. These wrap right around my number 7 Molars, the only number 8s I have are one upper right, as upper left was long ago pulled out. In my lower jaw the wisdom teeth have never emerged, they don't have any room to and sit in the jaw looking awkward. Sometimes one of the other will try to erupt! 

I expected discomfort from the new hardware, and I got busy with lots of dental wax. But I also got a huge painful swelling on the RHS of my face so I popped back into hospital where I was lucky to be seen within moments, and given reassurance and advice. 

As well as a crop of ulcers, Dr Ellis my consultant found my salivary glad with swollen and indicating a possible blockage or infection. She bent some of the new metalwork away from my cheek and helpfully snipped my wire to the bare minimum!

In a few days all was much better so I didn't have to go to my GP. Phew!