Wireless and Bluetooth

Just recently.. (ok two and a half weeks ago - slack busy blogger).. I had another braces adjustment (3rd); and I was still as excited as ever to have this done (despite my slackness at posting about it). 

The first exiting thing to happen at this appointment, was that Dr O took my expansion support out - YAY.  It's kind of only a half-assed YAY because even though I have had this thing across the roof of my mouth to support my expansion for the last seven (7 - yes, count them - SEVEN) months, it wasn't really as bad/annoying/uncomfortable/and generally irritating as it could have been. 

The expansion device that was originally fitted to: a) move my two pieces of 'floating' bone apart a teeny tiny bit at a time (to allow the new bone growth to keep up); and b) to lock and support my new wider mouth until the bone fused properly - broke about six weeks into wearing it; and I was blessed with a much less invasive support (just a squiggly thin wire) for the remainder of the time.  Thanking my lucky stars really..... and am now officially WIRELESS (well that one anyway).

Original Expander - at full width

 

Replacement expansion support

 

We (well Dr O - I just layed back obviously) removed the thin round wire on my bottom teeth (had that one since I got my braces on); and replaced it with a thicker flat wire.  This was also done to my top wire at the last adjustment (can't remember if I wrote that on my last post, or not).  We (ok he) also trimmed a bit off the top wire, which is good news - the gaps left by the extraction of two of my top teeth are gradually closing.  Dr O says that this movement is generally about 1mm per month, so hopefully the gaps will be completely closed by about June.  YAY.

My bite is a bit ridiculous after the expansion (I was told it would be "We have to make it worse to make it better"....) Only four teeth touch - in total: two top & two bottom - right at the back.  And they only just overlap - that is the inner side of the top teeth just touch the outer side of the bottom teeth - so chewing is um interesting.  I am managing to eat ok (although sometimes I feel the need to cover my mouth because I am sure I am pulling weird faces just trying to eat).  Family just has to put up with that - gotta love em :)

Biting down - overbite

Biting down

 

Only two very back teeth touch

I have always had a bit of a gap (AKA black triangle) between my two front teeth, and even after the opening of the HUGE gap created by the expansion; and the application of braces which closed said gap - I still have a black triangle because my teeth are wider at the bottom than the top.  So since we are aiming to fix all things toothy for me, we  he set about the first step in correcting this which involved the tiniest little file I have ever seen.  Basically with my top wire removed, he used this little file to take about half a mm off my teeth/tooth (kinda like filing your nails) and then made a little kink in my wire which will tell the roots of my front teeth to tilt toward each other a little.  How a little kink does that is way beyond me - but whatever - he is the expert!  Amazing stuff this Orthodontics.  We are likely to have to repeat this a couple more times.  No problem. 

I found out what a power chain is on this day also & I'm pretty sure "I Don't Like It!"  (haha Pauline Hansen eat your heart out).  Top teeth - 12 link power chain; bottom teeth - 10 link power chain.  OUCHY-WAWA!!  On the plus side, they're a pretty blue; on the negative side, my teeth are were pretty blue :( too.   HA - BLUETOOTH - get it?

Bluetooth!

Powerchains & the dreaded Black Triangle - AAARGH - sounds like a good Pirate Movie

Good grief - this is probably the most pain I have had from an adjustment.  Pain probably isn't the right word though - more like uncomfortable/tender/achey, but when it is ALL of my teeth ALL at the same time; and for extended periods - not nice.  I am pleased to report that by the end of the first week I was much more comfortable, and not long after that me and my teeth were happy chappies once again. 
 
I did notice that about a week after this adjustment that when I made S sounds that it sounded kinda weird; and I also felt like I had to make much more of an effort to close my lips around my braces than before.  I know my teeth are supposed to move, but I had not noticed them move like this before, and it was just weird.  Must have gotten used to it, cause I don't notice it now. 

So Dr O says that basically once my gaps are completely closed, that will be when we take new moulds, pics, measurements etc and start to discuss a surgery date (and whether or not I will require just lower jaw surgery; or upper and lower).  He thinks that double is likely - so I am trying to prepare myself for that & if it is just lower, than that will be a bonus I guess. We should be ready to have this discussion about June-ish. 

That was great news to hear because a) June isn't really very far away; and b) I didn't want to be ready earlier than that and not be able to schedule my surgery until later in the year.  My whole family (my partner & kids; my Mum; sisters & their families) and I are going to New Zealand to visit my Grandma (and go skiing - Natasha - not quite skiing in France, but good enough for my first time :)) in late Winter; and there is no way I wanted to take that holiday with a broken face. 

If everything goes to plan (and why shouldn't it??) then my gaps will be closed, we'll have the surgery discussion & book a date; we will go on our wonderful holiday; and then (hopefully) not too long after that I will have THE SURGERY.  For me, that (THE SURGERY) is hump day - you know - middle of the week & not long til the weekend.  Just focusing on getting hump day out of the way (ok, so maybe it'll be more like hump-couple-of-weeks but you get the general idea).  After that it's gotta be all downhill from there right????

YES IT WILL BE (thank you self).

So now, me and my wireless & bluetoothy mouth are just cruising along, getting ready to be excited about the next adjustment (April).  That one is likely to be interesting for different reasons - my eight year old will be coming with me, to have an assessment of her own and she will be seeing Dr O too.  She thinks she is prepared to be told she'll need braces (not so scary when Mum & other friends have them); but I just hope that when we discuss the issues, and find out all the options, that she doesn't get too scared by the possibilities.  My kids don't know the extent of my pending surgery because I don't want to scare them (I have two little worriers).  Anyway - we'll just have to deal with it as it comes.

Thanks for reading/following; and thanks to all those fellow bloggers documenting and sharing their journeys.  It really does make a huge difference knowing there is a whole community of people in the same boat. 

Shout out to Dr O - hope everything went well with the birth of your second baby.  Look forward to seeing some pics at my next visit....

Cheers - Ellie xx