Post Op Day 10 and Expanded 10 times

I did my 10th expansion today. I have an ortho appointment on Monday and I hoping but doubtful that they will say, Ok we're done....time for braces! Wouldn't that be cool! Anyways you can tell by my pictures that I am moving along as I should be. My swelling has gone almost completely down and I only ended up having one bruise on the side of my face that turned up to be light green and then faded from there (you can kinda see it in the last pic). So I think I am pretty lucky about that. I am not in any pain whatsoever. I still have my stitches and my entire gumline above my top teeth is completely numb. It is so weird not to be able to feel myself touch there. Every once in awhile I will get a twinge where my stitches are but its not bad. Well I must go watch a movie with my honey now....

6 days post op and feeling pretty dorky!

Hello!
Well it is day 6 after my surgery and I feel pretty good. I went to the ortho today and did my first real expansion. I am to expand twice a day for one week. It is a weird feeling but it's not really painful at all. Just a lot of pressure in my head and sinus areas. All of the ladies said that I look really good for just having surgery. Some of them couldn't even see the swelling. So that was very nice to hear. It must be from all of the vitamins that I took. I go back to work tomorrow so that should be interesting. I am getting really frustrated with eating. I have a big appetite right now and I can't eat squat! I hate that. I have lost 4 pounds already. Also, I get hot flashes. I have always had them but I have had like 3 in the past couple of days and that is a lot for me!

4 days post op

Well it is day 4 post op and I feel pretty good today. I have decided not to take anymore percocet, only Ib profen. This picture was yesterday evening: And this picture was like 10 minutes ago:

And this is my lovely gap:

Its terrible already but oh well...I will get used to it I suppose. There is still a lot going on with my mouth. I can feel stitches and wires and of course the expander. It makes brushing a little difficult. So far, no bloody noses like the doc said there would be and I am taking stuff for nasal conjestion which is either working really good or I just don't have any. Also, no bruising! Soups are getting really boring mainly cause I can't find any that I really like so I am just eating chicken noodle. For my other meals I have been eating Malt-o-meal, gogurt (really good frozen), shakes, smoothies and drinking Vitiman water. But I am craving all kinds of food that I can't eat...which is good cause I really thought that I wouldn't have an appetite. Anyways, I am kinda all over the place but just wanted to say, that I feel good!

3 days post op

This was just before surgery around 6:00am:

Several hours after surgery, after I finally woke up:

Post Op day 1 am:

Post op day 1 Pm:

Post Op day 2 Pm:

You can see here that my swelling was the worst on Day 2. I would say that my discomfort was the worst that day as well. I had to take two painkillers throughout the day to even make a difference. I feel ok today (no pics yet). My face feels very large and talking is a little slurry but my hubby understands me just fine. The stitches underneath my top lip feel very odd being there. It makes it feel like my lip is stuck to my gums and I can't move it very well. I also have a gap already, which is REALLY weird. I have never had a gap in my mouth before so I look totally different. Anyways, I feel better than I thought I would and this surgery was much easier than I expected. Of course, I did go into it with a very positive attitude, which may have helped.

There's no turning back now

I am officially committed to this teeth thing now. I just got my expander put in an hour ago, and to be completely honest, this is definately not as bad as I imagined. I put wax over the brackets as soon as I left the ortho and I think I will keep it that way. As for talking, I am not doing so bad. Im quite surprised and pleased with the way I talk actually. I have not tried eating so I will have to let you know how that goes. My surgery is a day and a half away and I am getting more and more excited. My only hope right now is that I will be gap free by Christmas, which I think is perfectly do-able.

Getting closer!

Fitted for Expansion

My husband is out of town and as much as I enjoy being by myself, I am missing him greatly. He will get back on birthday...yay!

Anyways, I was fitted for the expansion device yesterday and I must say that the bands that go around your teeth have brackets or something on the outside that are very spikey! I hope that they aren't like that when I actually get the expander otherwise I will be one unhappy person for awhile. I get canker sores really easily and I am just worried that it is going to tear up my mouth! Oh I hope not....

obsession...

Ok, so I am completely obsessed with my teeth now. I still hate them of course but I guess just knowing that I am about to start this process of changing them, it has got me all excited and for once in my life I actually want to show my teeth....as if to say goodbye to them. So once again, here are some pics of what I look like now. Ignore the little blue spacers....




This is such a terrible picture...I can't close my lips naturally so this is what I look like when I don't try to close them. Yuck!!!

Again, crooked smile.


Just call me Bucky Beaver....thank goodness this is about to begin...

Anticipation!!

So I have 12 days until my surgery and I wish it was today! I want this all to get started already. I have spacers in my teeth right now that have me a little sore....but I am eating some Raisinets, which taste really good. I have been reading other peoples blogs about this surgery and it is so good to know that I am not the only one doing this. I think what I am having done is Sarpe. I am nervous for how I am going to look but not so much about the surgery itself. I think it is the perfect excuse to take some time off of work! I know that I am still young (24) but I regret not doing this sooner. But it is really a good time for me because I don't see a lot of new people and I am not dating or anything so thats good. I wish I would've had perfect teeth when I got married....that would've made my pictures soooo much better!

Gettin Ready....

Hello all, this blog is mainly set up for my own personal usage but want it to be available to anyone who feels like viewing. I just wanted to track my progress as I am about to undergo jaw expansion (surgery plus palatal expander) and then braces. By the time I am done with all of this in 2 1/2 years...I want to be able to look back and remember what I used to look like and what I went through....so thats that!

Here are some pictures within the last few years of what my teeth look like:

Here is a list of all the things wrong with my teeth:

-I have two baby teeth that I am getting extracted and then the adult teeth will be pulled into place.

-I have crowding on the top and bottom due to a narrow arch.

-I have an overbite.

See.....


Also, my smile is crooked. I am not sure if this is because of my teeth or my jaw or if it is some type of neurological thing. But, I HATE IT!