time flies...NEW PICS!

i just realized how long it's been since I've posted a pic. whoops. i was looking back at the pics that i've posted since i'm trying really hard to procrastinate on my homework right now. i guess my bite has changed a lot even since the surgery! so i actually took a new pic of my bite (told ya i really don't want to work on my homework!)

aren't extreme close ups great?!? Midlines are SOOO much better!









this one is back in September...midlines are much more off then









and don't forget the pre-surgical bite...YIKES!

All quiet on the occlusion front...

So nothing ground breaking as far as my orthodontic treatment. I went to an appointment about a week or so ago. It was just a quick look and a new elastic configuration. I have two 'boxes' starting on my canines and one diagonal elastic from a canine on my right side to a molar in the back. At least I got bumped to the 'not so strong' elastics this time for the 'boxes' anyways--the diagonal one is still the really strong ones!

I do see a little improvement with my midlines lining up but I'm really not too concerned with that. You really can't see my bottom teeth when I smile anyways! But my molars are meshing a lot better than before I started with the elastics.

My ortho said I'm still on track to get these things off 6 months after the surgery date which brings me to about the end of February. Hopefully that stays true but, then again I don't want them off before they are ready to. But I really can't wait to brush the entire surface of my teeth again!!! It's the small things ya know!!

I go to see my OS in the middle of December, which I have not seen since September!! I wonder what he'll say.....

My lower lip and middle of my chin still feel a bit stiff (just like the 'wax beard' that Erin explains!) and 'pins and needles feeling. But my front tooth has stopped with the weird spasm feeling thingy that was happening!! Yay!

I will have to update with some pics this week on a day where I actually sorta look presentable and not just like I'm running to class!! Till then...

it's been a while....

since i wrote anything on here!! whoops. needless to say senior year of college is a ball breaker. so most if not all of my waking hours (which is alot lately-considering my average 4 hour a night sleep) is dedicated to being in school or doing work for it.

on the teeth-front, nothing dramatically different. i'm wearing my elastics faithfully...well all except yesterday. it was another 4 hour sleep the night before and i barely knew where i was when i woke up. i got ready for school, got my books and headed out the door. about 1/2 hour into my drive i noticed that i forgot to put my elastics on!! it almost felt like they were in but nope! oh well one day out of many is still a good track record.

my front right tooth is getting less sensitive as time goes on. once and a while when sipping hot coffee i get a real weird nerve spasm type thing happen. but lately it hasn't been doing it.

I go back to the orthodontist next week. I'm sure for a new configuration of elastics. i hope they don't tell me that have to replace 4 of the bands around my molars which were from my previous ortho. I hope the elastics did their job in pulling down my molars enough that they won't have to change them. they were also trying to get my midline to match up a bit more. i see that it has improved some but not totally. that's the least of my worries really...it is such a minor detail at this point!

well loosing that weight in the summer from the surgery was no match for college and all that weight just came right back on!!! but i am determined to get rid of it once again before my husband comes home from overseas. it's a nice goal to have!!

The Agony of the Teeth

Ouuuuuuch!! My teeth are wicked sore from these new elastics!! Just when they were getting used to it--the ortho goes and switches it up on me!! Back to applesauce and mashed potatoes for me for a while. :(

Something to Write Home About...

Yikes! It's been a while since I posted anything!! But...in my defense there wasn't much going on orthodontically since then! But today I saw my orthodontist again!! And...guess what??? MORE ELASTICS!! But they have switched locations. Now I have a triangle way in the back (second to last molar) on each side trying to get my molars to mesh better than they are and one oddball on my right side from my top canine stretching back to my first molar on the bottom. Ouch. My teeth were fine all day until I went to eat dinner...they are back to being sore. Just when I was getting used to the other configuration!! Oh well, this configuration is to get my molars to hit more (when I eat things like lettuce they just slip right through my bite in the way back, so there is a gap back there) and to see if they can get my midline to match up more (it is slightly off but you really can't tell all that much (I don't mind if it stays like this even...you'd have to stare to see it).

The ortho said that if the bands don't work as well as they should, she's gonna have to change 4 of the bands around my molars that were left over from my previous orthodontist. I really don't want to go through the tugging and pushing but...I do want to get my teeth as 'tweaked' as I can. But we will cross that bridge when we get there (more like pushed over the edge and swim to shore when we get there!!!).

I asked about my front right tooth that gets zings when I drink something hot. It hasn't happened as much lately--or it's not as intense and long when it does. She said it is possibly just due to the nerves healing since that was an area that was cut through. She said to give it some more time and if it gets worse or stays the same they will check it out further. Sounds right...that area is the most sensitive still so it's not out of the question for there to still be some zingers!

I return to the ortho next month and don't have to see my surgeon until December!

Still Going...

So, still going with the elastics. I don't see my ortho until October 16th so I'm just keepin on keepin on till then. My front right tooth is being a pain...literally. Whenever I eat or drink something hot I get this like nerve spasm thing that happens. Not every time but enough that I'm not surprised when it does. I don't know if it's just the nerve freakin out or something wrong. I mentioned it last ortho visit but they didn't seem too concerned. Of course, they don't have to feel it either!!! Well, when I go back I will bring it up again. I definitely feel more of a pulling sensation on the right side where the elastics are then the left when I open my mouth. Is it just that this side is more sensitive at the moment or has more feeling then the other side??? I dunno. My teeth are more sensitive on my right side when I chew on food and I still get a clicking sound when I try to chew on my left side...but that has improved I guess, especially when I concentrate on chewing up and down and not side to side like a cow how I used to!!!

Ugh. I'm tired of these elastics. It's like trying to land the space shuttle when I eat with a fork...if you don't enter at the exact angle, time and area...it's all over (my lap usually).

New Pics!!

I know, it's been a while since I've posted some pics. Between Chris being gone, school starting back up and homework stacking up I've been all over the place!! But this morning before running off to school I took some quick pics of myself. Taking pics of yourself is difficult!! :) I notice alot of the swelling has gone down even from my last pics and I feel like it's gone down too. There is still some swelling right under my nose and a little on either side still as well...but not nearly like it was! So...enjoy!