Facing Up To It - 22

So it’s January? Gosh. I swear the years get faster as you get older. And I should know. Yesterday in anticipation of being 6 weeks post op, I made a comparison pic using a nifty little app. I was shocked. I tried to line up the nose tips and eyebrows ....

Then today I had my 6-week follow-up with L my orthodontist and prepared to feel uncomfortable as she removed tones of old rubbers large and small including three pieces of powerchain! I couldn’t open very wide but she and I did well. 

I got new powerchain, new, light arch wires, some rather groovy handmade hooks and aqua ligatures on my Corsodyl stained teeth. 

There are only 2 ‘boxes’ of light elastics keeping my jaws in relationship, and of course I took pictures so that when they fly across the room I can replicate the arrangement! 

I went home to cook lunch and sing songs (badly), then chew lunch (equally badly) but enjoyably so. I feel like being creative again. Watch this space!

Facing Up To It - 21

So double Jaw surgery went ahead on the 8th December as planned. I spent most of the day in theatre and the evening back on the ward where Michael was waiting for me. 

And the day after, Saturday, all the children came in to see me which was rather sweet. I spent that night in hospital too and arrived home on Sunday night still completely worn out! 

I took the above photo when I began to really feel human again, just before I lost the chin strap. 

Mary aged 9 had been making notes on her phone and I thought I would share them with you here. She did a good job of blogging I think ....

Mummy's jaw surgery at christmas!

13th of December 2017. Mummy has had jaw surgery. On fifth day now. She is better than she was in hospital. Finding it quite hard to breathe through her nose. She feels hot, tired and painful. She can go  to the toilet and drink and get dressed! Mummy is doing well. She can walk around a bit. She is wearing pyjamas at the moment. Mike is feeding her with a syringe. The dog has to be gentle to mummy. Mike is being very protective over mummy. The Christmas tree is up and ash is itching himself all over. Ash respects mummy. It is 6:39 and mummy is having some pain killers. Mummy just coughed a little and she burped. She doing ok now.  We are going to spend some family time with her before we go back to dad's house. I am changed so I can spend some time with mum. 

14th of December 2017.It is now day six and mummy is better at talking than she was. I came over earlier and she took her painkillers. She managed to eat Christmas cake blended with cream cheese and soya milk! She is having soft carrots for dinner tonight. She's slowly getting better. We are going to see the surgeon who did the surgery on Monday next week. We hope the surgeon will think that mummy is recovering well.

 Day 7. 15 December 2017 and mummy  can very very very slightly smile! She looks so so so so so so so good now. Mum is gradually getting better every day. One step at a time. Her nose is still clogged up with old, dry blood. Mummy has taken the plaster from her Chin and she looks so so good. She's normal but a bit swollen. 

It is the tenth day of jaw surgery (18th December 2017) and mummy's nose is clear! Mummy managed to syringe in some soup. Mummy put cheese in he container and melted the cheese then mummy put milk in it and stirred it in. Then mummy blended the soup. It is 1:10pm and mummy is feeling exhausted and she doesn't feel like talking. 

Day 12 of jaw surgery. Wednesday 20th of December and mummy is feeling sad that she can't have all the Christmas chocolates. She is making soup for dinner. It is a vegetable soup. With goats cheese in it. We have more crackers from Michael and Joy. We now have twelve crackers! It's getting exciting! 

The 13th day of jaw surgery! The 21 of December! 4 days to go until Christmas Day! Mummy is able to drink out of a cup! The orthodontics tightened mummy's elastics. 

14th Day of jaw surgery! 22nd of December.  Nearly Christmas. 

And then Christmas just sort of happened and I recover, one day at a time! 

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 - 18

I was hoping for impressions taken at my latest appointment, but L said I still had some gaps to close before those were taken, and I felt dismayed at the prospect of delay. 

I was fitted with some rather impressive suspension system, although they didn't make the ride home any smoother! Apparently could keep working until the gap closes so I am sure I can have my moulds done in march when I go back March. Time really flies these days!

 

Even though as an artist I've always maintained that purple will make my teeth look more yellow, I slipped into purple bands yesterday up at the hospital, having been 692 days in braces and feeling bored of all my favourite colours! 

 

The good news was that I was booked into the next Joint Clinic that comes after my next visit, so I get to see the Max Factor guys in April, and I can't decide whether to be delighted or really absolutely scared because they will probably give me a idea of when surgery will be. Eeep.

Also sorry for the stained teeth. I'm not due for a blast with the hygienist until March but she does say I keep everything really clean. Phew. 

Facing up to it - 17

I hope you had a nice Christmas? Just before the big day I had another toothy appointment and had my mouth festooned with Christmas colours and some extra free hardware. With the bottom row now also in STEEL it was time to close that gap I mentioned last time! I repeat, all NiTi arch wire is gone!

I have extra hooks crimped onto the wire at both sides, and then L produced some tiny elastic on fine wires, one red and one green. She seemed very pleased with my gnashers.

On the 31st January I will have some more impressions taken to check to see just how surgery ready I am. I see a date for surgery in 2017 then! I'm always amazed at how juicy those bands appear when photographed up close! Happy Boxing Day! Xx

Facing Up To It - 16

So today, and I am not long back from DCH, I have been in braces for 602 days. The orthodontist and nurse were in good spirits, planning Christmas in terms of a) my band colours and b) dressing up and playing games in othodontics. It was agreed that although mulled wine, which also stains teeth in braces, is a very definite no-no, wearing deely-boppers and sipping Benecol might be permitted. I declined to comment, mostly because it's rude to talk with your mouth ful, but also because there was lots to do inside my gob today. 

My next job is to Google the game SPEAK OUT. Dentists are generally good at this game.

So I've got some colour back in my life after experimenting with all the neutrals. I chose navy-knicker blue, but I agree to be Christmassy on the 15 Dec when I go back. The upper teeth were looking so good that they were rewarded with a steel. These are the arch wires needed for surgery. Yikes! I've got my third power chain on the top row, too. 

Down below, we looked at moving the front right i-tooth and the number 7 on the same side. That arch wire is another Ni-Ti but I'm hoping it might be a steel soon. Or do I? Surgery looms ever closer! 

Facing Up To It - 15

At the end of September my teeth looked like this ....

Though they sit in a marvellous curve they are still splayed out and need to become something more like perpendicular. Maybe there's a better word for that to do with the angles of teeth! I gave the URL for this blog to my othondontist and nurse, so I wonder if they came to find it. L was certainly helpful in letting Michael take photos such as this. Will we appreciate all of this in years to come? I do hope so!

Im going back next week to find out what needs to happen next. That wire which is wobbly in the pic above will be nice and straight I'm sure!

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 - 13 ...

I've compressed two visits into one here, as I've been to DCH today and the photograph below shows me with L on the 28th June. C introduced me to L as she was handing over ready to go on maternity leave. My giant trainers and my controversial nose dominate the picture of L getting to know my mouth before a discussion with C!

I took this picture before I went into the appointment. Claire had given me a leaflet about INTERPROXIMAL REDUCTION to scare myself with, and so I wanted the BEFORE pic for this blog. It does show a rather uneven row of insicors, and indeed Libby decided that the teeth ought to be straighter before this procedure actually be carried out. 

In another gaping mouth shot, you can see that Libby changed one of the bands on my molars for a bracket, and a new fine wire to get the molar into a better position. Then she gave me a longer gap till my next appointment, which was today.

Although I prefer the pop-up tent that P E first used on me, I had my face stretched wide by this evil device today, so that Libby could add new brackets to all my lower front teeth, and also a molar on my lower right this time. My lower lip ended up very numb. 

I chose silver bands this time, and here are my new brackets and another very fine wire. This is definitely a time for much tweeking in order to be surgery ready. 

And finally, although you cannot see it very well, I have my first power chain, as a gap appeared between my crown and the tooth to the left of it. It's clear so if you want to see it, look very closely around the upper wire!

So that's me after 518 days in braces! 

Facing up to it - 12

Going mouldy, today I met an older version of me. The one we knew before I spent 443 days in othodontic appliances! Have those days flown by? Yes I think they have!

So here I am, with apparently no bottom teeth. Despite orthodontics in my late teens, I still had trouble eating, and no one had ever told me my bottom jaw just hasn't grown enough! That old NHS crown also looks far too big for my mouth ....

This view from the side hints at where my lower incisors might be. That lower jaw also hides wisdom teeth too. 

On the right-hand upper jaw you can see the one wisdom tooth I do have, and the other teeth jostling for best position!

A month ago I had more moulds made, by simply removing my wires, to asses what needs to happen before I am surgery ready. As you can see, the treatment so far has brought the lower teeth out of the palate where they used to come to rest and the dream of eating an apple like everyone else does slides nearer ....

Look at these beautiful perfect curves! You can see half of that wisdom tooth which has remained free of treatment but is now sitting at a different level. His days are numbered. I lost his partner after my first child, to a dentist in Inverness!

Something that can be done using these moulds, that cannot be done in my mouth, is that the position of my teeth post surgery can be checked. Here is where my teeth really should be, and it's clear a few tweeks are needed. So today I had my top wire widened and by the evening I was feeling the pain!

And next time I will have those lower teeth shaved down to narrow them, and l will let you know how that goes. But look - here is roughly how I will look, with bottom teeth! I'm pretty excited about that!

Facing Up To It - 11

So this is me. I've fitted my teeth together for you in this photo, and my neutral face looks pretty sad! 340 days ago when my braces were first fitted only sections of the back brackets would touch. We have come a long way! Prior to the braces being fitted, my lower teeth at the front had actually carved a dent for themselves in my palet. I spent most of the days of my life, since I was a teenager, holding my teeth apart to look less severe ...

On Thursday I had another adjustment, and my lower jaw was ready finally to receive an upgrade of wire, matching my upper arch wire at last! I chose navy blue bands, a new one for me, and here's my metal-filled smile. My bottom lip still falls back, unsupported by lower teeth. They might be a nice curve now, but they are still a long way back!

And this silly face is my attempt to show you all the gubbins! Seriously cannot wait for a decent set of gnashers and one day, taking the first proper bite out of an apple I will have ever taken in my life!

Facing up to it - 10

My January teeth are coloured red! With no hygienist at the orthodontists, I was happy to have a really good blast and polish with my regular dentist, Lucy James. 

No wire changes this time but lots of encouragement from Claire and I've taken a photo to show you the difference in my bands, the top ones are Os and the bottom ones are 8s which means the lower teeth hurt more!

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 - 7

This week I went into orthodontics to have a little excess wire cut off. As teeth move, sharp bits magically appear, and because my small mouth gets in the way, spectacular holes can develop! 

Dr Ellis was free to help me out and after a short wait I went in to see her. She expressed delight at getting the chance to see how my teeth were lining up, and as she peered into my mouth she was not disappointed!

With barely hidden excitement, she suggested to her assistant that I might have an adjustment today instead of coming back in two weeks, and I didn't mind at all. 

Later I smiled at my extra blessing, even though Dr Ellis was right and I had very many sore teeth. A struggle ensued between orthodontist and some very small spaces and then I finally recieved my second upgrade in wire thickness!

I was not expecting to chose a new colour today so I went back to my first colour of aqua. I do like it! Scroll back to see how I wore it back in March this year!

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!

Facing up to it - 3

I went back to the orthodontist to be 'adjusted' and it was back to soft food for a couple of days! 

This time I chose pink for my ligatures, and Mary was very happy to see me wearing her favourite colour. My wire was tightened, and then to provide extra tension if got fine wire in place of elastic on two right-hand teeth.

Can you say right-hand teeth? 

Here is a delightful drawing of a girl drawn by Mary who can't wait to be 7 soon. Which means the blog is also that old too. Eeep. 

Facing up to it - 2

The one where I got wired! And here we see a face that hides a secret! The braces have been fitted and nothing will ever be the same again!

So off I went to DCH last Wednesday. I was given a groovy pair of safety goggles incase of flying hardware and lay back to enjoy the ride. 

Dr Ellis and cheerful assistant set about filling my face with metal and glues, various, and small silicone bands in a delightful shade of aqua. Which I chose. 

But Dr Ellis and cheerful assistant did not want to be photographed with me sporting these fetching lip retractors. Although they did suggest to Mike that it would make a good image for the blog. After seeing her fit this, I bet Dr Ellis is good at putting away pop-up tents! I'm not. 

In this picture, you can see everything ready to be joined with a very fine wire. 

The fine wires are held in place by tiny rubbers. After teaching Mike how to get a macro shot using his iPhone, he took this close-up. If you are a senseble grown-up who doesn't want to do colour you can have clear silicone bands. 

The first photo of me in my braces shows that my teeth need a lot of adjustments before that jaw surgery can take place! But I'm definitely excited!