Update on tooth extraction

It's been two weeks today since I had my top premolars out.... They seem to have pretty much healed, to be honest they were pretty much back to normal within a week. I still have to be careful when I'm eating particularly hard food that it doesn't jar up into the gap and stab my gums, that still hurts.. but whether that's due to it not being healed yet or just general gum sensitivity I'm not too sure.

I am pretty sure that my open bite has actually reduced with those two teeth out which is interesting... I wonder if it will change again while the braces are working their magic.

There are 4 weeks to go until the spacers go in and 5 weeks to go until my braces get put on! I'm really excited! I know it's going to be pretty awful but I guess I'm just excited to have everything finally moving.

On another note, it is ANZAC day here in New Zealand. Mum and I went to the Dawn Parade at the Auckland Museum and it was amazing (as usual) - I love the spirit of ANZAC day, seeing all the returned soldiers always brings a tear to the eye! Especially when they have the bagpipes playing in the background... We will remember them.

The First Post

Hello Everyone!
My name is Kelsie, and I have started this blog because I want to document my journey through orthognathic surgery. This is mainly for myself to reflect back on and hopefully to help other people through the same experience. I have been putting it off for a while, mainly because I wanted to start this blog at the same time that everything started happening. Well, today marks that day.

Before I start, I will go into some detail about what my situation is and how my orthodontist and surgeon have decided to fix it. (This is all on the About Me page too)

I have a class III malocclusion (an underbite) and an anterior open bite (my teeth touch at the back but are open at the front). I also have a lot of crowding, especially in the upper jaw.

Treatment proposed: First comes an extraction of the upper second premolars so that when the braces are put on my teeth will have room to move. The braces and elastic bands will then be put on, and remain on for 18 months. Then comes the surgery… A bimaxillary osteotomy. This basically means upper and lower (hence the ‘bi’) jaw surgery. My top jaw will undergo a LeFort I Osteotomy, while my lower jaw will undergo a Bilateral Sagittal Split Osteotomy (BSSO). The braces remain on for the surgery and 6 more months to stabilise. And then all that’s left is months in retainers. Here’s a link to explain the surgeries in more detail: http://www.maxfac.com/facial/jaw.html

At least 6 months before the surgery I will also need to have my 3 wisdom teeth taken out. This is so the bone has healed and is less prone to fracture.

I have had x-rays and pictures taken, and also some moulds, I am hoping to get copies of these so I can post them. There’s nothing more useful that some before photos! 

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Now that I have told you my story, I can update you on where I am actually up to.

Today I had my teeth extraction. I feel super guilty about ripping out two perfectly good teeth, even in the name of a straight smile. However, I did it, and I did not complain!

It actually wasn’t too bad. The local stung a bit going in but only on the insides of the teeth. After that, I didn’t feel a thing. For those that have never experienced tooth extraction – it is a very weird sensation. It doesn’t hurt, at ALL, but when they are wiggling the tooth trying to get it loose.. and then it suddenly jolts out, it’s very very weird.

So now I feel all hillbilly with my missing teeth and fat lips… but I survived! And here’s a picture:

Okay maybe I lied about the ‘perfect’.. spot the cavity starting!

And here’s the view inside my mouth, apologies for the up-nose shot.. The crowding can be seen really well here:

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I also made a visit to my orthodontist today and he has booked me in to get braces on the 30th May. This is what I’ve been waiting for, once they get the ball rolling then it’s all go. So… woohoo!