The saga continues with these front teeth. What was a for sure thing has now gone back to "wait and see." My docs are not doing anything with the anteriors right now. They're super super surprised that my teeth aren't flopping around more. Unexpected, but it's a good thing. My prosth said on a mobility scale of 1-3, my teeth are a 1 (which is quite normal after braces) and maybe a few borderline a 2. I think they were expecting 2-3 (especially on that right lateral incisor) for the most part based on my films and all, so this is a pleasant surprise that I will take! I have no clue what is making them more firm than they should be given the root/bone resorption, but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth here! So, they're content waiting a few months to see what happens with them and if they will firm up any more now after being debanded. If they don't firm up and/or I show more bone loss on films, then we'll proceed with our plans to take them. If they hold steady, then I might be able to keep these teeth for a while. What is a "while?" Well, I don't know and they don't know, which is a shame because if I am going to keep the teeth, they need some kind of crown/vaneer restoration. The teeth have seen so much bonding all done in pieces that they look like a patched together quilt when you're up close to them. In pictures it's fine and from a distance it's fine, but up close you can see the multiple bonding pieces on my teeth and all the different colors they are. My teeth are also different sizes thanks to the hack bonding job my first ortho did. So, I might be in a position to question if I want to put vaneers ($1800 a pop) on my 4 uppers that I might only keep a few years. Maybe 10 if I'm lucky? Who knows. 10 is kind of the minimum number I am going for if I am going to put out almost $8000 to vaneer them. Something to think about in the back of my mind, but we're not even at the point where we know if that is going to be an option for me yet. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it I guess!
My prosth took impressions for a surgical stent to do the implant on my missing back molar. At least we'll get going on that one while we're in a holding pattern for the other teeth. $450 for the impressions and stent. Ouchie. Then I still have to look at whatever it's going to cost for the implant and crown itself. I can imagine that is going to run me about $3000 or so if I had to guess, and even that might be too optimistic. ::sigh:: Still bugs me that I am stuck paying for somebody elses mistake! Ugh! I emailed my surgeons office today to make the implant appointment, so we'll see what they have on the books to get me in for that.
On a totally different topic-- I just got back from a trip back east to see my family. It was great to get back and see them, especially since my little sister just had her first baby. This was the first everybody has seen me post op AND debanded. Everybody shared my relief that we're done and at this point now. Especially my father. He was so pissed with what happened the first time he wanted to fly out here and break my surgeons legs.... totally not kidding. Sorry, pops, you're not breaking anybody's legs. No matter how much they deserve it. lol I also got a chance to meet up with another of the regulars in the online jaw surgery community. She's kind of my jaw sister from another mister since she's seen her fair share (and by that, I should clarify that it's much more than any hardships I've seen!) of complications and heartache through this process. AND she's from the Philly area too, so we have quite a bit in common and can understand each other when it comes to all of this. It was really nice to finally meet up in person after talking online for a few years!
A few pictures from my trip below. I am still settling in to my debanded smile. My teeth feel a little less cartoon like and big to me, so I am finally getting used to them I think. I've been doing great with my retainers (like everything else-- if I am told to wear something 24/7, then I will with no questions asked). Only thing I am having an issue with still is the clenching when I have the top essix retainer in. I am trying my hardest to mentally stop myself from doing it, but I can't. That bulky plastic around the surface of my teeth is preventing my teeth from touching and throwing the occlusion off a bit there, and it's making me want to clench down to try and get the teeth to touch more (and they won't fully come together with the layer of plastic in between them). When I see my ortho in Oct for a retainer check, I might ask him to make me a hawley for the top so the biting surface of my teeth can remain uncovered and allow the teeth to sit together naturally when at rest. When I have the top retainer out and just the hawley on the bottom, I have no issues. So, lets hope that works better for me. Otherwise, all is well. I feel like the residual puff I had around my nose is pretty much gone now. Upper plates still tender to the touch with the lowers not bothering me at all. I still get stiff some days, and I am back to fighting off some tension headaches thanks to the clenching I am doing in the retainer. 7 months post op this week. Time flies!
My prosth took impressions for a surgical stent to do the implant on my missing back molar. At least we'll get going on that one while we're in a holding pattern for the other teeth. $450 for the impressions and stent. Ouchie. Then I still have to look at whatever it's going to cost for the implant and crown itself. I can imagine that is going to run me about $3000 or so if I had to guess, and even that might be too optimistic. ::sigh:: Still bugs me that I am stuck paying for somebody elses mistake! Ugh! I emailed my surgeons office today to make the implant appointment, so we'll see what they have on the books to get me in for that.
On a totally different topic-- I just got back from a trip back east to see my family. It was great to get back and see them, especially since my little sister just had her first baby. This was the first everybody has seen me post op AND debanded. Everybody shared my relief that we're done and at this point now. Especially my father. He was so pissed with what happened the first time he wanted to fly out here and break my surgeons legs.... totally not kidding. Sorry, pops, you're not breaking anybody's legs. No matter how much they deserve it. lol I also got a chance to meet up with another of the regulars in the online jaw surgery community. She's kind of my jaw sister from another mister since she's seen her fair share (and by that, I should clarify that it's much more than any hardships I've seen!) of complications and heartache through this process. AND she's from the Philly area too, so we have quite a bit in common and can understand each other when it comes to all of this. It was really nice to finally meet up in person after talking online for a few years!
A few pictures from my trip below. I am still settling in to my debanded smile. My teeth feel a little less cartoon like and big to me, so I am finally getting used to them I think. I've been doing great with my retainers (like everything else-- if I am told to wear something 24/7, then I will with no questions asked). Only thing I am having an issue with still is the clenching when I have the top essix retainer in. I am trying my hardest to mentally stop myself from doing it, but I can't. That bulky plastic around the surface of my teeth is preventing my teeth from touching and throwing the occlusion off a bit there, and it's making me want to clench down to try and get the teeth to touch more (and they won't fully come together with the layer of plastic in between them). When I see my ortho in Oct for a retainer check, I might ask him to make me a hawley for the top so the biting surface of my teeth can remain uncovered and allow the teeth to sit together naturally when at rest. When I have the top retainer out and just the hawley on the bottom, I have no issues. So, lets hope that works better for me. Otherwise, all is well. I feel like the residual puff I had around my nose is pretty much gone now. Upper plates still tender to the touch with the lowers not bothering me at all. I still get stiff some days, and I am back to fighting off some tension headaches thanks to the clenching I am doing in the retainer. 7 months post op this week. Time flies!
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