I can't feel my upper pallet getting wider, but it is! Well, maybe I could feel it a little bit but it was just lumped in with all the other pain after the adjustment I had when they put it in the beginning of October. Saw my ortho on Mon and he was doing a lot of measurements on my latest set of molds and comparing that to my teeth and then doing some other looksies to see what else he needed to torque and correct. I've already expanded a whole 2mm. He seemed surprised by this. I asked him what they were going for total and he said if they can get 5, then we can probably cross expansion off the surgery list. So, good news I guess. He adjusted the TPA and threw it right back in, but for the few seconds it was out it was really nice to feel the unadulterated roof of my mouth again. Maybe we'll see another 2mm at the next appointment in 4 weeks. If so, that would put me close to surgery ready in that category. Other thing he was adjusting is my molars all the way in the back of my mouth. They're kind of tipped and he said my surgeon spoke with him and mentioned that that can sometimes be an issue post op where my bite won't sit together at all. Makes sense since right now those teeth do not meet the molars on the bottom, so they're not biting on anything. But when the jaws get adjusted, they'll have a lower neighbor once again and if the tooth is tipped, then I'll be biting on that one tip/edge that is hanging and it will cause the rest of my teeth to not meet since it will sit on that high point. I've been there before and it's annoying, so if we can torque that tooth to prevent that from happening, that would be great.
Doc reiterated again that they feel good shooting for Feb. Actually, after seeing the 2mm expansion, he sounded a little more confident about it but still stressed that in the end it's not 100% guarantee. This isn't my first rodeo. I definitely know how this goes and I am not holding him firm to a date right now, and instead I am very happy to have the estimate at least. He also stressed that he doesn't want to send me in without being 100% perfectly ready, and he doesn't want to rush to get me there either. Everything done slow, steady, as meticulously planned. I am way good with that. I would rather them pay attention to detail and be damn sure that everything is 100% where it's supposed to be for an optimal result before sending me for the big show.
One more measurement I forgot to mention is that they opened up the space a smidge more for my missing #19 molar. I am at 7mm right now which is where they want it for the future implant that will go there after treatment. So, I guess we'll hold that space steady from here on out. One other thing that I asked him about since he was all up in my grill measuring stuff-- just how big is my current overjet. I thought for sure I would be at least double digits. I started with 5mm and the amount of space they've created feels HUGE. Like, so much worse than what I even started with before I got braces and that was 8-9mm. Surprisingly, I am only at 8mm. I looked at him in shock. This feels sssoooo much worse than what I started with originally. I never dropped food out of my mouth like I do now. Wonder if all the other stuff going on now (cant, yaw, lopsided rotation, etc) is really throwing it off and making everything feel that much worse? I dunno. Otherwise, sounds like we're on track with everything. Torque a few teeth, tip those back molars where they need to be, expand another 3mm, and then it's surgery time. Next appointment is in 4 weeks, so I guess we'll have to wait and see where I am then! Comon, TPA-- keep chuggin!!
Doc reiterated again that they feel good shooting for Feb. Actually, after seeing the 2mm expansion, he sounded a little more confident about it but still stressed that in the end it's not 100% guarantee. This isn't my first rodeo. I definitely know how this goes and I am not holding him firm to a date right now, and instead I am very happy to have the estimate at least. He also stressed that he doesn't want to send me in without being 100% perfectly ready, and he doesn't want to rush to get me there either. Everything done slow, steady, as meticulously planned. I am way good with that. I would rather them pay attention to detail and be damn sure that everything is 100% where it's supposed to be for an optimal result before sending me for the big show.
One more measurement I forgot to mention is that they opened up the space a smidge more for my missing #19 molar. I am at 7mm right now which is where they want it for the future implant that will go there after treatment. So, I guess we'll hold that space steady from here on out. One other thing that I asked him about since he was all up in my grill measuring stuff-- just how big is my current overjet. I thought for sure I would be at least double digits. I started with 5mm and the amount of space they've created feels HUGE. Like, so much worse than what I even started with before I got braces and that was 8-9mm. Surprisingly, I am only at 8mm. I looked at him in shock. This feels sssoooo much worse than what I started with originally. I never dropped food out of my mouth like I do now. Wonder if all the other stuff going on now (cant, yaw, lopsided rotation, etc) is really throwing it off and making everything feel that much worse? I dunno. Otherwise, sounds like we're on track with everything. Torque a few teeth, tip those back molars where they need to be, expand another 3mm, and then it's surgery time. Next appointment is in 4 weeks, so I guess we'll have to wait and see where I am then! Comon, TPA-- keep chuggin!!
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