11-11-2019 Update

I know I am overdue for an update- my apologies.

When I said my life was a little crazy I meant that:

Since I started the MSE I have left my crazy un-medicated alcoholic addict husband, couch surfed for at least a month while I found a place I could afford that was decent, applied for and somehow got a better job (a more demanding one but with better pay), moved and settled into both my new place and job. I am doing well, just really overwhelmed. I have barely been on social media at all. Thanks for asking: P

Anyways, I have lost between 10-15lbs. I breathe better at night, especially if I lay on my right side. I don’t think I mouth breathe during the night anymore. I do not wake up with wretched breath like I used too. Although I am now lacking someone to tell me if I snore or not.

Also, I got 11.8mm of expansion. The periodontist offered to remove the MSE and immediately install a new one to get even more, but I decided that I did not want to go through that pain again and I was happy with my results so far.

I turned the MSE I think 66 times? I was supposed to get 75 turns out of it, but broke the wrench at turn 64 or 65. And actually it was because I could absolutely not turn it anymore. I went 5 days before I was able to get a new wrench. Then we found that I bent the MSE and the sides/legs of it coming down to my teeth perforated the soft tissue/side of the roof of my mouth. That didn’t really hurt, but it was impossible to turn so I went back in the see the perio and once she saw inside my mouth she said, “Nope! You’re done! Do NOT turn anymore!”

Picture: bent MSE with the sides poking into me :(

She did another CBCT but I do not have a copy of it. Anyways, we decided invisalign was a better option for me because it’s a slow and steady force exerted vs. the tradition braces where it’s a stronger force exerted once every so many weeks. I start those January 2^nd.

Now, to expand the lower to match my upper, I am getting SFOT bone grafting TOMORROW. Surgery is my biggest fear but I have tried to think on it as little as possible and I’m just going in and doing it. No panic attack if I can help it. I cleaned my home, washed all my bedding and laundry, made a bunch of pureed soups and bought a bunch of soft food like yogurt, applesauce, shakes, soups, drinks, ice cream, etc. because I will be on an all liquid diet for 2 weeks. They do not want me tearing a stitch, because I will have the grafting along my entire lower arch. My goal is to also drop another 11 lbs by my birthday (Dec 25^th.), not going to lie. My mother will be taking me and staying the whole day and night because when I had my wisdom teeth out I was a drooling lifeless heap for days. I also took the rest of the week off work because the swelling and bruising is forecasted to be intense.

I was given 10 norcos, 20 ibuprofen 800 and because it’s important to avoid infection, 6 days of antibiotics.

So, the day I got a diastema: I got a breakfast sandwich and a coffee on my way into work (that day, work was a small tooling and gage shop). I was sitting in a conference room and munching away when I felt a sharp pain behind my front teeth. It was INTENSE and sudden. However, right when it started, I looked in the bathroom mirror. Everything looked fine and the same as normal. The pain kept on and after a half hour I called the ortho and explained. The girl at the desk said it’s normal, but I could come in the next day. So, I took some ibuprofen and continued to work. I ended up finishing the sandwich another half hour later, but realized my teeth were hitting differently. So, I went back in the bathroom to take a look and sure enough, I had a gap. I was really caught off guard. I was focused on work and because I was already on day 23, I really wasn’t expecting anything. The thought of the pain being the great divide didn’t actually cross my mind. But by the time I left the shop that day, I could slide in my 1mm feeler gage! To start with, my front teeth have always been a bit overlapped too.

Picture: in pain with a brand new diastema :)

Me today: 

Oh also, yes, The TMJD issues are catching up with me. The last few weeks my teeth huuuurt because my bite is so off. I was really OK until then. But, this is to be expected. I plan on getting a cheap DIY bite guard from the pharmacy tonight to sleep with until the Invisalign starts. The kind you put into hot water and trim up yourself. Those have worked in a pinch for me before. I hope that it will work with the stitches after tomorrow though. 

So, sorry for the 3 month hiatus, but more to come. I didn’t forget about the blog!

Wish me luck tomorrow, and don’t expect me to be conscious for at least a few days afterwards!