1 Year Anniversary!

1 Year Anniversary!!!

So it has actually been 1 whole year today since my lower jaw surgery!! Can't quite believe it has already been a year, feels like yesterday I was getting myself hyped up for it! 

I had my braces taken off in January which was AMAZING! After that I got given my retainer which I have to wear nightly. My orthodontist wanted to put another fixed retainer behind my front two teeth because there is a slight gap, but I have voted against this decision. Mostly because I have recently started a new job who aren't as easy going with days off as my last place! So I would loose a lot of money to keep travelling to Exeter again! But also because the slight gap doesn't bother me, its so small that I didn't notice it until she pointed it out! Not going to put myself through more disgusting moulds for something that small! 

Numbness wise, I still cant feel certain parts of my lower gums but I don't really notice it! My tongue still has a slight tingle in it but other than that I am pretty normal! No pain that I can think of, sometimes when I yawn to much my jaw aches for a bit - but that might be the case for most people!

So yeah! My life is pretty normal now, since I last updated I have moved house, got a dog called Thatcher, went to Magaluf to celebrate my year anniversary of being with my boyfriend, performed on stage as Robinson Crusoe, got a new job and lots of other stuff I cant remember! This surgery certainly didn't slow me down and I am so glad I went through the process. 

I wish I had known how easy it would be back before my surgery, because it would have saved me worrying so much! This will probably be my last post because I doubt anything else will change! I hope this blog helps people who are about to go through the same ordeal! Just remember, its so worth it in the end!! 

Liss xx 

(Pics below of my holiday to Magaluf and a backstage selfie from Robinson Crusoe!) 

Braces are off!!!! :D

Tuesday 24th January 2017

I got my braces off today!!! Its been nearly 6 months since my surgery and I can now see the final result! So happy with everything!

So because they had trouble closing the gap in the bottom row of my teeth they have put in a fixed retainer (just a thin metal wire) behind my bottom front teeth. I can feel its there but you cant see it. 

Having my braces taken off was a little bit painful, they had to pull quite hard to get the metal hoops off my back teeth! Then they gave them a little polish to get rid of the glue residue, and they were off!

I then had moulds done! Which are never a nice experience but the women i had was lovely and helped me stay calm throughout! After that they took some photographs of the final result and i was free to go! I have to go back tomorrow afternoon to pick up my retainer and i have final appointment with my surgeon in April just for an update on how im doing!

With regards to numbness and pain this long after the surgery: I am still numb in parts of my lower gums but it doesnt really bother me that much. And pain wise, i cant open my mouth as wide as i used too so sometimes i get a pain in my jaw when i overstretch it or open it at a wrong angle! Other than that everything is going great! So happy with everything and i cant even remember having the surgery! Its all a blur! Love my new smile :D 

3 Months Post Opp

OK so today is the 30th September which is 3 months and 3 days since my surgery!!

I still have some numbness on the inside of my chin and my gums but other than that its all healed nicely!

I now have elastics on my braces which are very annoying! But its the final stage of my braces!! My orthodontist said that if everything is looking good at my next appointment they will take my braces off at the appointment after that! So hopefully i will be brace free either just before Christmas or just after!!!! Cant wait!!

So happy with the results so far and to be honest i have completely forgotten about the process and how painful, scary and emotional it was! It is such a blip in my life! Cant believe its been 3 months!

Nothing else to report! I will post again once the braces are off!!!

Face photo:

10 Weeks (ish) post opp

Update! 

I'm really not very good a keeping a blog! If anyone is following my journey i apologize for not updating sooner.

OK so everything is going great! No problems to report so far! I still have some numbness in my chin but to be honest i dont really notice it! My nerves are also still coming round so i have some sensitivity in my gums at times and a few aches in my jaw where the bone is still healing (takes 3 months apparently!). Other than that i'm really happy with everything! 

My bite is still in line and my braces are still moving my teeth into the correct position! Not sure if i mentioned in a previous post but i am getting elastics on my next appointment (yay :/) to help align everything! 

Other than that there is nothing to report! Hope you all had a good summer!

Update (Finally!)

Just over 7 weeks post opp!

OK so i am really rubbish at keeping this blog up to date! I have had a lot of things going on recently so haven't even thought about my surgery!

So in the time i have been away, i turned 21! I had the best surprise party ever and got very drunk! I started back at work again and went to a renewal of vows reception last weekend! Busy Busy!

So with regards to my jaw:

Everything is going great! I started back at work a week earlier than i had planned because i didn't feel i needed the time off! So i had 5 weeks off work in total (i could have managed with only 2 weeks off!). 

Pain wise i am not in any! I have a small scare a couple of weeks ago just after my 21st birthday because i suddenly had this very tender and painful spot appear on my jaw! It was just over where the metal bracket would be on my left side! I was so worried i had done something to knock it out of place! Luckily i had an appointment with my orthodontist the day i noticed the pain for my brace adjustment, so my surgeon also popped in to check me over. He said i had probably over stretched the muscles that are trying to heal when i was singing and shouting at my party! He was right because the pain went away within the next 2 days and i am fine now.

As i said above i had my first brace adjustment since my surgery. My orthodontist wants me to wear elastics when i next go in and see her (great! :/) just to align everything up. She said i should have my braces off by Christmas which is great!! I have to go back every 6-8 weeks just like before my surgery. 

My surgeon no longer has to see me until after the braces come off just to check the final result. 

Here's a photo from my 21st! You cant really see my jaw but i was smiling and happy! 

Numbness: I still am experiencing numbness in my chin. Its not as bad as it was and it is gradually coming back to life, its just taking a long time! It doesn't really effect me though, i only notice it from time to time. My lower gums are still coming round as well so whenever i brush my teeth, certain parts of my gums are very tender and feel weird! 

Eating: I am pretty much eating normally now! I am still wary when it comes to eating really hard/crispy food and sometimes when i eat really chewy things my jaw starts to ache a bit. But i can still eat almost anything i want and i can open my jaw pretty wide. Not as much as i could before the surgery but i am sure i will get there!

To be honest i cant believe its been 7 weeks since i had my surgery! I cant even really remember the pain and discomfort because it is so insignificant now! I am so glad i had the surgery done and i will never regret it! I am already so happy with the result and i am still not at the end of the process. 

I think i was really lucky with my surgery because i didn't have any complications, hardly any pain and was back on my feet within 48 hours! I only had to stay in hospital the 1 night (and i found out the other day my surgeon was going to send me home the same day but because i had the drains in he kept me in!). 

So if you are thinking of having the surgery done and your looking at this blog for advice, the only thing i can say is that you make it a lot worse in your head than it actually is! This process has been so much easier than i thought it would be and i wish i could go back and tell myself this so i would stop worrying so much! It is so worth it!

Here's another photo from the renewal ceremony to end this update :) Keep smiling :D 

 

1 Month Gone!!!

Its been a whole month since my surgery and the time has flown by!

Still numb in parts of my chin and gums and every now and again i have a small pain in my jaw where im still getting used to my bite. Other than that everything is normal!

My swelling is still going down on my chin but all the other swelling has gone.

Not a lot else to say to be honest! Everything is normal.

Here is another face photo:

Before and After Profile

Thought id share a photo with you, this is a before and after pic of my profile so far. There's already a huge difference and there is still some swelling! The next is another front on photo :) Oh i had another surgeon appointment and he is really pleased and i no longer have to see him until after the braces come off! I have my next appointment in 3 weeks time to have my braces adjusted! Last leg of my journey!