3 Months til Done!

Hey everyone!

In 3 months I will no longer have braces!! I really need to start another countdown clock...90 days!!! Things are going well with the braces (I did manage to get the top chain replaced): my back teeth are moving down, they're not touching all of the way yet, but they're getting there!

The nerves in my lip and chin are not cooperating as well as my teeth are. I still don't have feeling from the corners of my lips down to the bottom of my mandibular. It has me worried now, though my OS says that it takes between 6 and 12 months and I've found other sources that say it can take up to 18 months for full feeling to return. It's been 9 months...

And, since it has been 9 months (and since I haven't posted before and after pictures since about 9-weeks post op) I have pictures!

Before:


After:


Before:


After:


It's been a long road, and it's not over yet! I can't wait for these 3 months to fly by! Plus, after I get my braces off they'll take my x-ray (my OS has post-op x-rays, but my ortho puts all of that stuff on my patient website so I can access them) and I'll be able to post those before and afters!!

<3 Stefane

Broken Chain

Hello everyone!

I was reminded this weekend of the struggles and headaches that accompany going to school far away from home. Every trip I take home is filled with appointments (Ortho, OS...though I don't have to see him so much anymore, Dentist, Dr...I was sick the last time I was at home), and then I leave to come back to school, with the phrase "If something feels off while you're at school/before you come back (fill in blank with what to do)..."

On Saturday night I realized that the chain on my top teeth had snapped waaaay in the back of my mouth (the second to last tooth from the back). Since I'm wearing box rubber bands on my back teeth at night, the tooth and bracket are being pulled downward, popping the wire out of the bracket. Now, the break in the chain is pulling the chain off the back tooth. No big deal...typically...but, I can just call up my orthodontist and pop in there to get it fixed. So, I called an orthodontist up here (luckily I had to go to one before, when I was having TMJ troubles...check out my first post) and am trying to get in to see him (and it would be really great if his office would call me back when they say they will!!!). I also called my ortho back home, to let them know what's going on.

So, it's just another day in the life of a college student with braces. Hopefully I can get this taken care of before the chain pulls off of my back tooth and drives me crazy!

Yours in frustration,

<3 Stefane

P.S. I'm back on the Nerontin, and there is still no change in the feeling in my lip/chin. I'm supposed to call Dr. N about upping the dosage.