Lost My Screws...

I was up and out the door this morning for my screw removal. Dr. Wood removed all six, four of which were poking through under my tongue so they needed to come out. I'm hopeful I won't have that metal taste in my mouth after the numbness goes away. They knocked me out with that funny stuff and I awoke to hear them still working in my mouth...last few stitches...wow...it's a good thing they were just about done as it was a bit painful when they were tugging on the the stitches. The wonderful news was that they were able to remove them from inside my mouth so no more stitches on the outside of jaw so I was so thrilled about that news. I have a bunch of stitches and I'm very sore and they sent me home with some Vicadin so that's helping with the pain. I'm on soft foods again for a few weeks as eveything heals back up and I go back in for my follow up.

It's pretty exciting to be nearing the end of my two year journey, the next pictures I post with be me bracefree!!

Almost There...

Yay...it's been a few months since I updated you all on what's been happening. Not much really...just have been patiently waiting to hear those much loved words "let's take them off"...yay! I had an ortho appointment yesterday and Dr. K said..."let's do it"! So...who knew it would take two more months to actually get them off but...hey...I'm not going to complain.

With my appointment yesterday they cut the wires right behind the canines and removed them from the back molars. I still have to wear one rubber band on each side until they say so, which is fine. Next visit in June they will remove the molar bands and let the teeth close up from that and they will take the impressions for my retainer. Then my next visit in July I will get them off and be sporting a brand spanking new retainer! Phew....

My bite is just perfect and I'm loving having my lips close naturally together now. That has been 48 years coming and it feels great!! I still have numbness from like my first molars forward on the lower jaw and I have prickly feelings to the touch in my lower lip and just in the middle of my chin area is still numb as numb can be. I'm hopeful that this will all resolve with more time as I've heard it can take up to a year and more to fully get most of the feeling back...so I will put my patient hat on and just wait and pray that I get most of it back.

I will post an updated picture soon but for now that it! Getting excited for the big debracing day!