Thursday, October 18, 2007

I think I need to relax!

I never got a chance to upload my pic, I'll try really hard to do it tonight. My husband is a police officer and he's been on the night shift for the last 6 months, so I feel like a single parent most of the time.
This weekend is really big for the city I live in. Have you ever heard of the pumpkin festival? If you haven't, here'e the link http://www.pumpkinfestival.org/ The city attempts to break the record every year for the most jack-o-lanterns. Our biggest year has been 28,952. I think Boston has beaten us once and they are huge compared to us. It's actually really busy, it generally brings about 80,000 people to our small city of less than 25,000. It is a beautiful sight, everywhere you look in our downtown area, it's lit up with all different carved creations. So, this means I won't see much of my husband, again!

Anyways, back to the teeth. They were actually really sore yesterday but things seem to be pretty good this morning. It seems like right after I have an adjustment, I always have to use wax again. The insides of the back of my cheeks were all torn up again. I haven't really noticed the top of my front teeth closing at all but, I think I should take that picture to really do some comparing. The bottoms have actually separated just a tiny bit. He wrapped that wire around my two front teeth this time but it definitely doesn't do the same job as the good ole power chain does.

So, a comment he made to the new girl has been weighing on me pretty heavily. I had asked him if the braces would be pushing my teeth back at all because I feel like I have to really work at closing my lips. His response was, no. That there really wasn't any room to move them back and that's where the surgery would come in to play. Then the new girl asked what I would be having, and he told her and then added, and a possible advancement. An advancement would mean my lower jaw too! When I signed up for this journey, we ONLY discussed the upper jaw. When he showed me his measurements that he drew up on the x-rays before I had the SARPE, it was only the upper jaw that was discussed.
Then last night, I was reading Amy's whole blog and she mentions that her O.S. says that the upper jaw can't be moved back, that it's the lower jaw that has to be moved forward. So now I am incredibly confused and feeling a little anxious about not knowing what will be happening in my future. Has anyone ever heard of an upper jaw being moved back?? This is what my OS put on the Ins. Paperwork: LeFort I Osteotomy to shorten my posterior maxilla.
Okay, I think I need to breath and give it some more time, then maybe after the holidays, we can see where things stand.
Thanks for listening!!!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Michelle,
I see a lot of similarities in our procedures. I hope you saw I had a TPA (trans-palletal appliance) - twice - and what it is. It isn't that bad at all, NOTHING is as bad as that dreaded RPE :)

When my surgeon mentioned back, he was speaking of moving the upper jaw backward, meaning moving the jaw inward into the facial structure. Which I think is different than shortening the jaw. I hope what I wrote didn't cause you too much anxiety. I am by no means a orthognathic expert - heck I could barely spell it at first.

My understanding of what he did is that I had bone removed from my upper jaw, and that it was moved upward 10 mm in segments. That shortened my gummy smile. I didn't have movement so much as "removal" of the excess bone. I think back might mean the same as what my surgeon called up, but if your unsure the best thing to do is to call them. They really are there to make sure you are ok with everything, understand what they are doing and put your mind at ease. I know my OS did that for me, and I told him I read sites and got all sorts of info from the net. He was so good about making sure I knew what was going on.

Good luck to you and I hope you get rid of that RPE to enjoy turkey, mash potatoes, pie, ;)

Feel free to contact me if you want to with questions, I think my email is on my blog.

take care, Amy

Shontelly said...

OHH, the Pumpkin Fest. sounds like sooooo much fun!! You should take pics of it so I can see!! I love things like that. I'm sure there are simular events here in WA but like you my husbands always gone(military) so I don't get out much.
I'd call or make a little trip back to the office and ask him about it all to ease your mind.
Everythings going to be OOOCHAY! ;)

Shontelly said...

http://shontelly.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-uneven-jaw.html

There's a link to one of my posts explaining the surgery. I'm getting a mandibular setback - I think - but I'm waiting to hear what the surgeon says.

chris k said...

Maxillary posterior impaction. Yeah that's what I'm in for too. basically its just tipping the upper jaw so that the back teeth don't touch before they should. I'm also in line for a "possible" lower advancement. They really can't tell until they're in there moving things around. I wouldn't sweat it too much. If insurance covers one it'll probably cover both.

Michelle said...

Wish I had some good info for you regarding the surgery, but I can be of no help. I can try to soothe your worries....just remember the OS pretty much knows what he is talking about, he's an OS for some reason...well that is what I always tell myself. I remember thinking, why am I letting this guy cut on my face? Am I crazy? Im basically taking HIS word that this is what I need...well....I guess he was right and I guess he knew what he was doing...THANK GOD! Well loved the pumpkin website, Im just about to carve one for a contest Saturday...I cant wait, maybe I will post a picture! Well chow for now