The State of My Face - Day 277

I had my last orthodontist appointment on February 7. This was a long one, about 90 minutes total. Dr. E.and I talked a bit and he told me he was still on target for my jaw surgery being between April and June. I don't think it'll be April, though, because I scheduled my next appointment for March 25 and there was no mention of surgical hooks. I'm thinking if I'm having surgery in April I'd get my hooks on at the end of March. He also has been working on "torquing" my teeth. I kept hearing him say this at my appointments but had no idea what he was talking about. I finally asked and torquing means to make the teeth flare out a bit instead of point inward.

A lot of changes were made at this appointment! I knew ahead of time that he was going to have my two central incisor brackets removed and placed differently on the teeth. I didn't realize that this was so those teeth can be pulled down more and made longer! I'm growing longer teeth, y'all. The polishing part was a bit uncomfortable, but I survived. The assistant also let me brush my teeth without the brackets on and that was totally weird. My teeth felt so smooth and small.

Then they surprised me a bit. Previously my very back molars (second molars, number sevens, whatevs) didn't have brackets or bands on them. Dr. E. decided it was time to put brackets (not bands) on those teeth. One of those is a crown so that one was spared brackets but the other three have them and that was a major adjustment for me. I didn't think they would change my mouth so much but they did. I have been lisping and spitting a lot since they've been on and they are pokey and catch my cheek. Now that I've had them a few weeks they aren't as bad as they were at first, but they're not totally dandy either. Chewing food was hard for about five or six days. And I had to resort to using wax again which I hadn't used at all since I was first braced.

Then surprise number two came along. I know, how lucky am I? Dr. E. used a Drimmel tool-type thing with diamond coated grindy bits to grind down my fangs. Z.O.M.G. I don't recognized myself without my fangs. He is going to refine them more toward the end of treatment, he mostly just flattened off the tips. I look completely different. My fangs weren't especially bad but because I had my lateral incisors removed he had to make my canines look more like lateral incisors. I was skeptical that this would work but they really do fit right in now. Other people haven't noticed but it's been a big change for me. Also, having your teeth ground off kind of hurts. Just a heads up. One of my braced friends clued me in that if I know in advance they're doing that I should use sensitive toothpaste for a few weeks before-- noted!

The final surprise... my powerchain is gone! Dr. E. didn't say anything about removing it, so I'm not sure if it's gone by mistake or if I've actually graduated from powerchaindom. Either way, I'm happy about it. My teeth are much easier to clean and it's incredible how much my top braces seem to disappear without a gray powerchain. For a long time I kind of thought the Clarity brackets were a rip off because they were so noticeable... nope, just my grill chainz. I take it back Clarity, please forgive me.

I need to get a picture of all this business. Looking back my face has changed a lot since I last took some. It's on my to-do list.