Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Day 49 - Goodbye Surgical Wires

I had an orthodontist appointment today.  It involved a handful of people looking and poking at my mouth.  Pretty fun.  Actually, I was scared that after everything my poor mouth went through during that appointment that I was going to have to undergo a 2nd jaw surgery.  Thats kind of the way most orthodontist appointments go I guess.  I always walk in feeling great and excited to be getting one step closer to having my braces removed, but I'm grabbing for my ibuprofen as I walk out the door wondering, "Is this really necessary?".  At least everyone at the office is very friendly and nice.  I wish they were mean horrible people, though, because then I could hate them for hurting my teeth. But no, we're good friends.  I've been going there for 10 years so they've pretty much watched me grow up and that office is my home away from home.  Anyway...enough rambling. The most important thing about today is that my surgical wires have been removed. Hallelujah!!!  No more poking! No more food getting stuck in them!  No more looking like I don't have teeth, only gobs of metal! If only the would have taken off the braces with the hooks...then I would have been reaaally happy.  But this will do for now, I suppose.  Those surgical hooks didn't come off without a fight though.  I recall them being extremely painful going in too...Is that normal?  But yeah, they're out and a normal wire has replaced them along with one of those fancy little rubberband chains across my top teeth.  Luckily that rubberband chain is CLEAR instead of some obnoxious color.  Why call anymore attention to your braces than the braces themselves already do?  Thank goodness for clear. As far as the other rubberbands that are attached to both the top and bottom jaws go.... I enjoyed 4 short days of freedom, and now my orthodontist has mandated that the wearing of them be reinstated. Wonderful.

4 comments:

  1. Hey there Rebecca, me again. I was wondering, how long before the surgery did you get surgical wires? is it just the wires or they also replace the actual bracket for a surgical bracket or something? I've got an orthodontist appointment tomorrow and i think i heard the orthodontist say next time (meaning tomorow) i'd get them... just want to be "prepared". Your blog has been sooo useful! I've laughed, worried and felt the boredom with you while i read. Thanks for posting your experience :)

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  2. I got them 1 week before the surgery. There's really no need for them to be on any longer than the day before surgery - but of course you gotta work with your orthodontist's schedule.

    And no, they dont replace the brackets at all. If you look at my xrays you can see little hooks sticking up out of the regular wire - those are it. surgical wires. they will catch on your lips and drive you crazy but they won't kill you. :)

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  3. Hey Juan, I think "surgical wire" is being mixed up with "surgical hooks". Your surgical wires are just the arch wires in your brackets that are going to be in while you have your surgery and afterward. Surgical hooks are put on anytime between before your surgery, usually just a few days before. It's what the surgeon connects the elastics to that will hold your jaws together after surgery.

    I had mine put on a few days before my surgery and they were no problem at all. The dental assistant made sure to slant them inwards so my lips wouldn't get caught on them.

    Rebecca, mine hurt going on too so I'm not surprised they hurt coming off. I'm 19 days post-op upper and lower surgery for an underbite. I just got the go ahead to chew soft foods so I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your blog and seeing how that went for you! I tried today and didn't do very well with chewing hahaa

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  4. Mine hooks killed me while being put in. Just took off my elastics first time... And drooled every where putting them back on. Nightmare.

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