Orthodontist Photos

My orthodontist has an online patient access thing that I signed up for, in order to keep track of all of my photographs/x rays, etc, and am also able to schedule appointments, receive reminders, and things like that-- handy, right? I signed on for the first time today, and I literally burst out laughing (while at work, btw) at a few of my pictures. I typically schedule all of my appointments for the mornings, and therefore there has been many times that I literally roll out of bed and drive the 1/2 mile to my orthontist's office, sans makeup, brushing my hair, anything.

This photo is particularly flattering, isn't it?


Gosh, I look horrendous. Like a night of binge-drinking, or like I got hit by a bus, or something along those lines... There are a few others from the same day, but I think I'll save myself the pain and pass those ones by.

You can even see my lovely leftover makeup from the night before. I can't believe I looked like this. Not
exactly sure why I've decided to post it, but hey, we're kind of like family, right? A weird, dysfunctional, constant life-meltdown, braced family.


These pictures were my most recently taken, right after arriving home from Australia.






Uh. I just hope that no one who
isn't an ortho-blogger comes across these pictures.

xx

5 comments:

  • Anonymous | October 29, 2010 at 9:12 AM

    Oh please, you are a cutie! ;-)

    I know what you mean though! Posting these pics of ourselves is quite a humbling experience!

  • Brent | October 31, 2010 at 8:52 AM

    Hi Dani!
    I agree with Tina, your a cutie! Thanks for your comments on my blog too!
    Your teeths have moved pretty quick over a short period of time, that is cool! Have you had any headaches since you had the braces on? I know for me that it has actually helped on some occassions to make my bite feel better, but on other occassions not so much!

    Have a wonderful day!
    Cheers,
    Brent

  • Braced Blogger | October 31, 2010 at 2:36 PM

    Dani, thanks for posting on my blog! I was wondering, what surgical procedures will you undergo? Do you have to get any teeth extracted? I'm curious because I'm trying to find others in my position so I can ask about alternatives. I'm really nervous that I won't be happy with the teeth extractions I'm schedule to have this Friday (I read it can give a "mushed in" appearance to the face and make it look older). I also read it can cause severe TMJ when extracting first bicuspids which is what they want to do to me (lower mandible only). The reason, I was told, was so that I won't look like a bulldog after surgery and that this will also enhance the chin after surgery. But I wonder if expanding my upper palette would resolve the first issue and a genio would resolve the second. I was told the genio would likely be necessary anyway.

    Thanks for any insight you can offer!
    Tara

  • Dani | October 31, 2010 at 4:38 PM

    Brent,

    YES, tons of headaches, I think that there are times when I am in public that I try to hid the braces, and it takes a quite a bit of effort on my jaw to pull the bottom jaw forward in order to close my mouth around the braces. This gives me pretty bad headaches. Especially times I am sitting in class, I don't want to let my mouth hang open and leave the braces for the world to see, so I do a lot of pulling my jaw forward and keeping my mouth shut!

    Tara,
    After all of the blogs I have read, I still don't quite understand the terminology or what exactly it all means but I know that I am having a BSSO and a Lefort I, which are both the same procedures you listed. I do not have to have any teeth removed, so I am a little bit unhelpful with that part of your journey. In some cases, the removal may cause the sunken in appearance, but for the most part I would really trust the advice from your ortho/surgeon. I can completely see how the removal of those two teeth would make sense. Can you imagine if you didn't go through with the extractions and ended up with a bulldog look- TOTALLY opposite of what the end goal is, a NORMAL jaw! Extractions aren't fun, but I am sure they are on the right path with that one. Oral surgeons are very very much against the removal of HEALTHY adult teeth unless it's entirely necessary. The girl in that video you posted looked fabulous after surgery, so I wouldn't worry too much about it, I am sure it will turn out for the best :)

  • Braced Blogger | November 1, 2010 at 9:06 AM

    Dani, thanks for the follow up and reassurance! I called my OD today and discussed whether there are any alternatives. He and the OS have confirmed that in my particular case, it's the only way to move the mandible forward enough to where it properly aligns, and this is due to my skeletal formation. He said the mandibular first bicuspids are the weakest of the teeth so I won't miss them much. I'm sure he was kidding, but it did ease my anxiety a bit. He also said that he did some computer imaging and removing those teeth give the best outcome aesthetically. They don't show these images to patients because apparently it's hard to predict soft-tissue movement and oftentimes, the outcome is not the same as the images (but he said the actual outcome is always more natural looking and better). So, I guess I just have to trust the experts! Thanks again for your response!!

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