Right
Left
When the springs were first put on, the left gap was bigger the right. The right one had barely opened, but after getting my wire changed to a stronger one, the right gap apparently was trying to catch up. The gap is huge now! They look a bit silly, but I really don't mind them. Maybe it's because I know they are helping me and that I will only have them for a few more weeks. For the most part, I don't pay any attention to them.
ONE day until I am FREE from finals. TWELVE days until surgery.
Braced Blogger | May 11, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Yippee so exciting! Remind me again why you have these gaps? I am confused as to their purpose. I know you tried explaining in a previous post but I didn't really understand. Does everyone have to do this before surgery and how long did it take to create the gaps?
so excited for you!!! your date is coming up next yippee!!!!
Dani | May 11, 2011 at 5:03 PM
I know, it is a little hard to explain! So apparently, in order to create the little gaps there, the front teeth push themselves forward. So my front teeth may be slanted out a little bit right now, rather than straight up and down, to be able to make room for the gaps. I need my front teeth to be out further (or slanted outward) so that when they move my lower jaw, the surgeon can go as far forward as he needs to with it, rather than having my front teeth in the way and not allow him to set it properly. I don't understand it 100%, but I think it's just giving the surgeon a bit more leeway with my lower jaw. When they close the gaps a few weeks after surgery, my front teeth will move back a bit. I hope that makes a little more sense!
I don't think that everyone has to have these gaps, I know that Tina didn't but Mandy did. I think it is just case by case basis. The gaps took a while to get to the point they're at now, at least a month? I had the springs on, then had to get my bracket repositioned so they took the springs off to put on a new wire, and then when I went in again, they put the springs back on and it's been 4 weeks since then.
Mai | May 12, 2011 at 8:54 AM
out of curiosity when they move your upper jaw will it only be a one piece surgery? cause when i had the first surgery, they made gaps at the same place as yours and my surgeon wanted to cut the top jaw into 3 parts but ending up changing into one part cause it was less complicated...
good luck with your finals and your surgery is so close!! =D
Dani | May 12, 2011 at 10:00 AM
Mai, my surgeon is planning on splitting my upper jaw, I am not sure if that is in two pieces or three. He said if he runs through the surgery with my models he may find he doesn't need to split the upper jaw, but by the way he was saying it, I am pretty sure it will be split and I will have a splint in because of this.
Anonymous | May 13, 2011 at 2:24 PM
I'm waiting for ya girl!!
Braced Blogger | May 13, 2011 at 8:01 PM
Dani - thank you for explaining all that to me, it does make sense! It might be similar to my situation but treated slightly differently. Although my upper teeth were slanted a tiny bit forward, the OD and OS decided that they will also extract the two lower first bicuspids and then basically pull my lower front teeth back to fill in the gaps and exaggerate my overbite. The overall goal is that during surgery when the lower jaw is advanced it will have plenty of room and will properly align otherwise, I'd end up with an underbite.