First Time Blogger, Third Time Brace Face

So, this is my first blog ever! How exciting, right?! After reading several other blogs relating to jaw surgery and braces, I have decided it's time I start documenting my experiences as well. I am hoping that this will not only help me thru this whole ordeal, but will help others who are going thru this (or contemplating going thru this) as well. I know reading others' blogs has helped me immensely.

So, to begin, as my title suggests, this is my third time in braces. The first two times, however, were in middle and high school, so therefore, much more accepted and also cheaper (as my parents footed the bill). Now that I am an adult (28 to be specific) it was a much more difficult decision. However, I had gone back and forth with this for years and I decided it was finally time to be happy with my smile and teeth. After visiting an orthodontist two years ago and having him tell me that I would need surgery to fix everything and he just didn't think it was worth it, I decided not to do it. But, another year passed, and I decided I would just never be happy until it was fixed. The thing that frustrated me the most is that I had had braces twice and they still went back (not as much, but still) and I wanted them perfect, once and for all.

So, in December, I went to a different orthodontist who said that I would most likely need surgery as well. He seemed to point out everything that had been bothering me so much, which made me feel comfortable knowing that it wasn't just "all in my head" as some people made me feel. My open bite was obvious, however, he also noted my "flared out" teeth (as he called them), my crossbite, and my jaw misalignment. My next step, he told me, was to see a surgeon for his opinion. I did, and my surgeon suggested that I will either need upper jaw surgery or possibly upper and lower jaw surgery. So after determining that this was something that insurance should cover, I decided to go ahead with the braces. (I did not want to deal with the braces at all, if I could not get the entire problem fixed once and for all, which would require surgery).

So, I got my braces on January 3rd. I chose the ceramic braces as to make them a little less noticeable. They have already been straightened (as to the minimal crookedness I had) and the next step was having some teeth pulled. I fought this as much as I could b/c I really did not want to have any more teeth pulled (already had my wisdom teeth pulled last year). He sent me to the oral surgeon for his opinion and he agreed this was necessary as well. So, after about two to three months of waiting, I finally had my teeth pulled. But, since this first entry is running so long, I will save that for my next blog. I will have plenty of time, as I am off work recovering from that right now. By the way, I think I look sorta like a hillbilly now, although my mom says it's not even noticeable. (But she has to say that!) :)

I will try to catch up on the last 7 months in the next few posts, but my main concern is documenting the surgery anyway. Hope to meet people going thru the same thing so feel free to post comments. And I will try to upload some before pictures and progress pictures soon. I might wait till I get my rubberbands changed to post the progess pics though (Everyone with ceramic braces knows what I am talking about).

I will be talking to you soon!