Root Canal's NOT VERY FUN!

Ok well I have forgotten how much I hate root canals! With that being said I must say that my endo doctor is phenonmenal! He was so gentle, and explained everything to me. It went very fast...about 45 minutes, and compared to what I have already had done it was really no big deal. There was one moment when he was using this drill that had the most shrill sound. It was like fingernails on a chalkboard, and I seriously thought I was going to freak out. The sound was making all of my teeth ache, and was just almost more than I could take. Thankfully I made it through by using some calming self talk and it was over before I knew it. I have to go to my regular dentist next week so he can replace this temporary filling with a permanent one, but other than that I"M HEALED! LOL..

(My temporary filling)
Ok..now here is a question I have been wondering about for awhile now. I have had a few root canals before. As I recall my regular dentist always did them himself. Now dentists send you to an endo specialist (which is fine with me as I think someone who does nothing but root canals is so much better at it) However, why does a endo, put in a temporary filling and then send me back to my regular dentist for a permanent one? I swear I think its some kind of way to just make dental work cost more. I mean the root canal was $900.00. Then the appt for the permanent filling will for sure be over $100.00. I don't get it. If you are putting a filling in it anyway why not just do a permanent one and save the patient the aggravation of having to make another dentist appointment. I mean WTH? (what the heck?) is it just me?

I was looking at my uppers since I went to my last appointment and got my latest gold powerchain on. Check out the changes my teeth have made in just a few days.
Today











9-14
I get my xrays on the 1st of November, I can't wait to see what they say about being ready for surgery!

OMG! I'm almost Surgery READY!

I went in for my 4th adjustment today. It was not very fun! I ended up in the chair for about an hour and a half. Doctor came and checked me, we talked about my upcoming root canal, he shaved my crown down a bit as it has been annoying me (its too long), next he had the assistant put new giant 17 something wires in. She got the top wire almost all the way in when my back left bracket came off. So the doctor had to put a new one on which took a few minutes. Then she reinstalled the top wire, and put a new gold powerchain on it. Then it was on to the bottom ones. Same exact story as the top. Almost done, when the back bracket popped off. So...doctor had to put the new bracket on that tooth. She then proceeded to finish installing my new giant wire, and a nice new gold powerchain on the bottom.

See how thick my new wire is?








My new gold powerchain smile! LOL..


Ok NOW FOR THE BIG NEWS!
So...I'm just about finished when the doctor says. "Uh Brandy..your next appointment will take a bit longer. Your occlusion is looking great and I want to take impressions, so we can line them up and see how were doing. I think we may be ready or that you are very close to ready for surgery" I ABOUT FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR!!! I said REALLY??? He said "yeah, everything is lined up pretty nicely" I said OMG that is totally cool! and way ahead of schedule! He laughed and said, "yeah your teeth have moved fast" I was totally floating on a cloud when I walked out! I couldn't believe it! Here is my most recent upper and lower pic. Don't they look AWESOME! I'm so thrilled with how they look now!

Now...here is my dilemma! I totally want to have this surgery gone like yesterday! I had originally set it up so I could have it done in May, as I'm off for the summers and it would give me almost 4 months to recover before having to go back to work. I could have surgery in December, however, I would only have about 5 weeks of recovery time, and my dh and I are scheduled to take our long awaited honeymoon (7 years we have been waiting and the tickets have already been bought) I would only be about 2 weeks post op if I did this in December. Now, it seems only logical to wait til May, but OMG I'm like almost ready! I so hate the thought of wearing my braces for another 6 months, but I definetly think the honeymoon would be affected if I was in pain and couldn't eat! Ughhh! its so not fair!

Sore Tooth Update

Ok..so I went to the endo (root canal specialist) for my consult today and got some bad news. It appears that the movement from all my orthodontics has caused some changes in my tooth and made it necessary for me to have a root canal. The doctor says I have an infection in it and that he needs to clean it out. He was much more elaborate in his explanation then I'm being. I really love all of my teeth doctors. My endo is so very nice. Very personable, friendly, and explains everything in a very user friendly way. He showed me the xrays and exactly why, and what needs to be done (he did another root canal for me last year before I started this whole journey.) The whole thing is really not that big of a deal to me, other than the cost that is ($950.00). I have scheduled the appointment for September 22, and it will be done by just going through the bottom of my crown. This crown is going to be replaced after my ortho work is completed so I will have a permanent filling in it until we finish and do the new one.

Other than that not much else to report. I go see my ortho tomorrow for my 4th adjustment so I will update more tomorrow.

6 Months Post SARPE...

Well today is my official 6 months post SARPe anniversary so I thought I would post a quick update of my journey. Things are pretty much back to normal at this point. I still have a slight bit of numbness (and I do mean ever so slight) in my front left incisors. I think, however, that this would be back to normal if I hadn't developed some sort of infection in my gums or tooth (we are not sure exactly what caused it just yet, or where it developed from.) What I can tell you is that since being on antibiotics for four days now things feel like they are getting much better in that front area. Better then they have felt in over a month. I suspect that within the next few days things will have returned to their pre surgery state. I have an appt on the 13th for an endo consult, to see if I might have a infection in one of my teeth, and an ortho appt on the 14th for an adjustment and further follow up.

All in all the results have been amazing (see lots of pics below) and I can honestly say that I'm very happy I decided to have this surgery done. No regrets!

I will continue to follow my braces progress, and then blog my full jaw surgery next year. Hopefully with a video this time of the whole procedure. I have to talk with my doctor about it, but that is my current plan at the moment. I want to be able to see and hear everything that is done to me while I'm asleep!

Relief At Last.....Good bye Apnea, and Cool progress pics too!

Ok...so my tooth is feeling 100% better today. This is officially day 3 of my self imposed antibiotic therapy. Clearly I was correct in assuming that I have/had some kind of bacterial infection in that area. I have no more pain, feeling is back in my tooth, and I have no more yucky taste at all. My mouth feels fresh and clean again! So....with that being said, I scheduled an appointment with the endo doctor today for a consult. I don't want any complications later, so better to pay a $65.00 consult fee and at least know if there is a problem sooner than later. The endo will check me on Sept 13th at 3:45 and then I go to my ortho on Sept 14th at 7:10 for my 3rd "official" adjustment. I figure if there is a problem with the tooth then I can tell the ortho about it when I go the next day. Thats about it on the pain front.

My left canine is no longer rotated. It has moved a ton in only three days. These are the 29th, 30th, and the 1st (today)

You can see that it has a tiny bit to go still but it definitely appears that the wire tie and powerchain have accomplished what they set out to do. I can't wait to go on the 14th....ortho says he is going to give me some bigger wires. I know that means more pain, but I don't care, it is always worth it when I can see how much my teeth change! I also have no more apnea. I'm breathing wonderfully at night, sleeping soundly, and dreaming nightly. I credit most of it to the SARPE, but I definitely think the ortho has helped get things straightened out too. I'm so glad I didn't listen to the doctors and live the rest of my life with an appliance or trying to deal with one of those cpap machines. This was definitely one of the best decision of my life.

As for progress I just had to post these pictures today. For the first time since having my braces put on, I was looking in the mirror and thinking...."man my teeth are really starting to look straight!" I decided to take some pics of both sides so I could compare and then a pic of my full smile.
Right side











Left side













Full smile

My teeth are sitting pretty comfortably in their new home. You can't even tell in these pics that I need lower jaw advancement. My teeth just naturally want to sit in the new location since everything seems to fit better. If I relax my jaw it will go back to its natural location, but during the day it now "fake fits" in the new aligned spot. I have never had teeth that really fit together properly, it is amazing to me though, just how great it feels! I should've done this a long time ago! :)