Picture update - Before and after

[nvcarissa]

It's been twelve days since my surgery and I thought I would post some more pics. Click on thumbnails for larger image. (Disclaimer: front face shot feels like it is a bit distorted because I have to take the picture myself and the camera is too close to my face. Eventually I will post a pic that someone else takes from a distance.)

Here I am today. Swelling has gone down considerably, though my left side is still puffier than my right, and more numbness on that side, causing a bit of an asymmetrical appearance to my lower lip.



My new profile:



My old profile:



Bite Correction... BEFORE:



Bite Correction...NOW:



And for Brandyleigh...a picture of my nearly non-existent scar. This is with no make-up and only 12 days post-op. With make-up on, it's not even noticeable.

[yankee boy]

Awesome results you really look fantastic!

[Brandyleigh35]

Wow Carissa!
Your before and after teeth are amazing! You are looking wonderful! Thanks for the shot of your tini tiny scar, that is nice to see as I have a very small mouth so I'm just about positive they will have to make incisions. My surgery will be like Merytens with no wiring shut, just tightly banded so that is a plus too! (no wire cutters for me either!)

Hows the eating going? Are you still pretty sore or starting to notice some more range of movement? Sorry to ask so many questions, I'm just curious!

Brandy

[nvcarissa]

I am not allowed to have too much range of motion yet, so my OS has elastics on me...though I have to admit, I take a break from them for a few hours every day, especially the front ones. Still, I am not allowed to open my mouth wide yet, and I am still trying to get food in me. It is a bit of a challenge, especially now that my stomach has pretty much shrunk. Eating is a slow go, since I can't open my mouth wide, nor can I chew. So I put bitty bits on a fork and just keep plugging away.

I am starting to get more feeling back in larger areas of my chin and lower cheeks and the left side of my lower lip is getting the tinglyness of novocaine wearing off. I have feeling on the inside part of my lip and it is now moving over to the outside part of my lip. I am hoping that in a week or so, I will at least be able to feel in all of my lower lip. As you may recall, I had no numbness in the right side of my lower lip from Day One, so getting feeling back on the other side is a welcome relief.

[anabel]

Thank you for continuing to post updates on your recovery. You look wonderful and I'm glad things have gone well for you. My surgery is on the 19th and I'm trying to soak up as much info as I can! Thanks again and congratulations.

[smile]

Loving the new profile!

[nvcarissa]

How much longer do you have to stay in treatment?

KK, I am sorry I missed this when you posted it. My ortho originally told me that after surgery I would be in braces for about another six months. According to my OS, my ortho did a fantastic job pre-op and he had never seen a bite line up as nicely as mine. So, I'm hoping that there are just a few more things to tweak (I can think of two teeth I am not quite satisfied with) and that I will hopefully be done by the end of the year.

I get to see my ortho on July 19th, but according to my OS, he is only allowed to look, not do any adjustments until about 6-8 weeks post op. That will mean that I will go at least three months without an actual ortho adjustment, I think, being as my last one was in mid-May.

[chrisk]

nvcarissa,

Great photos and a fantastic result. Your overjet looks quite similar to mine, so I'm hoping for results as good as yours in a little under 6 weeks when I have my upper and lower surgery and genioplasty.

Have you lost much weight with not being able to eat much? I'm underweight for my height as it is, so I'm worried about how my recovery will be if I'm not able to eat properly. I saw my surgeon last week, who said that I should be on pasta, eggs etc after about 1 week to 10 days and to drink Sustagen with my meals to help.

Chrisk

[nvcarissa]

chrisk, I think I have lost about 8 pounds in the last two weeks. Maybe ten. It is tapering off, but until I get to eat chewable foods, I think that's how it's going to be. Non-chew is non-fun!!!

[Jared]

NVCarissa--

How long do they want you off work? I am contemplating surgery--only three weeks into the process. I have an 8 mm overjet, so am worried they won't be able to do much with the overjet without surgery. I am just wondering how long I might need to be off work. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

[nvcarissa]

Jared, I am back to work. However, I must explain that I have a job that does NOT take me to an office for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. I am a political organizer and as such spend time at the office, on the road, working at my home office, attending meetings, doing trainings, etc. Therefore, I was able to sort of structure my re-entry so that I didn't get overwhelmed with too much activity right off the bat. That said, if I did have a regular 9-5 job, I would have liked two full weeks off before going back. The first week is pretty tough and the second week I have been gaining strength and energy, even though I still have my food restrictions.

Like Meryaten, it's not the weight loss that concerns me so much. I had a bit extra on me...so losing 10-15 lbs isn't that bad, but getting adequate nutrition is important for the healing process. I just saw my OS today and I am consigned to "No Chew" for the next FOUR weeks
So, I am going to pull out the cookbooks, get creative, and make sure I stock up on my vitamins. I hoped I was going to get a reprieve today, but no such luck.

[payoki]

your before pic looks alot like me, why couldn't you be treated with braces? and can I ask how much the surgery cost? I do not have an insurance and I'm also in braces right now, I've been wearing it for about a year and not much progress, you look great.

[invisagirl]

Awesome progress!!! You must be soooo happy!!!

[nvcarissa]

payoki...I couldn't be treated with braces alone as my maxilla was proportioned just fine with regards to the rest of my face. There are all kinds of measurements they do to figure this out, so even though you think yours is the same as mine, it may not be. If they had just pulled back my top teeth to match my bottom ones, I would have wound up with an even worse sunken chin and profile than I did pre-op. I knew it was going to be surgery as I had been told the same thing 20 years ago when I first looked into it. I am really happy with my new profile. It seems so balanced now.

[Jillianleab]

I just came across your story, and I have to say it has helped me a lot. I'm hoping to avoid surgery if at all possible, but I don't know if it will happen. I have a 10mm overjet... one ortho I had a consult with said I would only have a perfect bite with surgery, but the ortho I am using for treatment is trying to treat me with just braces. I have a normal profile, which is what worries me. But, reading your story so far is encouraging, I had no idea what the recovery process entailed. I'm still hoping to avoid surgery, but I'm not AS scared now if it has to happen!

I look forward to following the rest of your story, I hope you will keep us all posted on your progress and recovery!