The Professor's Story of Braces at 40 (with pics)

[TheProfessor]

Thanks, guys!
Day 2 update: I didn't sleep well last night and felt pretty bad this morning. No pain, just couldn't sleep. I took a prescription painkiller after breakfast and then felt really lightheaded and weak. I let that one wear off and barely had an ache, so I decided to switch to ibuprofen this afternoon. I also ate some soft scrambled eggs mid-morning and Mac and cheese for lunch. Now I'm feeling a lot more human! Hopefully I won't need to take any more of the strong meds, I really don't like how foggy they make me feel.

[metalliKa]

Speedy recovery and feel better soon! And avoid dry socket at all cost!

[TheProfessor]

Day 2, part 2: My post-op instructions said to chew gum a few times a day starting today to help prevent the jaw muscles from locking up. There was a pack of orbitz gum in the little bag they gave me. I haven't chewed gum since I was braced 19 months ago but thought id give it a go. A few seconds later, I bite down on something hard-the bracket from my lower left second molar! Yikes! I'm guessing that the bracket was nudged during my surgery and was probably loose (the nurse commented that they often knock at least one bracket off). Of course, my orthodontist isn't open on Friday afternoons so I'll have to wait until Monday to get it reattached. Hopefully the wire won't start poking me before then! No more gum chewing for me....

[lilyflower]

Day 2, part 2: My post-op instructions said to chew gum a few times a day starting today to help prevent the jaw muscles from locking up. There was a pack of orbitz gum in the little bag they gave me. I haven't chewed gum since I was braced 19 months ago but thought id give it a go. A few seconds later, I bite down on something hard-the bracket from my lower left second molar! Yikes! I'm guessing that the bracket was nudged during my surgery and was probably loose (the nurse commented that they often knock at least one bracket off). Of course, my orthodontist isn't open on Friday afternoons so I'll have to wait until Monday to get it reattached. Hopefully the wire won't start poking me before then! No more gum chewing for me....

Stay away from the gum for certain! Actually, I'm surprised on the gum recommendation because I don't remember that as part of my instructions (could be wrong though, I took the heavy stuff and spent my time in a stupor lol). Also, I thought most gum sticks to braces anyway?

Any possibility of an emergency appointment before Monday? Considering you JUST had surgery and have open extraction holes a wire poking in there could be a really big issue.

[TheProfessor]

The wire ends at the middle of the tooth before the extraction hole, so there is no way it can do anything to the hole. I'm more worried about it stabbing my cheek, but I think I'm ok since it is a very thick finishing wire and it isn't bendy at all. Hopefully that tooth won't move too much in the next few days...

[metalliKa]

Stay away from the gum for certain! Actually, I'm surprised on the gum recommendation because I don't remember that as part of my instructions (could be wrong though, I took the heavy stuff and spent my time in a stupor lol). Also, I thought most gum sticks to braces anyway.

Not sure about gum for Invisalign, but gum for traditional braces is fine. My ortho highly recommends chewing sugarless gum as it promotes healthy blood flow to the gums and helps move teeth along.

[lilyflower]

Stay away from the gum for certain! Actually, I'm surprised on the gum recommendation because I don't remember that as part of my instructions (could be wrong though, I took the heavy stuff and spent my time in a stupor lol). Also, I thought most gum sticks to braces anyway.

Not sure about gum for Invisalign, but gum for traditional braces is fine. My ortho highly recommends chewing sugarless gum as it promotes healthy blood flow to the gums and helps move teeth along.

Definitely no gum whatsoever for Invisalign with the aligners in. Water, sugar free mints and things like biotene spray are fine but no real chewing.

[TheProfessor]

Day 4: I was finally allowed to irrigate my extraction holes this morning and now my mouth feels a lot cleaner. A stitch came out of somewhere when I rinsed my mouth after-i don't notice anything feeling different, so I guess it is ok. I think the painkillers are finally out of my system, I was a little tired today but am definitely ready to go back to work tomorrow. The loose wire on my lower left second molar is starting to irritate my cheek a little (probably because I talked a lot more today), hopefully I can get in at my ortho tomorrow to get that bracket reattached.

Im still taking ibuprofen and I get a slight ache on the bottom right and upper left sides when I need another dose. My bite still feels really good (it wasn't a hallucination on the first day). My left tmj had been feeling uncomfortable (and painful sometimes) since last December. Now it feels really good, I hope it stays that way when I start to eat chewier food again!

[bracedorange]

Glad to learn you are doing better!

[TheProfessor]

I called my orthodontist first thing this morning and went in at 9 to get the bracket reattached. My ortho's partner was there and glued the bracket back on. He was very gentle and careful--he said that I would really hate him if he did something to dislodge the clot and cause a dry socket. I will go back next Monday for a normal adjustment.

I felt pretty good this morning but it was hard to get through my 50 min lecture this afternoon. My brain was moving pretty slowly and I started feeling hot and lightheaded about halfway through. But, I made it to the end and I'm sure the students liked that I went slower than normal and didn't cover too much material! I came home early, rested, and then made a decent dinner. I don't think I've been eating enough healthy foods the last several days, so I'm trying to correct that now.

[lilyflower]

I called my orthodontist first thing this morning and went in at 9 to get the bracket reattached. My ortho's partner was there and glued the bracket back on. He was very gentle and careful--he said that I would really hate him if he did something to dislodge the clot and cause a dry socket. I will go back next Monday for a normal adjustment.

I felt pretty good this morning but it was hard to get through my 50 min lecture this afternoon. My brain was moving pretty slowly and I started feeling hot and lightheaded about halfway through. But, I made it to the end and I'm sure the students liked that I went slower than normal and didn't cover too much material! I came home early, rested, and then made a decent dinner. I don't think I've been eating enough healthy foods the last several days, so I'm trying to correct that now.

That makes sense, you've been on a weird kind of diet with the recent surgery. Glad to hear you're doing better.

[TheProfessor]

I had my one week wisdom teeth removal checkup this morning. The doctor said that everything looks great and I should eat like I was before the surgery. I stopped taking otc painkillers two days ago and just have a little ache in my jaws when I talk a lot. The 4 extraction holes are disgusting and annoying new places for food to stick in. I'll be happy when they close up!

On Monday I'll have my 11th adjustment and my 4th mouth-related appointment in 12 days! I hope we can really get my teeth moving to the finish line now that my wisdom teeth are out of the way

[Uptown Girl]

You are doing well. I took a week off work (teaching) to have mine out (impacted). I had to extend my leave to 10 days. I was a mess. I thought I wouldn't mention that until yours were done so am really pleased you came through it so well.

[TheProfessor]

You are doing well. I took a week off work (teaching) to have mine out (impacted). I had to extend my leave to 10 days. I was a mess. I thought I wouldn't mention that until yours were done so am really pleased you came through it so well.

Thanks for not telling me that last week, I was nervous enough! My teeth weren't impacted so I guess that helped a lot. I had a backup plan in place just in case things went bad and I couldn't teach my classes this week but I was glad I didn't have to use it. I was pretty worn out at the beginning of the week and left work at around 4 instead of my normal 6 or 7pm. Today was the first day that I had my normal energy back. I've also been really hungry today and eating a lot. I guess I'm making up for lost time

[lilyflower]

I had my one week wisdom teeth removal checkup this morning. The doctor said that everything looks great and I should eat like I was before the surgery. I stopped taking otc painkillers two days ago and just have a little ache in my jaws when I talk a lot. The 4 extraction holes are disgusting and annoying new places for food to stick in. I'll be happy when they close up!

On Monday I'll have my 11th adjustment and my 4th mouth-related appointment in 12 days! I hope we can really get my teeth moving to the finish line now that my wisdom teeth are out of the way

Wisdom teeth take up a LOT of space in the mouth so once the extraction holes close up you'll definitely be able to have stuff moving again.

Regarding extraction holes being gross - I have to say I agree, I did not find that experience fun at all. On the upside, to clean them out isn't a foreign idea to you as you've been dealing with getting food lodged out of braces for so long.

Upside is that if you're healing nicely, (which it sounds like you are) the extraction holes will heal up quickly. Plus, depending on your ortho's plans (and I don't know because my wisdom teeth came out in a different circumstance 10 years ago) you might not have to wait for them to FULLY close before your teeth start moving there. I know the first stage of my treatment has involved moving my second molars back to where my wisdom teeth WERE and it's made a lot of difference already.