To A Beautiful Smile

my braces and jaw surgery journal

[bracesme]

Day 44: First visit with orthodontist Little green man theme braces 😁😍👽💙💚💙💚

[bracesme]

Day 34: 4th Review with Surgeon

Seen Dr Lim yesterday and he asked how am I doing, and I said I'm good.

He checked my bite and removed the upper stitches and it hurts a little.

He asked me to continue to soft food diet (no chew still)! He said next week when I see him to remove metal wire that is holding my lower row of teeth and see my orthodontist for adjustment, I can start having normal food, cant wait!

And I found out not long ago that the biting template I'm referring to was actually the splint.

He also said next week onward I can start exercising!

[bracesme]

Day 29: Chinese New Year Eve

Chinese New Year (CNY) eve's my right side elastic broke when I was having my lunch - scramble eggs.

Not sure to be happy or sad, happy because I can open my mouth bigger and hence can put more food in. Sad is because I felt rather insecure without the elastic to hold my bite.

Meanwhile wishing all Chinese, Happy CNY! ^^

[bracesme]

Day 22: Happy Birthday to me! ^^ 

My friend brought me the cake above, it was soft and just put it into my mouth and melt.

I also had 2 scoops of ice cream to reward myself, compared to other days, i ate so much today.

[bracesme]

Day 20: 3rd Review with Surgeon

Finally saw my surgeon this visit and not his disciples. He apologize for not able to see me the previous 2 visits and asked me how I am feeling, do I like my profile and have my friends seen me and my swollen-ness has gone quite a bit.

He then proceed to remove the elastic and check my bite, he said he bite is stable. He also removed stitches at the lower gum area which hurts a little but he is quite gentle. He said that it is painful let him know and move shift away as it might hurt my gum, he said that I /my gums are more sensitive than the usual people (it is a good or bad thing? haha)

He also remove the biting template (finally!) which he said I will feel a lot better after he removed them which is true as my tongue got more space to move around haha. He then cleaned my mouth a bit and put on new elastics. He said I can eat soft food like yoghurt, pudding and soft noddles but can't chew yet. A little disappointed as Chinese New Year (CNY) is coming, who wants to eat yoghurt during CNY right, haha. But I guess I just have to be obedience since it takes so much to go through this surgery.

I asked if my elastic broke which happens previously, do I have to come back and replace them, he asked me to take out the other side too if it happens and don't have to come back till the next review unless I feel that my bite is off.

At night, when i have my dinner (soft rice noodles soup with blended spinach and fish ball) which i can just swallow, i realized my right side molars are in pain which might explain why i felt pain in my right jaw last night. I read from other blogs that it is called traction. I did asked my surgeon about my pain in the jaw, he said I might have rub against my wound and asked me to monitor.

The next review with my surgeon will be in 2 weeks time (meaning Day 34) and he said I can see my orthodontist at week 5-6 for adjustment. I informed my orthodontist to book me at week 6 instead.

[bracesme]

Day 16: Elastic broke

The elastic at the left side of teeth broke when I am having dinner. 🙊Maybe I opened my mouth too big. Going back to clinic to fix it tomorrow.

[bracesme]

Day 19: Sore/Pain in the right jaw

Got my elastic fixed on Day 17.Felt a little sore/pain in my right jaw during evening time. Not sure if it's normal. Anyone experience this? Gonna ask my surgeon tomorrow when I go for review. It's gonna be 3 weeks post surgery in another 2 days time. 😊 Thankful for a successful surgery and a rather smooth recovery process, I don't have much issues recovering (or I thought I will have before surgery). TYJ!

[bracesme]

Mashed sweet potato 😋 Just steamed the Japanese sweet potato 🍠till soft and mashed it with fork.

[bracesme]

Day 13: Green light for no chew food

Back for review today.

Dr Lim looks like he has an emergency case and went away so his disciple attended to me.

He checked my bite and said is good. I may not have mention this, I'm biting onto this clear template which they say will help to secure the bite. 

He removed all the elastics, my mouth and jaw felt so good to be open for that moment. Then he proceeded to clean my wound and mouth a bit. 

Asked him if the template can be removed, he said "not yet, disappointed?". 

I said "a little". Then he put on 4 penguin elastic, and asked me to bite and open. He said that if the elastic break during the weekdays then I have to come back to replace it. 

I can open my mouth a little! Oh yeah! Finally can see my lower set of teeths.

I asked him if I can eat semi-solid food, he was a little hesitant initially, then he said I can have no chew/just swallow food and asked me not to open my mouth too big. Then I asked him about oral hygiene, he said as usual, gargle after food and brush with baby toothbrush.

I had blended porridge for dinner just now, felt so good to have some food other than liquid diet. I plan to still have to 2 liquid meal and 1 no chew meal per day for now.

Review in another week's time! Hope to see Dr Lim next round.

[bracesme]

Post surgery x-ray, i'm a metal girl.

[bracesme]

Day 8: Energy is back

Yesterday I woke up at 8am and only went to bed around 1am without having naps in between the day which I needed during earlier of the week. 

I am also able to do some light chores like washing dishes and clothing. Shall try taking a walk near by house park soon. 

My friend visited me yesterday and said I look different as in the face profile. ^^ 

Also noticed that I lost about 4kg in the first week which I am happy about. If you are underweight and worry about weight loss during the recovery, you might want to put on some weight before the surgery.

[bracesme]

Preparing soup for lunch! Sweet corn, carrot, radish, potato and chicken drumstick without skin! 🍲 You can either drink the clear soup from the ingredients or you take out the corn and chicken and blend the rest of the ingredients after they are cooked as a thicker soup and also if your surgeon is ok with that! 😁

[bracesme]

Breakfast! Warm soy milk with 5 grains powder, strained ☺️

[bracesme]

Day 6: Back for review

Went back to Dr for review today.

No elastic remove, Dr's disciple just review me, asked me on the pain and numbness level. 

Pain - 0/10

Numbness - 5-6/10

Then he cleaned my mouth and teeth a little as the bite is in and everything looks fine. Asked him questions as well.

I was really hungry so I was naughty, I ordered some soft boil eggs to drink it, it wasn't successful so I used a straw to suck it all up. Oh man, it's heavenly! :D

I also have some blended soup for dinner which consist of carrot, radish, potatoes and onion, it's nice having savory soup instead of sweet soy milk.

Drinking those stuff means I will to clean harder. Oh yes, I can drink from the cup or bowl already, save me a lot of time from using the syringe. Also using baby's toothbrush to clean my front teeth or those that I can see.

1 more week to the next appointment, hopefully I can have semi-solid or no chew food then! ^^

[bracesme]

Day 4-5: Constant hunger pangs

Yes I am filling hungry constantly from the liquid diet, as I couldn't take ensure I switched to soy milk and clear liquid soup as my meal but that is really not sufficient. 

Noticed yellow bruising on my cheeks area now, which is normal.

Swollen-ness has went down a little, numbness still the same.

Accompanied my parents to the mall to get some stuff, wore a mask to cover my face and bruising. Woah there's a lot of people on a Sunday, felt a little overwhelmed. Generally ok, didn't feel giddy. 

[bracesme]

Day 3: Peak of Swollen-ness

As per my title, today is the peak of swollen-ness, having sexy sausage lips as well. 

I am having diarrhea from Ensure milk >.< I guess I am lactose intolerance. Asked my friends who did same surgery, they don't have this issue.

I also remove bandage during evening as instructed by Dr.

Oh yes, crushed antibiotic & paracetamol taste really horrible! :/ even when I mixed it with honey water or any sweet flavoring water. The smell just makes me wanna puke :/ 

[bracesme]

Day 2: Discharged!

Fever subsidized and Dr discharged me back home.

Finally I bathed myself in the morning before going back home, it felt so good to bath on my own and feeling fresh.

Before I discharge, the pharmacist came with cans of Ensure and medications (antibiotic, painkiller and cough syrup for reducing phelgm)

Oh yeah, there was mis-communication between the Dr & Nurse as told by the Dr I can only take liquid diet for now so blended porridge is prohibited as I can't brush my teeth, they don't want food particle to be stuck inside and cause infection.

Feels good to be home and on my bed with no drips. Most of the time I spent it sleeping/resting.