Archive for the "Post-Surgery Orthodontics" Category

I have updated my jaw bone bumps page with photos from week 13, week 16, week 18 and week 19.

You will be able to see the reduction of the jaw bone bumps by comparing the newer photos to the older ones. I am glad the bumps are flattening out after waiting for over 4 months.… Read more…

It has been over a month since my last update. I have been lazy and I have stopped taking weekly photos since week 19!

It seems like most of the swelling on my right side is gone now. The pain and numbness above my upper lip is also gone. I can now smile and laugh as hard as I want without any pain.

My only issues right now are my pimples, jaw bone bumps and my widened nose.

Pimple Outbreak

I think I need to take extra care of my face now compared to before my jaw surgery. I am not sure what has changed in my body to cause the extra occurrence of pimples on my face but I noticed that if I do not apply my pimple cream often enough, I get quite a lot of pimples on my face. I’m going to invest in some organic toner … Read more…

During week 15, my orthodontist attached 2 blue rubber bands around 2 of my lower molars, 1 on each side. My orthodontist said he needs to create a gap so that he can install 2 “back braces” the week after.

During week 16, my orthodontist replaced all my lower braces with metal braces and installed 2 “back braces”. These “back braces” are extremely annoying because they tend to rub against my tongue. My orthodontist said they will help me correct the angle of my lower teeth and I won’t feel the “back braces” against my tongue in a few weeks.

I was surprised that my orthodontist has not touched my upper braces in over a month. Maybe my upper teeth are okay as they are right now? I will have to ask my orthodontist about my upper teeth during my next visit.

I hope to complete my orthodontic treatment by … Read more…

There were problem with the image uploading for the past few weeks and I have just fixed the problem.

I did not take any photos during week 15 because one of my cats passed away on 28 November 2010. I was not in the mood to take photos of myself for this web site. I think I am pretty much over the grief of losing my cat and I have resumed my weekly photo taking sessions.

It seems like my swelling has reduced further and I feel a lot better now.… Read more…

Today marks the 15th week anniversary of my double jaw surgery. That’s 105 days and almost 4 months ago! What a journey is has been and who knows what is in store for me over the next few months.

I have been getting a lot of pimples lately. I bought an expensive facial wash last week in an attempt to keep them under control. I will be getting a good pimple cream to try to reduce the pimples. I have never had so many pimples in my life and this is really bugging me. Hopefully, this phase will be over soon.

My doctor said my pimples are actually quite okay compared to his other jaw surgery patients. It seems like a reaction to the anti-biotics I took during the early stages of my jaw surgery recovery. I am surprised they still have an effect on my after over 2 months. … Read more…

Yesterday was the mark of my 13th week after my double jaw surgery. That’s 3 months plus 1 week or 91 days. Today is day 92. I am 8 days to my 100th day after my corrective jaw surgery!

What’s the big deal about the 100 day mark?

伤精动骨一百天

I just remembered that one of the five oral and maxillofacial surgeons who operated on me was from China. He told me in Mandarin that there was a traditional Chinese saying “伤精动骨一百天”. What that means is it takes 100 days to recover from nerve and bone damage.

As I am approaching my 100th day mark, I feel a lot better and my swelling and numbness is almost completely gone. There is probably some truth in this old Chinese saying. I feel better every week. Let’s see how I feel on and after day 100.… Read more…

I feel like the swelling on my right side is so much better now. I don’t feel like it is bothering me as much as before. In fact, I don’t even notice it any more.

The weird lump inside my mouth seems to be gone. Maybe the scar tissue that I mentioned in previous 2 posts has healed? That is great news to me.

I can’t imagine that it has been 12 weeks (3 months) since the day I underwent double jaw surgery to correct all my jaw deficiencies. I feel like my life is back to normal now. I can run, practice yoga, swim and do all the strenuous physical activities I used to do again.

Post-Jaw Surgery Week 11

Last week was very tough for me because I had 3 mouth ulcers. The 3 monster ulcers made my life very difficult. It was hard for me to eat … Read more…

I may have forgotten to mention that my oral & maxillofacial surgeon noticed that I had some scar tissue on the scar of the incision made in the right side of my mouth during my double jaw surgery.

It looks like a piece of soft, white and lumpy flesh. My left side feels normal now but the right side feels tight and I still get this puffy feeling. The good news is the scar tissue seems to be getting smaller since I last visited my surgeon.

A total of 3 incisions were made in my mouth during my double jaw surgery – At the top of my upper jaw, on the left side of my mouth and the right side of my mouth.

Personally, I don’t think this is the surgeon’s fault because he can’t really predict that scar tissue would grow over 1 incision while the others are okay.… Read more…

I officially started my post-jaw surgery orthodontic treatment during week 9.

I can open my mouth pretty wide now – 2 fingers width between my upper and lower teeth. That’s a relief for me because it makes it so much easier for me to eat and my orthodontist can do his work.

Post-Jaw Surgery Week 9

I did not enjoy this week because I had another outbreak of pimples on my face. I do not think I have had so many pimples on my face in my entire life so it depresses me a little bit to have so many red dots on my face. What’s worse, I also developed a pimple on my right lower eyelid! I think I looked like crap.

I visited my surgeon last week for a routine check up and he said I was healing well but the bumps on the side of my jaw … Read more…