To start off, I will explain to you what I will be going through. I still have a baby tooth.. yes, I said it. Most people find this weird, but it is what it is. My "adult" tooth is still in the roof of my mouth, just hanging out. In order to fix this, it will require some maneuvering of my teeth, and so forth. This will also take a surgery to remove the baby tooth, and to put a bracket of some sorts on the adult tooth that will slowly, be brought down.
I had to have surgery #1 this past Friday. What was it for? I had to have a tissue graft, which means they took tissue from the roof of my mouth and placed it on my gums, next to the spot where my baby tooth is. The periodontist recommended this surgery because he felt that the tissue I currently had might not be enough to support the adult tooth once it goes into place. So, surgery #1 was completed. How do I feel? I am in pain, sore, achy. I am wearing a plastic retainer to protect the site where the tissue was removed and I can barely eat anything. My saving grace has been applesauce (with cinnamon), mac-n-cheese, oatmeal, and rainbow sherbert. YUM! I have to be on a "soft" food diet for the next 2 weeks so pray that I can make it through. It actually hasn't been too bad, because the pain I am experiencing takes away from my appetite.
I called the nurse today, because I always think wayyy to much about stuff. Am I taking care of my mouth? Should it still hurt? Will it get infected? I'm way over paranoid. The nurse assured me that day 3-4 is when the pain normally peaks and that they felt that everything during my surgery was definitely a success and that I should not get any infections, whatsoever. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. I go back next Friday for the postoperative visit.
After my gums heal (approximately 8 weeks) I can technically start my orthodontic treatment. It's been a while since I went to see the orthodontist, so I may get a few things wrong, or leave out details. But, if I remember correctly, the first thing they will do is give me a spacer (an appliance that spaces out some of my teeth). This will help get my teeth ready for the braces. I will then have braces put on (clear on top, normal on the bottom teeth). Once my teeth have moved and have enabled my "adult" tooth to replace my "baby" tooth, I will then have another surgery. This will expose my "adult" tooth, and get things rolling for it to be brought down to chill with the other teeth in my mouth.
This process is going to take yearss, literally. I am praying, hoping, dreaming, that it will take less time than expected, but with my luck it will take longer.
Until I finish with all this madness, please bear with me. Excuse my lack of manners while eating, my hard time pronouncing certain words and letters. Please, please, please pray that everything goes smoothly during this process. This is something that I have ignored for years and years, but to be honest with myself, this was nothing that was just going to "disappear". Like I said earlier, I know deep down that I will be 100% happier with myself once everything is over with. I always admire people with a pretty smile, and I KNOW that with my incredibly awesome doctors, they will do wonders on my smile!
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