and they’re off

Well, sorta. As you can see, I still have some bottom brackets. I opted for a permanent retainer, so I had to keep some brackets on so nothing moves before I get my retainers next month.

My orthodontist worked hard to get the glue off my teeth, which was a little uncomfortable. He also shaped them a little bit. There is a chance that a little gap may open up between my teeth before I get my retainers, but he said he could fix that “Grand Canyon” with my retainer.

I had planned to bite through a piece of lettuce to celebrate my braces removal, but I think my mouth would prefer an apple. Unfortunately, I need to wait until those bottom brackets are off. But once they are, man, I’m biting through so many apples.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! I am not updating this blog regularly, but I do see new comments. If you’d like to have your jaw blog added to my list, let me know. The more inspiration, the better!

get ready, get set

I will have my braces removed on December 27. That will be 1 year, 7 months and 23 days since I started treatment, which is just a little over the 18 month minimum that I was quoted from going from a sad open bite to a happy new smile. Yeah! I’m going to celebrate by biting through an apple and eating some corn on the cob.

Chewing practice

A month or two ago, I was ordered by my orthodontist to chew gum so my teeth know how to go together.

Really. Ordered.

Right now I’m chewing through a pack of the new Extra key lime pie flavor.

My teeth look great, my bite lines up just right, but my back teeth don’t quite hit. My orthodontist said that the teeth will eventually grow to meet one another. I do not know whether to trust that.

Braces may be off in November. Hang on tight.

surprises

I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about the process of chewing before I had this surgery.

Since I’ve returned to a normal diet, I’ve been trying to make one new recipe a week for dinner. I live alone, so I make the whole recipe and eat the leftovers for other dinners and lunches.

Once again, another recipe I’ve made has jaw parallels. These mushroom-based “cheesesteaks” would be perfect for new chewers (minus the bun).  Steak is often a favorite dream dinner after surgery,  but trust me, it will be a while before you can really chew one. Even if you just chopped up mushrooms and melted some provolone over them, this would be a treat.

i can eat anything

Really. Anything. Well, except stuff that will break my braces. But no food is off limit anymore. I can chew like a real person.

I made this recipe tonight, and it occurs to me that it would be a tasty and healthy meal for someone who just got chewing clearance and is relearning how to eat. Enjoy!

This weekend will be my first trip to the farmer’s market during which I do most of my grocery shopping. I can’t wait to bite through a fresh, locally grown strawberry.

eating, eating

I’ve been a bit lax about posting recently as I’ve returned to a regular diet. Today, I ate a Subway turkey sandwich. I bit through a hamburger on Sunday during my birthday dinner. I can’t believe I can use all of these teeth to chew now!

I have thoughts about additional content to add to this blog, but I’d also like to answer any questions you have. What do you want to know about jaw surgery and eating? Ask away!

jaw double down

Shared a grilled Double Down today. I could bite right through it! It’s not a bad sandwich (if you can call it that), but I’d rather just have the grilled chicken.