Pilot!

Hello, fellow bloggers! 
As indicated in the title, I have dedicated this blog to record my journey through my quest to find the perfect smile. This blog has been looong overdue since my story started a long time ago
with my very first pop and click; With the very first mm with which my bottom jaw grew, surpassing the top; and maybe even the very first time that really mean guy in science class called me a piranha. 
 but I guess this is where the real action begins. 
Let's start with the fundamentals.

• My name is Ciara

•  17 years young
• A Junior in High School
• I have a class III Malocclusion (underbite)

• My lower midline is skewed to the left by 6.5 mm.
• The upper central incisors were rotated by 30 degrees each. (pre-braces)
• Diagnosed with mandibular prognathism which means that the foundation that  supports the lower teeth is too far forward for the foundation of the upper teeth.
• I was treated for TMJD (with a very uncomfortable and unflattering splint)
• I got braces around 2/24/2013
• My teeth are currently straight and I've been in braces for about 11 months.

Through the duration of my braces, as movement has progressed, I have noticed that my underbite has become more prominent and has shown that not only does it jut forward but to the left as well. 

I had my first nerve-wrecking with my surgeon on 1/9/13.  His resident came in first, asking me a series of uncomfortable questions

The surgeon then came in and measured my face. Asking me to open my mouth as wiiiide as possible; I  filled the room with a succession of loud obnoxious pops, clicks, and cracks. He did this 3-4 times, just to "make sure". Rest assured, by the end of the appointment, my jaw was in  a great deal of pain. He then sat down and gave me the prognosis. 

He told me that the first thing that he noticed is that it is not my bottom jaw that juts forward, because it is proportionally correct when isolated and compared to the rest of my profile. It is my top jaw that is too far back; (Which is common in oriental heritage) However it should be noted, that just as mentioned before, my bottom jaw is not centered and has been significantly deviated to the left. Therefore, in my case, the double jaw surgery is broken down into two parts

1.) My first procedure will entail the surgeon moving my upper jaw forward, which does not involve wiring of the jaw; however i will be limited to consume items that do not have to be chewed for up to six weeks.

2.) after six weeks of recovery, i will be brought in for my second surgery which will involve the surgeon moving my lower jaw sideways. At the end of my second surgery, I will be wired shut for an undetermined amount of time.

He wants to do this because he doesn't want to wire my jaw shut after drastically compromising my top jaw as any movement to the top jaw commonly creates trouble breathing and not having my top jaw wired will immensely help with breathing.

within two months I will also need all four of my wisdom teeth extracted and cavities filled. For some reason these scare me the most; maybe because it's so surreal that everything is happening so fast. 

We're still waiting on approval from the insurance company. Fingerscrossed. Toescrossed. everythingcrossed.  But my surgeon was oddly very optimistic about everything and is expecting approval shortly.

Let it be noted that i not only made this blog for me, to look back and reminisce on, but for others out there that are going to undergo this procedure. I've read a lot of blogs that have helped me cope with the stress and fear of everything that is happening; and was inspired to create this blog in hopes that it might be some sort of guide for others. 

Well i guess that's it for now~

More info tomorrow; when I'm not studying for my horrific Precal/Physics test.

Below are some pictures of me before and with braces.

B.B: Before Braces; somewhat self conscious of my rotated incisors, but no big deal; they wont stop me from smiling.

The day I got braces. I was simply elated. I even got Rainbow :)

6 mo. w/ braces; hardly ever notice they're there anymore except when i get all that food stuck in them.

In the two pictures above, my underbite and skewed midline is so painfully obvious, it's embarrassing.