Aching Arches

I hate these rubber bands that zigzag across my whole mouth. Thank God they don't cause any severe headaches or reduce me to the state of near-tears like they did a couple weeks ago, when they first snapped on, but they're still a royal pain in the..... teeth?

I can't yawn. I can't sneeze. I can't lick my lips. And, I obviously can't talk, except through clenched teeth.

And there's this dull pain throughout both arches. Urgh.

Counting down, counting down.

I just didn't expect the end to be so difficult.

7, 6, 5....

One week till debracing!!

My ortho agreed that my molars require more rubber band magic to help eliminate the gap. She told me to wear the elastics every night until my next appointment, a week from today - then she will remove the braces.

I chowed down dinner from Whole Foods' salad bar and snapped the rubber bands back on. No late night snack for me! Sigh.

I can't believe I'm almost done! :)

Snap!

Crazy rubber bands? You can say THAT again!

My ortho cut down the wires (hard to see, but now they only cover the front teeth, not the entire archs) today, and zig-zag'd "crazy rubber bands" up and down my entire mouth to tighten up the bite. I have to wear this for a whole week. Then remove the rubber bands and roam free for another week. Then go see her again to make sure there are no relapses. Then she will - drum roll, please - remove the braces!

This snapped me all the way back to the weeks immediately following surgery. My jaws are, in essence, wired shut again. AARRRGGGHHHH! The difference? This time I can remove the rubber bands when I eat. AND, yes, I can eat. Woohoo!

The timing couldn't BE any better. In a few hours I'm jetting over to Boston on a redeye (the price I pay for keeping my ortho appointment and saving two weeks) for training. Which means, my colleagues won't see me like this but for one day on Friday. Yep, I'm THAT vain. :) Plus, it's near impossible to "talk" through clenched teeth.

I wonder how anyone managed to understand me over the phone this afternoon. Bless their hearts!