TMJD is literally a pain in the neck.

I have to say living with a skeletal/jaw defect isn't fun. Everyday is a winding road as Sheryl Crow would say. No really. Each morning I wake up with the fun surprise of sore teeth, neck soreness, headache,  eye pain, dizziness, or feeling as though I took Mayweather on in the boxing ring. I have to say I feel a lot less lucky than Pacquiao. In a way, i've looked forward to this surgery with fear and anticipation. I'm afraid of the actual (yucky) surgery part and i'm happy for the outcome. I read someone's surgery diary that explained the moment the braces came off (post surgery) they took a bite of a sandwich for the first time, and in this moment he knew this was all worth it. I can't imagine what that must feel like. Biting food with normal and symmetrical teeth. I also look forward to this one pivotal moment. I know I still have a long road to hoe. Especially since I have to continue orthodontic treatment for 3-6 months after my surgery.

Neck Pain

 In the past month I got to see a really cool picture of my neck via X-ray. The first thing I noticed was of course how weird it is to see my skull with braces. The next thing I noticed was how straight my neck was. Normally there is a small inward curvature in the neck. This is called lordosis. Since, i've started having neck problems I have lost that curve in my neck. This too can be common ( annoying but, common). I'll post a pic of how this might look compared to a normal cervical spine.

Image borrowed from: http://www.utahhealthquest.com/text-neck

I borrowed this image (first image above) from a website to show the difference between the current state of my c-spine and a normal cervical spine. I have thought about seeing a chiropractor in addition to my PT. If I do elect to visit a chiro i'll definitely share my experiences here. I also added a few pics of my Kinesiology tape form my PT. The physio really doesn't go light on the taping. Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movements. The tape is used to alleviate pain, balance muscle movements, and reduce inflammation (these are just a few of the benefits). The lower picture also helps to show my trapezius imbalance. It's still strange to think that all of these issues began with a skeletal imbalance.

Surgical Fears 

I'll just dive right in. I am quite afraid of how I will look post surgery. Although, the surgeon says the possible side effects are to become better looking (hehe), I know my face will change dramatically.  The surgeon said I will have a much fuller upper lip and basically my nose will be repositioned (rhinoplasty).  He also said to hide all of the mirrors for a few months. I have noticed subtle changes in my face since I began orthodontic treatment. I can see that my jaw has shifted. My face became extremely narrow at some point and now I noticed that my jaw is slowly widening. It's very subtle but, looking at my own face daily I can notice these changes. I suppose what I feel is normal and just like anything else they will be dispelled with education, patience, and time. In the next blog, I will cover some pre-surgical preparatory ideas!

Check out the images below of my orthodontic treatment updates!

As always- thank you for reading!

Fairly recent picture of my teeth. My midline is still off but, that will be treated after my surgery. 

Image of my bite a few months ago. 

Watching my teeth transform. These are pictures taken over the course of one year. My crossbite is very obvious in all of the pictures.