Update on my Corticotomy aka Wilckodontics

[needadvancement]

Alright:
http://i.imgur.com/rsx8EOi.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MZ5nAef.jpg

I let my beard grow out for like a week and it camouflages the swelling well but I can't do anything about the swelling around the nose. I'm tired of applying ice packs.

[PloskoPlus]

Damn the middle of my face pretty swollen right now. I almost looked normal yesterday before I went to bed but then I wake up looking like a primate lol. I think that's the reason the surgeon was so adamant about taking a week off from work. Bleeding stopped and healing looks to be going well though.

I went back to work 2 weeks after a Le Fort I.  Either no one gave a s**t, or I work with super-tactful people.

[terry947]

lmao plosko.

also NA, i spoke with my dentist and she said that they can build up tooth height with porcelain type of material. Problem is that the teeth need to be slightly impacted and the jaw has to be in a perfect position before changing the tooth surface, so that the jaw locks together in harmony. tbh this is probably something im going to do pre-surgery, so that after surgery, i have a bite that is good in height and surface condition. Cuz over time they;ll only get worse, im 23 atm and they're getting pretty bad.

[needadvancement]

^That sounds interesting, never heard of that method before. Are you sure that's safe in the long run though?(no bone resorption) And I would imagine that the aesthetic benefit would be good too.

[needadvancement]

Day 3 is definitely the peak of swelling.  I wonder if sleeping too much is making it worse since I'm getting 10-11 hours a day now. Got some racoon eyes going on too now but atleast it did one good thing: No scleral show for the time being.

[PloskoPlus]

Day 3 is definitely the peak of swelling.  I wonder if sleeping too much is making it worse since I'm getting 10-11 hours a day now. Got some racoon eyes going on too now but atleast it did one good thing: No scleral show for the time being.

Oh, don't worry the scleral show will come back.  Try to sleep with your head more elevated.  The swelling will happen regardless, but it will go down into you neck and lower cheeks more instead.  You will have chipmunk cheeks, but it beats having the whole face swollen.

[needadvancement]

It's been about 4 weeks since the surgery. It's going steady and my orthodontist is quite satisfied. There is far less crowding now and finally the premolars have started to move too, they were the hardest I think. Feels like my tongue has more space now.
Here's the befores:
http://i.imgur.com/tqsOU3C.jpg

And I took these pictures today(not the best quality but I think you can see the difference)
http://i.imgur.com/td5sYjW.jpg lower arch
http://i.imgur.com/N7OYHSu.jpg upper

I was coming in weekly, they've put the thickest wires on the brackets yesterday(I think they're damon braces) and I won't have to come back in 6 weeks. By that time the teeth should be mostly done moving and close to ideal position.

It's amazing to see teeth move that fast. They were very sensitive at times and your can't use your incisors to bite off pieces of food. But it's all worth it I believe.

[terry947]

nice man! glad youre happy with your surgery. I can notice the difference already

[needadvancement]

Thanks man. The worst thing so far are the cement blocks I still have on my molars(to prevent me from biting on the braces). I haven't been able to bite for some time now and as a result the masseter muscles on my jaws have shrunk because I couldn't use them. It narrowed my lower face, but surely they have 'muscle memory' as well right? It should be back to normal once I can use all my teeth again to chew.

Btw found a pretty cool link to some wilckodontics results.
http://www.tisserontorthodontics.com/wilckodontics/

Their dental arches have all become wider. This one is pretty good:

[Optimistic]

Can this operation be used to build up the alveolar ridge to a significant enough degree to influence soft-tissue?

Could someone get this done plus sliding genioplasty for example?

[needadvancement]

Can this operation be used to build up the alveolar ridge to a significant enough degree to influence soft-tissue?

Could someone get this done plus sliding genioplasty for example?

That is what I was told. The growth of bone mass and forward movement of teeth is supposed to help make the labiomental crease less deep, and the lower lip will move forward too.

If you look at the picture of the woman above that is exactly what happened to her. But she's the only wilckodontics patient I've seen profile pictures of before and after. It's hard to find more pictures like this online.

[Optimistic]

That is what I was told. The growth of bone mass and forward movement of teeth is supposed to help make the labiomental crease less deep, and the lower lip will move forward too.

If you look at the picture of the woman above that is exactly what happened to her. But she's the only wilckodontics patient I've seen profile pictures of before and after. It's hard to find more pictures like this online.

Picture is deceptive. She isn't as side on in the after.

[terry947]

Her lower jaw did move forwards. Look at the relationship with her upper and lower lip. Though she is tilting her head back slightly in the after photo.

[needadvancement]

4 months in on my lower arch:
http://i.imgur.com/99jbkcF.jpg?1

I'm impressed with the expansion. I'm almost done hopefully the braces can be removed before the end of the year.

[terry947]

wow needavancement, thats amazing!

Did they cut into your lower arch as well?

AFAIK, wilkodontics only cuts into the upper maxillary teeth, how did you get so much mandibular expansion? also you get any expansion in between the last  two molars?