4 month anniversary and the braces are OFF!

Yesterday marked 4 months ago that I had my double jaw surgery - on Aug. 2nd. So glad that's over with! I'm supposed to have about 90% of the nerves reconnected by now, and I'd say I'm probably at about 85%, so not too far behind! Today was a momentous day - I got my braces off after 1 year and 6 days of having them on. In the beginning it was estimated that they'd be on for 16 months "at the longest". Today my ortho said the reason they are coming off so quickly is because the jaw surgery went so well. Here is the great part of today - Jared had no idea they were comning off! The last thing he knew, I was scheduled to get them off on the 13th - in another week and a half! Ha ha, I'm so sneaky! :) Here are some pics I took to document today. I was taking them all myself - and I'm shocked that I aimed well enough!

In the car, ready to go in!

In the chair. Hurry up already!

Sharon taking off my lowers.

Um...Ow.

This was a beautiful moment!

I did this a lot. "Rinse please".



That's half the battle!



Dr. Luddington, my new best friend.

Off comes the top row!



Almost done...



2 brackets were left on - to band together and sturdy my top teeth for the retainer process.



Etching the back of my two front teeth for the perma-retainer.



Bonding it to my teeth. It's only behind my two front teeth. I will also get a removable retainer with a fake tooth to hold the spot of my missing molar until I get my implant done.



Yay! Another happy customer!

Time to go home and surprise Jared!



It took about 15 minutes of grinning at him like an idiot before I pretty much outright told him! Hee hee hee. I'm so sneaky for keeping it a secret for so long!
(can you tell how much Jared looooves pics?)



Just in time for Christmas! We need to take some family photo's now!



My BEFORE pic - from just over a year ago (left) and now (right). Can anyone see a difference?
So - everything still isn't perfect, or symmetrical. But at this point - when all is said and done -
I think I'm ok with it!



Thanks for letting this happen Jare. Love you forever!