Supplies

Essential Items:

• Aquaphor - Doctor recommended chapstick, better than Vaseline or other brands (Target)
• Quercetin Bromelain - Supplement proven to reduce swelling (Walgreens, Health Stores)
• Collagen Powder - Nature's best protein in tasteless, colorless, odorless form.  Mixes well in water, juice or anything you are making and adds 40 calories / 9g protein.  (Peaceful Planet)
• Juices, Milk - Liquids are heavy, purchase in advance to avoid difficult shopping trips.  I went through (5) 32 oz. milks and who knows how many juices the first three weeks.  One less thing to worry about when you're deep in recovery. 
• Bone Broth - High protein, low sodium (reducing swelling).  This is an excellent mixer for soups and easier than making your own broth.  Stock up ahead of time, I went through (4) 32 oz. containers in the first three weeks.  
• Child's Liquid Ibuprofen - For syringing / drinking.  Take before all follow up appointments.  
• Nasal Spray - recommend just in case.  I had read horror stories about no being able to breathe until post-op and specifically asked my anesthesiologist to clean me out well.  She did, and from the moment I woke up I could breathe way better than I ever could before.  
• CVS Inter-dental Brushes - Mini flexible linear brushes to get in between wires and teeth or small places around brackets and bands.  Great for quick touch ups on the go.   
• Colgate Wisp Brushes - Small round brushes for when you can't open your mouth enough to get a tooth brush inside.  Has a pick on the opposite end for dual purpose.  
• Hot / Cold Packs with bands - I tried several versions and prefer the bead type as it held the temperature well and conforms well.  Make sure the pack is large enough to fit your entire jaw from end to ear.  Bands should wrap your head, holding in place comfortably as this is how you will spend your days: 48-72 hours with continuous ice followed by 24-48 hours with 20 min. heat several times a day.  (CVS, Walgreens)
• Text to Speech App - No talking, but lots to communicate the first week.  Much easier than writing on a whiteboard and you'll already have your phone at hand.  Multiple countries have male or female voices, which can be fun to play with.  
• Calorie Count App - Records stats for meals, activity, weight, etc.  Most foods are already loaded in the searchable database or you can create your own manually or scan a bar code.  Makes tracking much easier.  
• Scale - Stable body weight is key, track it.
• Blender - Liquid setting handles most foods; I had a mishaps with wheat germ, raspberry seeds, blueberry and tomato skins (hold off until you can open your mouth a little).  
• Hand Towels / Bib - Lots of dripping when eating the first few weeks. 
• Pillows - Sleep on 2-3 to keep your head elevated and control swelling the first week.
• Books, magazines, movies and TV shows - lots of time to catch up on entertainment or light duty projects you're normally too busy to tackle. 
• Before / After Photos - Consultation photos are fine for record, but you'll probably want your own.  Smiling, not smiling.  Front and sides.  Snap away during recovery, it makes progress each day measurable.  You'll be amazed in a few weeks looking back!

Provided by your Surgeon:

• Syringes - Take many.  I used the 10ml size for everything the first 3 days, then gradually weened off to a cup for liquids, continuing only for medicine.  I asked for several large ones just in case, never used them as the 10ml portion was enough at a time.  
• Juice Cups - If you stay overnight grab a few on your way out.
• Dixie style Paper Cups - Nice for medicines and small servings of liquids the first few days.  You'll go through a lot, disposables make it easy to cycle through.  
• Ice Bags and Wrap - The hospital used the ones could work just as well as gel.  I was more comfortable using regular hot / cold packs, could go either way.  
• Meds - Goes without saying - you will fill many prescriptions the day after to tide through recovery as comfortably as possible.  

Consultation Appointments

Step 1 - Dental Appointment; March 18, 2015
 
Dr Azad is extremely talented and has made the annual visits enjoyable by offering state of the art technologies, personable customer service and an office that feels more like a boutique hotel than a medical office.  Best part is the yellow chairs and the view... but I digress.  As we discussed the alignment issues I was keenly aware of, my confidence in her abilities and promise of the smile of my dreams made the journey seem inevitable. 


Step 2 - Orthodontist Consult; May 28, 2015

Dr Azad referred me to Dr Good (impossible not to trust!).  During the hour long consultation she took photos, measurements and walked me through her recommendations.  I had braces as a child, and sort of knew that the current state wasn't entirely the result of not wearing my retainers regularly.  I have a habit of shifting my jaw forward to ease lip teeth indentations / discomfort on my lower lip and speculate congested sinuses are related to a crowded tongue.  Mentioning these and other issues I suggested that my jaw may also need adjustment.  Sure enough, she indicated that Invisalign was not an option due to the severity of my case, predictable but nonetheless a huge disappointment.  The treatment plan was 8-10 months of braces, jaw surgery, followed by 8-12 months of braces.  She showed me an animated video of the process.  Although entirely new and foreign to me, she has completed many similar cases with excellent results.  Without hesitation I agreed to have molds made that day in preparation for the surgeon consultation.


Step 3 - Surgeon Consult; July 15, 2015

Dr Good referred me to Dr Bast (soon dubbed Dr Best).  This is where I began to get frustrated as the first available appointment was almost two months out.  I can take ages to make a decision, but once I do I proceed without delay and get extremely impatient.  The appointment included more photos, measurements, and study of my facial features and molds.  I was not impressed with the office as it is a teaching hospital and felt aged.  During my hour long wait to see the surgeon interns kept stepping into the room, even during my consultation.  I was already self conscious about my deformity and nervous about the prospect of a major surgery and the gawkers weren't helping.  The surgeon gave me all the disclaimers - major surgery, 3-6 week recovery, potential for permanent numbness.  I left feeling bewildered, but having begun could see the end goal.


Step 4 - Second Opinion, August 11, 2015

I consulted a second orthodontist who provided the same recommendations.  She offered Invisalign and Propel, a technology to accelerate braces, and showed me an elaborate portfolio of dozens of cases, some identical to mine.  I got very excited seeing the after photos and new it was for me.  The alternate treatments seemed risky, perhaps leaning to what I wanted to hear versus best methods.  Since I had a head start with the Good Team, I opted to go for it and scheduled the dreaded braces on appointment.

Before...