Achy Breaky Jaw

Today marks the 5 week since surgery mark. This past Monday I had my first real orthodontist appointment since surgery (the first one was simply an appointment so they could take some new x-rays). They took one x-ray and changed the bottom wires on my braces, but more importantly they took over control of the rubber bands on my teeth. The rubber bands they gave me were much less rigid than the ones the surgeon had been using and so it is a bit easier to talk and even to eat a little with the bands still on my teeth. The only thing that is kind of annoying is that the bands are placed on different teeth than before and it makes my teeth really achy and uncomfortable.

The other thing that has been achy is my jaw. I do not know if it is the fact that I am becoming less numb or all of the running I have been doing, or maybe just a combination of both, but my jaw has been really sore over the past week. I get pain up high in my jaw and it radiates down to my chin. I have a surgeon appointment today so hopefully he can give me an idea of why this is happening and maybe some ways to alleviate it (I am under the impression, however, that he is just going to tell my not to run).

Here are the week 5 pictures. My jaw is a bit more swollen than usual and I still have no feeling in my lower lip, chin or the insides of my mouth. Also below are the September 2007 and September 2009 x-rays of my mouth.