April 26, 2001
J.D. 26, 5'7,'' 165, "Binge Eater," Albany, NY. Goal weight 130 pounds. Willing to devote 12 weeks to the program. Expected weight loss 18 pounds.
JD arrived with mom SD Examination of teeth, gums, all soft tissues, extent of movement of jaws, and TMJ (Temporo-Mandibular joints) reveals that J. is in good health. Her medical dental history is unremarkable and the informed consent for jaw wiring has been signed and dated. No radiographs were warranted. Begg brackets were placed on upper teeth 4,5,6 and 11, 12, 13 and lower teeth 29,28,27 and 22,21, and 20. Additional care was taken to insure that her upper teeth did not contacts the lower brackets lest lower brackets become detached. J. was asked to put her teeth gently together and the wiring was done with "deadsoft" .016 inch diameter stainless steel round wire. Prior to wiring she was given a prophylaxis. J. and her mom S. carefully observed the placement and procedure of bonding brackets and wiring and rewiring the jaws in the event that a dentist/orthodontist is not available to do the work. She said her jaws were very comfortable and that the jaw wires permitted her a slight bit of jaw movement. She and her mom were given instructions and practice regarding how and when to remove the wire. She was given instructions on how to exercise her jaws during the 3-5 days she would be released from the wires and advised re the possibility of the joint becoming more limited in motion over time (two fingers of opening rather than 3 fingers). Ps. J was counseled to adhere to a 1400 calorie low/no salt liquid diet and to have access to a handy guide to the caloric value of foods. She was provided a kit of instruments and supplies and shown how and when to use them. She was shown how to remove the wire with the wire cutter provided. She was asked to keep a log and email it every few weeks.
April 2
Email from Jen:
Jen’s Journal
Jaw Wiring Experience
The procedure went well. Dr. Ted was very pleasant and devoted his full attention to my mother and I for approximately two hours. (Even though my mom and I arrived about 45 minutes late for my appointment.) I was very surprised at how simple and fast the brackets went on and how quickly I was wired. At first I was a bit panicked about how tight the wires felt and how constricted I actually was. My speech was much more restricted that I thought it was going to be. So, after Dr. Ted gave my mother the full run down on how to replace brackets and rewiring me if needed, we were off and running- back to Albany!
· My first meal experience was on our way home. It was about 2:30pm and my mom and I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. So, we decided to stop at McDonald’s for a bite. I figured they would have a few choices for me to pick from… What a fiasco!!! I ordered a milk (that was great!), and a yogurt parfait, and chicken noodle soup. Well, needless to say, I was in hysterics about five minutes into my meal. I couldn’t really eat the parfait or the soup very well. All the little oats and noodles were getting stuck in my teeth. I quickly realized that this procedure was no joke and that I would really have to drink only smooth liquid foods.
· My shopping list
o Boost
o Ensure
o Slimfast (Vanilla is the best)
o V8 juice
o Yogurt (no fruit, “Express” by Yoplay is convenient)
o Milk (2%, skim, and soy)
o Applesauce
o Cream of wheat
o Baby food (vegetables mostly)
o Cranberry & Orange juice
o Myoplex protein shakes (Can get at any gym or GNC store)
o Soup
o STRAINER
o BLENDER
o Fat Free Pudding
· Exercise – I’m an avid exerciser. However, my cardio capacity is now somewhat limited. I was able to finish an entire Hi Lo aerobics class on Tuesday May 1st. And today, May 2nd, I completed a spin class. While my jaw is wired I will be focusing more attention on my weight training to tone and sculpt those hidden muscles! J
Dr.
Ted Responds:
Dear Jen:
Thank you for the nice words about your visit to the office. I just published your
journal and will continue to add as you write. I liked your list of liquid nourishments and I can see you are
giving the right amount of attention to choosing foods. The limitation on your reduced endurance in aerobics is noteworthy. I suggest you can do two things: if you use it
"modestly" just prior to exercising. Afrin really clears your nasal passages. The second thing you can do is to use one of those nasal widening pieces that athletes use to widen their nostrils. It tapes on to the nose and opens your airway.. I my self use saline nasal spray (sodium chloride. 0.65%) over-the-counter at CVS to help keep my nasal passages clear. Keep up the good work, Cordially, Dr. Ted
May 12
Hi Dr.Ted...
Thingsare going well. Here's another "chapter" in my journal... :)
L,Jen
Well, it’s been a little over two weeks and my jaw is still wired. Things are going very well. At the two-week mark I had lost 9 pounds. But, as you know, losing weight was not my main objective for wiring my jaw. I am a compulsive binge eater. I wired my jaw in an effort to force myself to feel the feelings that I was feeding instead of feeling when I binged. About two years ago, my life was turned upside down. I somehow “learned” that eating made me feel better and numbed me from feeling all the negative things going on around me. This addiction quickly got the best of me. I’ve been in therapy for over a year – individual, group, and marriage, and am committed 150% to getting well and learning how to be a “normal healthy” eater again. This jaw wiring procedure is my last effort to get well before I decide that an in-patient eating disorder program is what I need to do. At first, my therapist (along with most of my friends and family) was very against this. And,
quite honestly, I can see their point. This is not a “traditional” treatment for my disorder. But, something inside me drew me to this as soon as I stumbled across Dr. Ted’s web site. I thought, “if I could just keep the food from going into my mouth, I could focus on what’s really “eating” me and what I’m trying to suppress and avoid feeling.” After two weeks, and my therapist seeing me several times, she has changed her point of view and is supportive of my decision.
Well, after two weeks, I can say that this has been very difficult emotionally. I have wanted to binge ssoooooooo bad many times, but I simply can’t. So, instead I have to sit with myself and feel what’s going on and what is driving me to want to eat. Sometimes it’s sadness, sometimes stress, a lot of the time it’s the problems that my husband and I are going through. My parents have been so supportive and I don’t know what I would do without them. I literally owe them my life.
So, today is another day. I must push forward. I will get well. For myself.
Dr. Ted Responds
Dear Jen:
I am very touched that you would share these thoughts with me. I gather that on the whole you are taking a positive note toward this binge control regimen. Having your family's and now your therapist's support must surely give you encouragement. I often tell my wife when she
"minimizes" her assets to try to remember to try to "avoid enlisting yourself in the ranks of your own worst
enemies" I am sure with persistence you will discover the things that are "eating' you to use your very, very apt phrase. I remember well my dad going to the refrigerator and number of times during each day he would go to have a snack and the
lengths he would go to prevent that from happening, including even a lock on the frig door. He often anguished over this failing. He grew up in a very impoverished environment including having parents who offered little in the way of nurturing as well as frequently not having food on the table as a young person. he recalled to me living in a neighborhood that was so bad that he felt ashamed to have his friends come over. So I guess that all means when your eating your getting something you did not get enough of and so food takes it's place. Maybe food also wards off the fear of losing the precious little that you do have of something, whatever that maybe that has great value to you. Your words are "food" for thought and I am happy to reminisce my remembrances of my father's problem with you. You must not forget that
neuro-chemical and hormonal chemistry also play into one's desire to eat.. I remember reading about an "appetite control center" in your brain that is turned on and off when you have had a sufficient amount of "fat grams". It is conceivable that one's appetite control center is not operating well. Here is something to remember: the fact that you have persisted successfully is a most admirable fact. I once wire a patient who left the office and had someone remove the wiring not two hours later, Do I have permission to add this to your journal on the website? Love, Ted
Jennifer: http://www.drted.com/index.html/Jaw wiring JD.htm
June 1,
Thanks Dr. Ted!!!
I enjoyed reading the journal. I'm doing AWESOME! I feel great!
I will be unwiring for the first time next weekend and I have no anxiety
about it!
I'm getting better for myself, because I want more out of life than an
eating disorder!!!
Jen
Dear Jen,
I am so glad to hear you are pleased with your progress. When you undo yourself, apply yourself diligently to the jaw joint exercises I have recommended to you on the exercise page. You will remember I told you that the normal mouth can open comfortably about three fingers. Do that test and see how comfortable you feel and let me know. Releasing yourself is also a good test of any self control you may have learned. I'm sure you will be nervous just as though you had been released from a cage/room/cell after having been confined. Remember eat whatever solids you can, but remember you are not licensed to eat more than the number of calories you were eating when you wire wired. When you reach your goal weight and you remove the wires for the last time you will have been helped if you sense some profound change in your need/desire/urgency ot eat as you formerly did. Alicia said she was going to keep the brackets on for at lest three months after the wires were removed. Caring for you, Dr. Ted (copy to your co-wirees)
[Back to Jaw wiring directory] [Back to Site Additions] Special NY Times Article on the founding of Invisalign
[Email
Us] Home
[Site Additions] Consultation [Lingual Braces
Menu] [Download
an Office Brochure]
[ Q
& A ][ Consultation ][ Meet
& Hear Dr. Ted ][ Tooth
Whitening ]
Jaw Wiring FAQ's Jaw
Wiring Informed Consent Jaw
Wiring Link Sites
[ For Orthodontists][ Wisdom
Teeth] [Email Us] [Somnoplasty
to Eliminate Stop Snoring]
[Invisalign: the "no-braces" braces and so much more] [Menu for Small Claims Court Info]
