I have a straight mouth now but I’m only halfway there. I have a temporary lower plate or bridge that feels like a fence and there are no top teeth apart from my scattered four. Still dribbling.

On 25 November I finally had the dental bridge screwed onto my four implants. This was part of a two hour surgery to create a new gap between the lip and gum and a bit of a new gum too. It was called “sulcoplasty with a full thickness skin graft”.

The implant-anchored dental bridge has little teeth on it and was initially bolstered by putty to keep the lip out. For 10 literally stomach churning days I was in an ng tube with a diet of 6 Fortisips a day.

On 6 December the prosthodontist removed the ng tube (ah!) and unscrewed the prosthesis or bridge. When I was away he removed the putty and replaced it with acrylic. The result is that I have a nice straight mouth after eight years of a sucked-in lower left lip.

Words can’t explain how tricky that was. With my limited mouth opening it is really hard for him to get a grip on the screw heads. The usual pattern is that he struggles the first time he gets them off and then it goes more smoothly thereafter. The screw drivers are minute and at one stage he was using a miniature torque wrench. He had to unscrew and screw it back on a couple of times. Very hard in a mouth where one side is paralysed to get the bite right and in sync with my 4 remaining top teeth.

But today, 9 December, things did not go too well. I’m biting on my lip again and it’s quite badly ulcerated. I couldn’t feel it or see it because there is no nerve. When I got home I pulled my lip out and yes, a big white ulcer. The prosthodontist had a good think about the mechanics and sanded the acrylic (long story) to alter my bite. I go back on Tuesday for it to be checked.

As for my top teeth, I was told that we could try them out today but alas, over two campuses and over many months they have gone AWOL. I thought they were too much to ask for at this stage of healing anyway. I’m sort of beyond being disappointed.

Today on 10 December I woke up to less inflammation around that bitten area, perhaps less ulceration and a more comfortable feeling so I can eat and speak better. I had two coffees, a soft boiled egg and a smoothie for breakfast.

Straight lip after supportive lower dental bridge re-inserted

I’ll see what Tuesday brings and if I have to go with this rigid plate in my mouth over Christmas, I can take it. At least I have a straight mouth and more lip than I’ve had since 2014.