OK i just have to talk a little about K&L's time at the ortho.
They were so excited to find out that they had an appt. with the orthodontist earlier this summer that they asked me everyday "Mom,..how many more days till we go to the orthodontist? Yeah! Only 5 more, only 4 more, only 3 more...etc." Till it was the night before their 10 am appt. they both came up to me separately...feeling a little anxious and worried that it was going to hurt. K said "mom don't tell L but I don't know if I want to go anymore?" Not but an hour later L came to me saying the same thing!
Well I have to tell you....it was a really memorable experience for both girls and I. They both now have expanders and will soon have braces. The ultimate goal of a beautiful "straight teeth" smile. (they already have beautiful smiles)
Going to the ortho is nothing like it used to be. I thought at the most they would take some x-rays and then they would looked at and be told that "Yes they will need braces once they are in High School for about 2 years." (I was wrong)
No...their treatment plan at the most will take 14 months. And we start NOW! They are in 3rd grade. They both are to wear top and bottom expanders (to spread apart their mouths) to make more room in their mouth so their teeth will grow in straighter. Once all the adult teeth are in...then they only have to get 4 little braces on the top 4 front teeth for a few months to help straighten them just right. They have braces in till they have the perfect smile! They will then wear a retainer to help keep them straight.
OMG! In my mind this is so much less invasive! I remember how horrible it was when I had braces...going in to have them tightened every few weeks was like choosing to have someone place your head in a vice and turn it till your mouth hurt so bad you couldn't even blink without causing pain. OK I'm being a little dramatic, but I also remember how much I hated having braces in High School. Eating with braces and trying not to show what you ate for lunch when smiling at the cute guy sitting next to you in class took much skill. (And it also took a really good friend whom you weren't afraid to ask if their was any food particles stuck in your teeth or stuck up in your braces.) (thx Kara) Some days I remember my friends and I just wouldn't eat until we got home. The day I got my braces off was liberating!!
Anyway..glad the girls don't have to deal with all that!
Here are pictures of them just before we were to meet with the Ortho. Can you just feel & see the excitement! They were being silly too.
After this meeting and lots of pictures we came back about 2 weeks later and had impressions done. They also got to "design" their expanders. Seriously...the stuff kids have today!
You'll see what lovely colors they decided on for both top and bottom expanders. Let me just say...it was like the MOST important decision in their life!! They discussed it among themselves for days...& changed their minds about 20 times too!! Though, I guess I'd have a hard time deciding too.
L ended up getting a glow-in-the-dark top expander that is neon pink! Her lower one is neon green. She said those two colors coordinated very well together. K decided for the rainbow look (with no sparkle) for both the top and bottom. She had a hard time deciding if she should have "sparkle" or not. I think she made a good choice...all the rainbow colors will coordinate well with anything you might be wearing, plus might even match what you're eating too.
Anyway, my job for the next few months is to use a little "key" and turn their expanders every few days. (what joy) This is slowly expanding their mouths. I also get to hear how I turned it too tight or how much it hurts now that I turned it. I gently remind them that I had it much worse when I was in HS and had braces. I say back in the old days...they used to put my head in a vice and....well you get the point. (he-he)
Now I'm tired talkin' teeth...but I do have to mention there have already been several instances where they each almost LOST their bottom expander. Not on my watch I might add. (knock on wood)
I've heard of them having to dig in Krispy Creme's bathroom trash to searching every isle in Tom Thumb finding it stashed neatly between cans of green beans. (what?) Well L did leave it at school this past weekend. (she was devastated) I was working on my story on what to tell DH (dear husband)if she did come home today to tell me it was not in her desk by her pencils like she said. Thank God the wire on her expander got caught on a spiral notebook in her desk so it didn't fall on the floor. I pray we make it without losing them till the day we get braces. I personally cannot wait to see the before and after pictures too! I'm sure I'll blog all about it... enjoy the photos.
www.wiseorthodontics.com
No comments:
Post a Comment