#train your teeth

[gonnasmilenow]

Winding Down

Summer is quickly winding down and so is this phase of treatment. We stopped turning the key a few weeks ago. The expander is holding everything in place until Scoot can be fitted with a new less bulky appliance in a few weeks. I don’t have exact details on what that will entail because Mr. Huffington did the last ortho appointment and he doesn’t do details. But I do know that we are in the homestretch of the expander experience! All in all it has been a smooth ride, less overwhelming for Scoot than I expected and a super positive first encounter with orthodontics!

[gonnasmilenow]

Let's Begin

This day has been a long time coming. We have our first orthodontist appointment this afternoon. I say ‘we’ because no doubt this will be a family effort.

I have always known that orthodontics would be in the future for my children. My husband (Mr. Huffington) was once referred to as a ‘small headed Colin Farrell’ (true story) and when you pair his small head with my inherently large teeth you get a perfect storm of crowding and crookedness.

I am oddly excited to start this journey, partly because the sooner we begin the sooner we finish, but also because I know that we are in great hands with our orthodontist. Having a good team to work with makes all the difference for the patient and the parent, in my opinion.

I think back to my own experience with orthodontia in the early 90’s, years of being fitted for and halfheartedly wearing random dental appliances and wearing braces for what felt like an eternity in teenage years. I don’t want my own child to go through that experience and I am confident that he won’t. 

So far, Scoots seems more curious than nervous. The only concern being if he will be leaving the appointment with braces. I have assured him that will not be happening. At least not yet……

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Here's the plan...

We have made it through two positive office visits. The first being a consultation and explanation of what Scoot’s orthodontic needs are and developing a plan for meeting those needs. The second being taking the first steps with the plan in place. So, here is the plan. Scoot has a small mouth (we know why, small headed Collin Farrell) and this has allowed for overcrowding. It has also prevented many of his baby teeth from following falling out in typical fashion, which in turn has delayed his adult teeth coming in. He didn’t lose his first tooth until the Summer before 3rd grade! The easiest way to create some space in his mouth is through an appliance called an expander and this is what Scoot will be fitted with in about a month. At our second visit impressions were taken (I schooled Scoot on how to deal with that–breathe through your nose!!) and brackets were fitted. Spacers were placed to help the brackets fit more easily when it is time to insert the expander. It all went smoothly and no worries to be had, until we got the No-No food list. And then Scoot did one of these......