Orthodontics

Well, this has been one adventure I think we've finally found a way to be okay with. See, I've been so kind as to pass along my massive underbite to four or our five children. Additionally, Bob has an edge to edge - a mild form of underbite - which means that our children may not even respond to treatment the way I did - or the lack of serious treatment. Additionally, there is crowding that has been passed along - and Gabi has two teeth that are in sideways because of it.

Bob took the girls for a consult in town back in the summer. He came home with a bunch of information and I felt nothing but sick with what I was hearing. That particular orthodontist wanted to put implants in the girls' mouths to speed up the process. That's the short of it. Needless to say, we didn't feel comfortable about that and decided we would see what some Orthodontists in Reno had to say before making a decision. Well, before we got that set up, the Orthodontist in town left and someone brand new took over. Now new is not in itself a bad thing, but with what we were dealing with and with the track record of Orthodontists staying in this small area, we figured we needed to look elsewhere.

So we did....

We saw two different places in Reno. The first was most definitely designed to help make kids feel more at home - has great incentive programs to help the kids stay clean, care for appliances, do well at appointments, etc. Just over all friendly kind of set up. The second was your traditional office. Nothing really wrong with that either, seeing that you go to get work done and then you leave.

The first looked at the girls, showed me what they were talking about and what needed to be done. And though with Beth, her underbite is severe already, he indicated that there is still a high percentage of a chance that she can avoid surgery. The second place wanted to do braces on the bottom for Gabi in addition to braces on the top and said there was no way that Beth would have a chance at not going to surgery, so his take on treatment was not to do much until she had all her teeth and was grown. (That's the very basic comparison - there was much more that we looked at, including finances - but these are the things that were most different).

In the end, we choose the first place - we just couldn't pass up the chance that we could prevent the need for surgery - recognizing, of course, that it's not a guarantee. The girls were very excited because - as I mentioned before - it's very kid friendly and they are super excited for the wooden nickle program (60 of which translate into $10 at Barnes and Noble).

The one thing these two agreed on that stood out was that a child with an underbite should be seen no later than age 5. The general recommendation for a consult is age 7 - all kids - but there is an exception, and that's underbites. Had we known that with Beth and had gotten her in three years earlier, her chances of correction would be much greater!

Needless to say, the boys both went in too. Jeremy is at an edge to edge right now, but has a little crowding on top - so he's got a quadhelix for expansion right now - and might be able to avoid braces all together since it's before his permanent teeth come in. Peter is looking like Beth all over again - but three years earlier. He'll be getting a special appliance that is a quadhelix plus something else that requires turning. Additionally, he'll be getting reverse headgear. Beth is getting the same stuff - she'll just have to use it for longer, most likely. Gabi has four braces on the front top teeth and a quadhelix for expansion and straightening.

Getting impressions was hard - as our children have also inherited our easy gag reflex. Beth and Peter more so than the other two - and they needed the full impression more so then the first - which could have been done, though not as accurately, with a bite instead. Beth screamed, (her mouth is also really small) and really had to fight back being sick while they got the impression. But they got it the first time - YAY! Peter, well, I wasn't there to help him as I was working on paperwork - and he did get sick. Not only that, but the plate was out of his mouth before they had a chance to get it set. Afterward, he wouldn't let anyone in his mouth again - though we got him worked up to trying and he started to open only to panic at the last second again. We came home and Daddy went with him to get it done at our local dentist the next day. He was a pro - did it perfectly the very first time! I'm so proud of that little guy - I'm sure it wasn't easy.

Jeremy and Gabi got their appliances in on Monday - and have been sore ever since - Gabi more so than Jeremy - apparently those braces really hurt. Because Beth and Peter's appliances are more complex, they take a week to make - so they will be getting them on the 13th - which happens to be a day off from school, so they've got a date with Daddy for that one. (That was the request of the orthodontist and just happens to work out well - the hope being that with Daddy there things will go smoother for Peter)

The good news is that Gabi is the projected longest time right now - up to one year - so it's still relatively short. But also that instead of just one or two kids who can't have hard or sticky foods (including popcorn) that all four are doing it at the same time. I think that will make it easier than trying to adjust for two and then another and then another.

And even better - Jacob does not have an underbite. He may still have to deal with crowding, we'll watch that, but at least he won't have to deal with the underbite part of things!

So here we go on an adventure of Orthodontics - all at once!