Today was Natalie's first orthodontic appointment. I'm very pleased with the care she will receive. We were referred by Natalie's dentist and one of the girls in my class used to work for him. The staff was all very friendly, he was great, and they all were very willing to answer any questions and didn't hurry us one bit. They explained things on Natalie's level and made her feel part of everything. Our insurance will pay HALF!!! This is great, but there is still a large sum that we will have to come up with. This won't need to be paid until she starts treatment, but before that, we have to get some of her baby teeth out (later in the post).
As were were waiting (because we were early), Natalie asked me:
Nat: How old do you have to be to be an adult?
Me: Um, I guess it depends. 18 or 21? But it also depends on how you behave and are as a person.
Nat: I'm going to pretend I'm one with my behavior.
A few seconds went by as she said in the chair next to me all prim and proper. A funny look came over her face and she said...
Nat: Man! I'm broke!
UGH I don't know where she comes up with this. I asked her why she didn't get a job then, and she said because she's only 7 and hasn't gone to college yet. Guess she'll be ok with being a child a while longer! (LOVE that she thinks about going to college! haha)
We talked with a woman about what they were going to do that day, they took her back to get x-rays and pictures taken. The orthodontist looked in her mouth as well.
Before we went back in to see the orthodontist, we had about a five minute wait. During that time, Natalie relayed EVERYTHING her and the orthodontist talked about. She is a nut! I guess I'm not fun and don't do anything special with her either! ;-)
So, here is the plan
She has until January to pull her two lateral incisors out (the ones next to the front teeth). If she doesn't get them out, her dentist will pull them along with her canines that need to come out as well. These all need to come out as her permanent lateral incisors are stuck on the canines and cant come in. Her palate is too narrow and her mouth too small for all her teeth. After these teeth are out, and the permanent laterals come in, she will get four brackets put on her front teeth as well as a device that will help widen her palate to make room for her other teeth. (This wont happen until March-July sometime, depending on her teeth.) She will have these on for six to nine months, then have a retainer to wear at night for one to three years...until she will most likely get braces again to correct the rest of her teeth. ALL THIS for what I thought was just a cross-bite! The tooth that is in the cross-bite is pushing the tooth below it forward which could eventually push it all the way out (and wear the tooth completely wrong and damage it). I guess its better to start this now than have things even more messed up when she's older.
When the lady talked about getting "help" with pulling her teeth, Nat BAWLED. She is NOT keen on that idea. I've been listening to her, assuring her, and trying my best to make it sound like it will hurt some, but she will be brave and strong and that it will be better than having a surgery to FIND her lateral incisors and canines up in the bone later! I'm not sure if giving her a while to think about it is a good idea, or if I should have said we'd get them pulled right away. Oh well, too late now!
As we left, the lady that had been talking to us said, "Natalie, you are going to have a long road ahead of you with orthodontics, but it will all be ok!" When we got home, she told both Roby and Ethan that she has a "long road" ahead of her with braces! I love how they pick things up!
That, and she's going to be ADORABLE with braces! :-)
As were were waiting (because we were early), Natalie asked me:
Nat: How old do you have to be to be an adult?
Me: Um, I guess it depends. 18 or 21? But it also depends on how you behave and are as a person.
Nat: I'm going to pretend I'm one with my behavior.
A few seconds went by as she said in the chair next to me all prim and proper. A funny look came over her face and she said...
Nat: Man! I'm broke!
UGH I don't know where she comes up with this. I asked her why she didn't get a job then, and she said because she's only 7 and hasn't gone to college yet. Guess she'll be ok with being a child a while longer! (LOVE that she thinks about going to college! haha)
We talked with a woman about what they were going to do that day, they took her back to get x-rays and pictures taken. The orthodontist looked in her mouth as well.
Before we went back in to see the orthodontist, we had about a five minute wait. During that time, Natalie relayed EVERYTHING her and the orthodontist talked about. She is a nut! I guess I'm not fun and don't do anything special with her either! ;-)
So, here is the plan
She has until January to pull her two lateral incisors out (the ones next to the front teeth). If she doesn't get them out, her dentist will pull them along with her canines that need to come out as well. These all need to come out as her permanent lateral incisors are stuck on the canines and cant come in. Her palate is too narrow and her mouth too small for all her teeth. After these teeth are out, and the permanent laterals come in, she will get four brackets put on her front teeth as well as a device that will help widen her palate to make room for her other teeth. (This wont happen until March-July sometime, depending on her teeth.) She will have these on for six to nine months, then have a retainer to wear at night for one to three years...until she will most likely get braces again to correct the rest of her teeth. ALL THIS for what I thought was just a cross-bite! The tooth that is in the cross-bite is pushing the tooth below it forward which could eventually push it all the way out (and wear the tooth completely wrong and damage it). I guess its better to start this now than have things even more messed up when she's older.
When the lady talked about getting "help" with pulling her teeth, Nat BAWLED. She is NOT keen on that idea. I've been listening to her, assuring her, and trying my best to make it sound like it will hurt some, but she will be brave and strong and that it will be better than having a surgery to FIND her lateral incisors and canines up in the bone later! I'm not sure if giving her a while to think about it is a good idea, or if I should have said we'd get them pulled right away. Oh well, too late now!
As we left, the lady that had been talking to us said, "Natalie, you are going to have a long road ahead of you with orthodontics, but it will all be ok!" When we got home, she told both Roby and Ethan that she has a "long road" ahead of her with braces! I love how they pick things up!
That, and she's going to be ADORABLE with braces! :-)
2 comments:
hah, well told.
it's nice being able to read these at 5 when randomly awake.
"long road" ahead of her, lol
Nat is so cute and I do wish her luck with her "long road". I am not looking forward to taking Q-tip to the dentist but I should probably get on that...at the beginning of the year ;)
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