M needs orthodontic treatment

[JASMAK]

M, who is 9 in January had a consult with an orthodontist. Two of her teeth (her eye teeth) have been stuck way up in her gums for two years. Her dentist initially said they were not there, but as it turns out, they are. Her two front teeth have such a gap that the eye teeth cannot come down. So....I thought they were just going to talk on this first visit.....but no.......

We show up and M is not prepared as I told her they were only talking and maybe taking a picture. She has autism so she needs to be prepared.

She got a million photos with mirrors and pully things and then two large xrays. She was screaming and carrying on. I am ashamed to say, but I was embarassed...I mean, I am not, but everyone kept coming in the room to have a look. Eff off!

So, anywyas, these two teeth are not her biggest issues. She has a rare abnormality with her upper jaw being smaller than her lower jaw which can cause joint pain and disfigurement as she grows. In order for her to avoid surgery to correct, she has to have an appliance put in the top of her mouth and it widened with a tool. Then wear a reverse headgear (google it) 12 hours a day, so thankfully not to school. Then the two teeth issue. Hopefully two brackets on the front teeth will move, but he is not sure if the eye teeth will come down without help. my poor baby. When they startedtalking about it all....she started freaking and I had to shove her out the door and OH just sat there and I had to yell at him to go get her (duh). Ugh.

They were extremely nice there, and they are going to make her appointments for when the office is quiet. I had a chat with M about it all and she is okay. She heard the word surgery and freaked and I explained to her that they didnt want to do the surgery and if she wears the headgear to bed and while doing homework then she wont need the surgery. Hopefully that is the case, the orthodontist said there is still a 30% chance the headgear wont work but we will cross that bridge IF we need to.

 

[JASMAK]

Oh yeah, it starts right away...in September. And I am broke $3800.

 

[mummy2o]

Sorry your having so much trouble with orthodontist. I hope they will be sorted soon. I can understand your trouble O hates going to the dentist and when we went last we got told to send him to the hospital to get his teeth checked, this was the best he's been at the dentist. He sat in the chair, opened his mouth, although at my mum who was trying to encourage him but that's the biggest improvement in the 6 years of his life. We have a tooth issue also. None of his milk teeth are wobbly yet and he's 6 and a half. Getting him to have his teeth photographed I really don't think he'll sit still long enough or understand. He has classic autism so a few years younger than what he is. Its an uphill battle at times, but hopefully we'll pull through this with kids with good teeth.