December 11, 2008

Off!

Off!

Shaggy Hair Boy no longer wears braces.

I'd hate to add up how much time I've spent in the waiting room of the orthodontist's office over the last ten years. We've invested an awful lot of time and money in the pursuit of straight teeth for all four kids. But this spring, With-a-Why's braces should come off too.

And then I'm never setting foot in an orthodontist's office again.

14 comments:

BrightBoy said...

Wow, perfect teeth! I wore a retainer until I was twelve, but after I lost it in a river the orthodontist told me I was pretty much done anyway.

I actually probably needed braces. Wouldn't that be fun, to get them on in my early twenties?

Congratulations to Shaggy Hair! I've heard braces are terrible.

I'll be having my own dental ordeal soon, though; my wisdom teeth are coming out the day after my last final exam.

jo(e) said...

Blackened Boy: My niece is getting her wisdom teeth out tomorrow ....

My daughter has hers out a few years ago.

I hope yours come out quickly and easily!

Rana said...

It's good to have your wisdom teeth out before they cause trouble; mine were really impacted by the time I ended up having them removed. o.O

Piece of advice - have a good friend go with you, someone who's calm and will remember the silly things you say afterwards because of the anesthesia. ;)

I have my fingers crossed for your kids' teeth, jo(e). I spent pretty much all of my teenage years having some sort of orthodontic work done - extractions, a crozat, swallowing therapy, braces, glue-in retainer - and my newly perfect teeth lasted about two years after the retainer worked loose. None of it solved the underlying problem - bad swallowing habits and teeth too big for my mouth. These days, between the regression back into crookedness and my penchant for tea, my teeth are nothing for anyone to admire!

Ask Shaggy Hair how much he's enjoying running his tongue over those beautiful, newly smooth teeth - I remember really enjoying that part once my braces were gone. :)

elswhere said...

not even if you one day have grandchildren who need taking around on errands as a favor to their parents and so you can spend time with them?

jo(e) said...

Elsewhere: Laughing! That thought did cross my mind as I was writing that last sentence.

timna said...

we have a dental-filled January ahead. sigh. almond joy's wisdom teeth come out and she'll have an implant placed at the same time...

and ben t. will be getting those braces off if he'd just wear a rubber band. I suspect that having to wear a mouth guard for wrestling as long as he has braces will be what moves him to finally wear the stupid rubber bands.

yes, if the ortho had accessible wireless, I'd be happier. she does have warm chocolate chip cookies, though.

chichimama said...

They are just coming off now? Sigh. C just had his first appointment on Monday. No wonder the orthodontist was so nice to us. He'll be seeing us for the next decade! Somehow I had this fantasy that it was a two or three year deal...

I will think of you as I sit in the waiting room.

jo(e) said...

Chichimama: Oh, he's had them on for less than two years. It's been ten years for me because my older two also wore braces.

chichimama said...

Phew. Of course I am sure A will need work as well...although her's is supposedly much more straightforward (no pun intended).

Liz Miller said...

He's got a great smile!

Unknown said...

What, no retainer checks in your future?

kathy a. said...

he does have a great smile! tell him an internet fan thinks he needs some chapstick or something, though.

BBoy [and anyone else facing wisdom teeth], hope the wisdom tooth extraction goes gently!

also: ice packs. soft/fluid food -- milk shakes, icees, soups that aren't too hot, etc. don't use straws for a day or 2; spoons work. DO use the pain meds if you need them. watch a lot of silly TV/videos. very gentle rinses w/salt water. give yourself several days; it is supposed to be worst on the 3d day, and that was true for both my adult kids. xoxoxo

jo(e) said...

Songbird: Oh, that's right. I think they are only every three months though.

kathy a: Yeah, it's this climate. I use stuff on my lips, but the boys don't bother.

Rhonda said...

I had retainers, then braces, then major surgery. Fortunately my parents had great insurance; still, my mom wrote a check bigger than their mortgage to the orthodontist every month.

One month, the receptionist called and inquired about the check my mom had sent--apparently for the first time in years, we actually didn't owe the orthodontist any money, but my mom was so used to writing the check that she had sent it in anyway.

I very much hope my child does not inherit my teeth.