Let the Braces Begin! Again!

On your mark, get set, BRACE!

Today started my daughters 2nd round of braces. She had to get spacers to start her journey to straight, beautiful teeth. In this world of perfection. No one has crooked teeth anymore, do they? Actually her situation is a little more serious than that, she complains "why did I have to get bad teeth?"

I remember when my son got braces he did not speak with me for weeks, nor smile very often because as he said, "if God had wanted me to have straight teeth, he would have given me straight teeth!" How do you answer to that? And of course 4 years later when he finally got them off, he did not wear his retainer and basically he thinks it was a waste of money that caused much mental trauma for him. I think his teeth look great and it was worth it.

As her parent, it is mine and her father's responsibility to take care of her and when the orthodontist tells us she has an "open bite" and this is a must, I feel as if I have no choice. She is not an easy case and what else are you to do but trust what the doctor says for her to do. This is more complicated than just normal braces. The only other alternative is major jaw surgery, so we chose the non-surgical route.

Her first round started at the age of 9 with top and bottom braces and also head gear. Yeah, I said "head gear", basically a hockey mask that you attach to your child's face using rubber bands. And I had to "jack her up" one time every night with the palate spreader in the roof of her mouth, too. Still give me chills thinking of doing that. Each night during that year of treatment I would kneel over her and pray that she would not wake up and freak out with this mask over her face. As a parent, we have to help our children understand the rules of "do what the doctor says!" Now this round of braces they are going to try a new procedure that involves putting small screws inside her mouth with rubber bands to fix her bite. I am nervous for her but I know she will do great and it will all work out for the best in the end, just dread the drama and trauma it will cause in her life. She made the statement to me last night that she had had such a great day yesterday until she found out she had to go to the orthodontist. Oh sweet child of mine, it blesses my heart that the only thing that caused you grief today is our journey to give you straight, beautiful, pretty and white teeth.

I know many of you out there have been through the braces journey, so any advice on how to deal with this parenting issue is much needed and appreciated.

Off to the "braces"!

Happy Living, Loving & Laughing,
Angie Lu