So it turns out that this face, as charming, adorable, cute, and quirky as it is, needs serious orthodontic help. I mean serious. The orthodontist got very solemn after examining him and said "just about everything that can be wrong with a mouth is going wrong here". GULP.
Step one: stop the thumb sucking. Immediately. If he doesn't stop soon, the damage he's doing will be untreatable via the usual orthodontic methods. By that I mean surgery. GULP. We had a long talk with L and told him the truth - that he would need an operation if he didn't stop with the thumb. I honestly haven't seen it in his mouth since. At night, we're wrapping his hand in an ace bandage, which he's been great about, and he's just not thumb sucking during his "usual" times (TV, computer, reading) during the day. So, yay for that.
Step two: We go back in February, and if he's stopped the sucking, we'll begin what will be a very long process of fixing his mouth. As best I understand it, he has misshapen his upper jaw so that it's not nice and round anymore - it's pulled forward. He has a serious overbite, with his teeth slanted forward, and his bottom teeth are moved over to one side, leaving no room for future permanent teeth to come in. GULP.
Oh, and M will need braces, too, but not to the extent that L does. She has an open bite, and once a few more teeth come in, we'll start with braces for her.
Neither hubby or I had to have braces as a kid, so we are entering totally new territory here, people. In fact, in my day, I NEVER heard of someone 8 yrs old having braces. They are doing them much earlier now.
Donations to the L Braces Fund are now being accepted.....
1 comment:
Wow, Laura, that's gotta be no fun - for him, or for your bank account. Yikes!
I hope it all goes as smoothly as it can for L.!
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