The Braces are Gone!

A couple of years ago, began our journey with orthodontics.  I was told that my son (12 years old at the time) needed an oral surgeon to remove an impacted tooth (which means it was stuck under his gums…because another tooth was blocking it’s way up).  We got to the oral surgeon and he said he wasn’t going to remove the tooth because it would shift the teeth around too much and what he really needed was an orthodontist.  Talk about going around in circles!

So now, off we were to find an orthodontist that our insurance would cover AND that we could afford!  We ended up going back to the one I had used as a teenager because he was still the cheapest around!  Yes, I had braces, 20 years ago.  I can’t believe that much time has gone by!

We’d been told that my daughter, almost 11 at the time, would eventually need braces, too, so we decided that while we were there, we would get her checked out, too.  The doctor was shocked that at such a young age, she was already ready for braces, too.

Off we went, on a cold day in December, to take 2 children to get their braces on.  My son was to have his on a year and a half and my daughter, 2 years.  We’ve been regularly going back for the new wires and changing of the bands, and whatever else they do at a braces appointment.  Finally, one day, my daughter was told, “You get to have your braces off at your next appointment!”.

We were all so surprised that she got to get hers off before he did.  His braces were the ones that always broke.  He’d have an anchor come loose, a wire come out of the anchor or the brackets fall off.  It seemed that we were always heading out to get them fixed again.  My theory is that boys are harder on anything.  Of course, he also eats ALL. THE.  TIME!  So that little tidbit, I’m sure didn’t help.  Every time something would break, they’d accuse him of eating hard foods or chewing gum, to which he would always reply that he followed all of their rules.  They didn’t believe him.

So now, today, I took my 12 year old to get her braces off, while her brother, just had to go and get his tightened.  Here is the last picture that I’ll have of them with braces on at the same time.

 They’re good friends!

Here’s the final results:

She looks beautiful!  Definitely makes her look even older.  I’m not sure I’m ready for that!  She’s already started asking when she’ll be allowed to wear makeup!

Are you looking at getting braces for one of your kids in the near future?  My best tip for you is to shop around!  The orthodontist that we ended up going with was $2000 cheaper per child than the first one we checked with.  A major, major difference!