Ace spent part of his day yesterday in the orthodontist's chair getting an impression of his teeth. By this time next month, he will have braces. As he officially enters the eagerly anticipated teenage years next month can this be considered a rite of passage? Should we paint our faces, set up a bonfire, strip naked and dance under a full moon to a drum beat? Should we blindfold him and send him out into the wilderness for three days and nights to survive on his own, thereby becoming a man?
Or let him have an extra hour of TV and gorge himself on junk food?
He definitely needs the braces as two of his lower teeth are being forced behind his bottom front teeth and his back molars look like they might escape through his ears. His overbite is so bad when he closes his mouth his bottom teeth disappear behind the front. 4-6 teeth need to be pulled before the braces go on. This may dampen the enthusiasm he's had so far. He's been pretty laid back about the whole thing but the picture that SuperHubby snapped after the first impression shows him looking a little rattled. I'd add it here but it came through my cell phone and doing that transfer seems to be beyond my considerable technical skills.
He is most excited by the band color choices and ever since last week, when it was confirmed that braces were imminent, he's been planning to get orange and blue bands in support of his favorite baseball team, The Mets. Hey, whatever keeps him happy, especially as his food choices are about to under go changes due to the metal mouth restrictions. If we're laying out this kind of cash to fix his mouth, he will damn well follow the guidelines to get maximum benefits.
Why the hell doesn't dental insurance cover more for this stuff? It's amazing the cost versus insurance ratio. I think I pay more a year in premiums for dental insurance than they actually pay out.
I'm not so certain the reality that he will not be able to chew gum, eat Airheads or Gummi-anything has totally registered in his feverish pre-adolescent brain. This is the kid that negotiates dessert and snacks with more vigor and skill than a trial lawyer looking forward to the big settlement. His sweet tooth is legendary. I'm pretty strict with the sugar in our house which means that soda's an occasional treat, rather than a staple. There is usually some sort of junk food in the house but not too much. He definitely would prefer to nosh on dark chocolate Klondike bars every night but has been known to settle for a handful of chocolate chips if there is no other choices available rather than do without.
He thinks he's so clever when he sidles over and wraps his arms around me for a hug after clearing up the dinner dishes and whispers ever so softly in my ear, "Can I have dessert?"
Like I didn't see that coming? Please.
Given that he's about to embark on several years worth of extended dental care, he's been pretty positive about it. Actually, as I write this, it strikes me that he actually asked to get braces within the past two months. Which is a delightful change of pace from the response Miss Giggles had to the news that she needed braces early. She still refuses to actually call the orthodontist by name, speak to him without being spoken to, and when she refers to him at all her lip curls, her eyes narrow and she all but grows fangs and spews flame as she contemptuously calls him "That Man". SuperHubby had to gently encourage her to at least acknowledge the orthodontist and his staff with civility by reminding her that if she is not polite the next time she goes to the office, we might ask him to tighten her braces just a little too hard. Just kidding. However, we did have to tell her she had to be polite and respectful when she was there, rather than the sullen and disdainful behavior exhibited so far. She prefers the later approach.
Up until two weeks ago, she had been wearing a night brace to keep spaces open between teeth. She DETESTS this contraption. She would cover the lower half of her face with her shirt, a towel, a blanket or whatever was at hand, when she had to wear it around the house at night before bed. No matter what we said to her about it, she wanted to hide it, pretend it didn't exist and did not want anyone to know she had to wear it. Stubborn is a word often used to describe my daughter. When "That Man" told her she didn't have to wear it anymore, she asked SuperHubby and me if she could burn it in the backyard. She went and wrote a little short story about being able to burn it in a firepit. There's just a little bitterness there. On the other hand, she is meticulous about keeping her teeth clean and making certain that there is no reason on this earth that those braces will be in her mouth one second longer than absolutely necessary.
But Ace? He's a good sport. Knows he needs them and will inevitably bitch about them and sneak food he shouldn't. But I will have to bitch and nag to remind him to brush his teeth thoroughly, twice a day, so they don't turn orange and fall out of his head one night when he sleeps.
update: Spacers were inserted during yesterday's visit and he's been grumbling all morning that his teeth hurt. No whining allowed, I say.
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