Thursday, March 7, 2013

Braces

Proving that braces CAN be cute...
Oh, the pain of braces ...

First the cost. It's very difficult to sign over a check that would buy a luxurious vacation over to a doctor for a few wires.

Second, the prep. Getting your kid ready to wear something that shows up in movies and TV shows on the "nerd" characters is even more difficult than writing that check.

Third, the actual procedure. You sit by one side as your kid's mouth is forced open and glue smeared on her teeth. Brackets go on the glue, and wires are threaded through the brackets.  She stays still, poor little mite, because she simply doesn't know what else to do.

Fourth, a ray of hope - The braces are on, and she perks up when she gets to pick out rubber band colors. Of course she chooses purple and pink - what else?

Fifth, the realization sets in that braces are going to hurt. Wax is applied, ibuprofen offered, and the nagging fear arises that those sleepless teething nights are back. 

But that all changes, eventually, as teeth are forced into position and a new smile emerges. From one who lived with buck teeth all her life, I can't sympathize with the feeling of braces, but I do understand the difficulty involved - on many levels.
Sporting a cute gap...

My daughter will have straight teeth, and the twisted teeth will settle into new formations. I suppose that's a good thing, although I've always secretly loved irregular smiles: gapped teeth, long incisors, overlapping canines and all.

Not to be melodramatic, but I wonder if those mothers fitting their young girls for foot binding felt the same way?

No comments: