Next Up...Head Gear

This week Miah got her much anticipated Head Gear.  Three weeks of prepping for the retainer meant six trips to the orthodontist as the separator elastics kept falling out (and one possibly got digested...it is currently MIA).  She did well getting the appliance cemented in and was then fitted for her head gear.  She is to wear this 10-14 hours per day when she is at home.  The goal is that her upper jaw will move forward over time.  It is estimated at this time to take 6-12 months. She hates it but is being compliant.

Next Steps...

Today Miah had the separator elastics put on her teeth to prepare for the installation of her retainer.  She has been complaining most of the day since they have been put on and we have had to give her Tylenol for the discomfort.  Next week they will take out the elastics, and put the metal rings around her two back teeth, and then the week after that she will have her retainer inserted. 

The good news is that she does not require any palate expansion as we previously thought.  They do need to move her upper jaw forward though, so this retainer will have hooks in which we can attach head gear at night to help with that process.  She gets very teary eyed and anxious if anyone talks about the headgear and keeps saying that she wishes she never had to have a retainer.  Poor girl...and this is just the start....

***Update: Day two-Elastics fall out...back to the orthodontist to put them back in. We were told they replaced them with thicker ones...not the usual ones that show up on Xrays, but an alternative...my question...why do they need to show up on Xrays?  If they get digested?

Disneyland 2014

We headed down to California the last week of February for 8 nights in Anaheim.  We spend 6 days at Disneyland, a day at Sea World in San Diego and a day visiting the California Science Centre with Tian (Miah's friend from China.)

 

 

 

 

 

We had lots of fun...now back to school, back to dance class, back to mom driving everyone everywhere....