No more Hot Tamales for you!

Jordan got braces put on yesterday.  We knew it was coming for a couple of years now.  Jordan has been using a nite guide for the last 20 months.  He did a pretty good job of wearing it (when we reminded him), but it didn't do what it was supposed to do which was correct his overbite.

We got the news in September from the dentist that it was time to see the orthodontist.  Damn.  I finally got around to making his appointment early last month.  As luck would have it (which I will address the financial aspects in my other blog) his appointment time got moved up from January to mid-November.

We went to see the orthodontist that our dentist referred us to for a consultation.  Yep.  Braces.  Immediately.  I actually did a happy dance.  (as to why - see my other blog).  He would get them first thing in December.  During Thanksgiving Break, while Jordan was doing his visitation with his mom in OKC, his nite guide slipped out of his mouth while he was sleeping, and his mom's dogs used it as a chew toy.  A $3200 chew toy.  With a $150 replacement fee.  No offer to replace it was forthcoming of course, but I guess in the big picture it doesn't matter any more.  I'm just upset about the principal.  If you own destructive dogs, there is a responsibility element there...

So the orthodontist has a nice office.  A very nice office.  I'm sure he has a nice house too.  And a nice second home in the mountains.  And a nice boat.  And a super-nice travel agent.  Have I mentioned that I have yet to meet him?  I just dropped $4100 in his office - the least he could do would be to come out and shake my hand and thank us for making a couple of mortgage payments for him, or for financing that nice vacation on the French Riviera.  Oh well.  He's giving Jordan a nice smile, right?

Jordan will have braces on for 18 months, and then wear a retainer.  For life.  That is what they do now.  They recommend wearing a retainer 3 -4 nights a week for the rest of your life.  Otherwise, your teeth will continue to move around.  I can attest to that.  I had braces too, when I was Jordan's age, and my teeth have moved.  Not to the point where they need correction, but I can tell my bite has changed.

Here is the before...

This was Monday, when Jordan went in to get some spacers put in...

And the after...

This was Tuesday (yesterday), after he got the braces put on.  Once his incisors drop down a little more, they will put brackets on those as well.