The months have passed by quickly, and it is hard to believe at least one of my teenage daughters has reached the homestretch of her adventure in brackets. During our last visit to the orthodontist, we heard the glorious words that she is almost ready to complete this part of her journey. The braces will soon be removed. The thought of entering her freshman year of high school, free from the silver smile is definitely music to her ears!
The past couple of months have been quiet and extremely routine in our orthodontic experience. I attribute most of that to the fact that the experience hasn’t been new for the girls, and they both have become very comfortable with the employees at the practice we visit, and they have a sense of what to expect now. Any initial anxiety either one of them may have had is now gone.
While the adjustments at each visit may cause a day or two of discomfort for the girls, they seem to take it in stride. Also, knowing to take ibuprofen when they have a bigger adjustment has been helpful. We also know that if we have a wire that is poking, we just need to call and make a quick appointment to get in and have that fixed. If we have to wait until the practice is open again, it has been helpful to have dental wax on hand.
However, as we humans grow comfortable with any routine in life, we may tend to think some things aren’t nearly as important as we did when we first began our adventure. Maintaining a healthy smile is a routine that I have continued to push with my girls, and knowing it is just as important today as it was the day each girl had her brackets bonded on and wires threaded through.
The foundation for the beautiful, brace-free smile we will soon reveal continues to be good oral hygiene. Brushing, keeping the brackets free of excess food particles, and making sure to rinse after eating or drinking a sugary beverage if they cannot brush are all important. I know I am not Music City’s first mom to nag her children to brush their teeth, but some days, it sure does feel like it!
I am excited to return soon with an update on our debanding/debonding consultation.
Our orthodontic experience is at Starling Orthodontics in Brentwood, where we are receiving discounted orthodontic treatment in exchange for an honest review of my experience. All information and content are an honest review of my experience.
