Notice a Difference?

The braces are GONE!! See ya. At least for a few years, until her other teeth grow in and mess everything up again. (Don't try to tell me differently...teeth are just stubborn.)

I don't regret going through it all, because the main goal was to expand her upper jaw and we accomplished that mission just fine. In fact, expander is gone as well.

Of course, it left behind gaping wounds. I was watching the Orthodontist take everything off today and I could tell June looked very uncomfortable, not to mention tears rolling down her cheeks. It was only for a few moments and then the appliance was off, but it wasn't until I took the pictures that I noticed the matching cuts on the roof of her mouth. (Okay, the word gaping before may have been a bit exaggerated, but they sure look sore.) I'm guessing that in trying to take off the appliance, it was pressed down a little too hard into the soft mouth tissue. Luckily, mouth injuries heal quickly. She will be fine, and for the moment, she is so stunned by the extra room in there that she is less likely to notice the cuts. Plus, they gave her a bag or caramels as she left... that is sure to ease the pain.

She is only nine and she has already gone through one set of braces. That seems strange to me. What I am most grateful for, and I even got a little misty-eyed thinking about it as I drove home today, is that I have an amazing husband who works hard so that we can take care of these beautiful girls we have. Orthodontia and other surgeries are expensive. Ivory's tonsils were not cheap to extract, but listening to her sleep peacefully is worth it. I know there are parents who want the same things for their kids and can't always afford it. That breaks my heart (And almost makes me wish for some socialist type of health care for everyone. Almost.) but I am so glad that we have the means to do what we can for our children. Thank you Tyler for taking care of our family.

And June, your teeth are cute.

p.s. When I told her this, she said, "They're not cute. They're naked."

(That is so much wittier than you realize, but I have been a slacker and haven't posted our family inside joke. I'll get on that right away.)