That's the way the money goes

We may never drive new cars, or go on expensive vacations.... but soon we'll all have straight teeth!
I will be reminding my children that they are wearing the down payment on their new cars so that it won't come as a shock when they are older!

Thanks to genetics... mostly mine, 75% of my children are doomed to difficult teeth and mouths. I have a very small jaw and there simply wasn't enough room growing up for all my teeth to fit into my mouth... So after six teeth were yanked out of my mouth the braces procedure began... I was then fifteen years old... It was actually too late to repair all of my issues without a surgical procedure... which still to this day I am too queasy to go through with... As exhibit A will so inadequately show you I had overcrowding in a very small mishapen mouth which I proceeded to pass down to 3 out of 4 children!...


My part giant of a husband with teeth strong enough to cut steel (should he need to at work...), graciously gave all our children his strong but large teeth! I'm sure he thought he was being kind... not knowing the mouth I had given... *or it was the default that the genetics gave them.. however that works* So... now we go about the task of repairing the things we wronged them with!

I must point out that in history... Teeth in slaves and horses were looked at before striking a bargain... perhaps there is more to be learned from history than we first thought... maybe in selecting a spouse I will have to instill in my children to check the dental records of the family....

The process is not pleasant... it begins with mold making, then extraction, then sometimes more mold making, then retainers to widen the upper jaw, then braces, sometimes head gear, then more mold making and finally retainers to keep it all from shifting back so that the process wasn't for naught!!! This final step is where I went extremely wrong... well one of my errors... I didn't opt for the upper jaw widening... since it was too late to do without surgery back in my day!... then we removed the braces a tad early... you know for prom and graduation.. and then I didn't wear my retainer... As exhibit A clearly shows my mouth cannot handle any shifting and so after 15 years... I had to be remolded and have a new retainer made that now in these days can be made for widening as well.. The Process to make the molds for those who aren't familiar is an unpleasant task, almost making
it not worth straightening the teeth... Caleb threw up on his assisstant twice and I hyperventilated. Sarah after witnessing us, decided to try some deep breaths and other relaxation techniques. (You should see us when we go for shots or to have blood drawn!)

So Caleb now nearing the post braces stages and Sarah in the first retainer stages and I'm, well I'm in my own league... adult repair stage...
Miles fortunately is our wide mouthed frog which will give us a few years reprieve before Duncan will be joining the metal mouthed family legacy! If Miles hadn't used up so much money on his skull at birth I might have been able to buy him a car... oh well...

Fortunately... as one who watches for good deals to save a few cents per pound on produce and loves to shop at the D.I. for a good discount... I found a great Orthodontist who charges about half what most charge. No fancy office but good prices and a great personality!... Dr. Bryan at Utah Orthodontics... 1-800 full smile! yes I get a discount for referrals... but he really is great!