Last month, our daughter Kyla’s smile wattage increased with the addition of shiny silver brackets on her top teeth. Believe it or not she was actually looking forward to getting them. She needed some “prep work” in the form of a palatial expander which was inserted in January. While she realized it was part of the treatment process it didn’t look or feel like real braces. The next phase was delayed because of, what else, the virus. Finally, June 8th was THE DAY. Despite an unusual new routine for arrival and appointment she was a trooper. (We expected nothing less in all honesty.)
Admittedly it took some getting used to… Traditional brackets on the top, a retainer that remained IN while eating on the bottom, and the palatial expander still cemented in place. Eating was a new adventure for a few days and I wouldn’t have asked her to say “She sells sea shells by the sea shore” and expect any enthusiasm. But the look on her face that afternoon speaks volumes…
While my childhood braces corrected a slight overbite, Kyla’s are working to fix a crossbite. It’s a little more complicated than what I experienced and she’s likely to have a second round of them in high school. She fully understands and is more than willing to have a lifetime of straight teeth with no complications of jaw problems and difficulty biting & chewing.
Now, it’s no secret that 2/3 of the Fischer Family want a dog with fierce desperation. It’s also no secret that the 1/3 remaining pays the majority of the bills, including orthodontia-related ones. Generally high costs related to dog ownership are one of the top three reasons Kyla & I haven’t won our arguments. Yet. But you just know that in the back of his mind he’s thinking that with his luck even our dog will need its bite corrected. And not in that canine vs. mailman way.
While I certainly hate to admit he could have a point about an additional expense for Fido, he’s kind of right. Dogs CAN need braces! But then again, who could possibly resist the cuteness of a doggo with dental work?
Ms. Elaine Kneeous 