You've come a long way baby!

Two years ago I took Alex to the dentist for the first time. It was during the hosting program. Donated Dental gave all the orphans  dental exams, pulling some teeth and fixing the worst cavities. Here is what  I blogged about the dentist visit:

Lex was so very nervous, he crawled on my lap and kept groaning and asked me by nodding at the door and saying "mama" and squeezing my hand. I assured him I would come with him and hold his hand. At last our turn came. I held not one but both hands as his eyes filled with tears. He didn't cry, but he was so scared. I was scared too. His mouth looked awful to me. They cleaned his teeth and the dentist examined him and gave us wonderful news. The bad teeth are all baby teeth and will fall out on their own within a year. He did mention that he was a grinder and had ground his baby teeth down to almost nothing but that he must have stopped grinding as his adult teeth were just fine. I'm attributing this grinding to the stress and anxiety he has probably experienced at such a young age.

A quick X-ray reveled that he had a tiny cavity in an adult tooth and recommend asking our dentist for a filling before sending him back. I told them I hoped to have him back here in 8 months to a year and can the cavity go that long he said absolutely. The dentist laughed when I said "We'll say welcome to the family, now let's go fill your cavity!"

About a month after getting home I took him to our family dentist. He insisted again that I sit with him and hold his hand through the exam. Luckily all those bad, brown and ground down baby teeth had fallen out. And the one little cavity we were told he had was no where to be found!

I took him in for an orthodontist evaluation about a month later-because his mouth was a jumbled mess of twisted teeth-and was told he needed braces and soon! I just didn't think he was ready for the trauma. I had visions of him ripping the instruments out of his mouth or pulling the wires and brackets off at home. I held off for about six months.

About a year ago, he got his braces on. He's been a trooper about it. He had a very sore mouth those first few days and I think he thought it would last forever, but it doesn't . (One thing about having a mom that has had THREE sets of braces - a total of 12 years - every appliance imaginable and maxilla facial oral surgery and my mouth wired shut for six weeks at age 15- I have compassion but I've "been there - done that"....you will live! ) He rarely complains about his braces - even after tightening appointments.

Yesterday I took him and Devree for their regular eight week appointment. It took longer than normal. Once the kids came out, I popped in the back to say hi and thanks to the orthodontist and he kept telling Alex how well he did. Hum? Apparently they had to cut back some of his upper gum to secure a bracket to the tiny little eye teeth he has growing in? They've been these tiny little vampire teeth for months and I guess they need some help coming down? Alex told me in the car about the blood all over and how much it hurt and Devree told me she saw him trying to pull the instruments out of his mouth and the doctor telling him that he didn't need his help. I asked him why he didn't come get me? I would have held his hand. Wasn't he scared? He just shrugged. You could tell he was pretty proud of himself.

I asked if he cried. No. (Although Devree confirmed that he had groaned a bit. The office isn't that big and I was sitting in the lobby the whole time and didn't hear anything, so it wasn't too bad.)

Ouch! He's been sore but a trooper. He loves food too much to pass up anything so despite having lots of yogurts, soups and puddings on hand, (remember my history? I know all about sore teeth!) he ate meatloaf, broccoli and potatoes for dinner.

I had him write about the experience in his journal today. Here's what he wrote:

Yesterday during school I went to the orthodontist . I was waiting in the chair then the Doctor came and started to cut my gomes (gums). It hert (hurt) so he put some madesane (medicine) on my gomes (gums) but it did not work. I had my blood all over my face. I was done and they put the color's (elastic bands) on my brasses (braces). It hert (hurt) bad.

But he didn't cry.

He didn't have to have his mama beside him holding his hand.

And he was prouder than punch when it was all over.

I think he's come a long way!