Wacky teeth

Rowan has been in a holding phase with his braces for a while, and it has become evident that things aren't going to happen with some of his teeth, so it's time to move them out so others can move in.
He had his bone graft at age 8, because x-rays showed that he had lateral incisors. Exciting! But it turns out that they are either tiny or shaped just like a canine anyway. Maybe they're extra canines? Who knows. The point is that they're in the way, and it's time to get them out of the way so that Rowan can move forward with having a fantastic smile.
So, on Wednesday morning, (barring iced over roads) we'll be headed in to UNC to have them out. Also on the block is one of his molars that is way over into his palate.

Getting those teeth out of the way should make it easier to have the rest of his teeth end up where they're supposed to be. Wish him luck! He'll be NPO after midnight on Tuesday, just in case they need to put him under for it. He's planning on just nitrous, with the option of being knocked out.

True to form, when Rowan is scheduled for something at UNC in the winter months, we have snow in the forecast.

Let's hope that the Monday night/Tuesday morning snow and ice drama doesn't keep us from getting him there when he's supposed to be. Waiting for this stuff is the worst part.

Bye bye braces!

I am awful about updating here, but Rowan got his braces off last week. The difference is simply AMAZING.
Just look at this boy!

 

 

It's all the more dramatic when you consider what he started with.

 

 

Wowie. He is super happy with his teeth now.

Hardware!

We went to the orthodontist again yesterday, and didn't know until we were there that it was finally the day when Rowan would get braces! WOOO HOOO! He was very shocked and a little afraid when they told him, but once all was said and done, I'm glad it happened that way. He didn't have any time to fret and worry about what it would be like, because he found out and then it was done. I wish I'd thought to have my camera with me, but the pictures from the iPod have to do.

In the waiting room, no idea what's coming next.

The orthodontist looked at his teeth and x-ray, and said that it was time for hardware! He was super nervous and I asked him if he wanted me to stay with him. He said yes, so I did.

He had to brush his teeth before any work was done.

All ready to go!

With his super cool orthodontist

One happy boy!

He did great with it. He held still just like he was supposed to, and when it was done he said that it wasn't so bad. His mouth was sore this morning, so I packed him soft foods for snacks and gave him an ibuprofen. Everyone has said that we'll be surprised at how fast his teeth move around, so I plan on taking weekly pictures so we can watch the change happen. Hooray for braces!

Toothy update

We've been in a holding pattern since the bone graft last year. Rowan's mouth needed time to heal, and then we had to wait for the current crop of residents to graduate and the new group to start at the dental school before we could get in for the orthodontics.

This is the one thing where Rowan hasn't been exactly smooth sailing. His surgeries have all been great. His recoveries have been fantastic. He's healed remarkably. His teeth?

 

Well...

Rowan had to have his bone graft done without having the palate expansion done first, because he HAS lateral incisors. Doing the graft early gives him a better chance of actually being able to keep them. His palate expansion was put off because his 6 year molar wasn't in yet. It's STILL not in. He's 8, closing in on 9 now, but that molar is hung up on the molar next to it. It can't come down. So, the plan is to remove the offending molar, and then hold the space for the permanent molar with brackets until it can come in. The removal is set for May 20th. 

Why so far away? 

Rowan (understandably) has a little anxiety about anyone mucking around in his mouth. He's fine with regular cleanings and x-rays, but removing something? We elected to give him gas for this, with the option of putting him under completely. The ped's anesthesiologist is only in the clinic on Fridays, so we had to schedule it pretty far out.

But he's had his molds done, and the plan for braces is in place. So once the molar is out, we should move right along to hardware not too long after that. Then Rowan's teeth will face the same direction, and he'll be able to bite into foods again. Won't that be great?

He's considering what color of brackets to get. Our ortho resident recommended to NOT get green, because it looks like you have salad stuck in your teeth. We're trusting her on that one. No on green.

That's some set of chompers!

As a pre-orthodontic anything comparison - here is what Rowan's mouth looks like at age 7, before any orthodontic work has been done.

On the left is his complete cleft, and his incomplete cleft was on the right. (This is as you are looking at the picture. It's really the other way around in so far as his own personal right and left.)
The complete side has a tooth way up in the cleft. The incomplete side has the perfect tooth, turned sideways. He has lost the 4 teeth on the bottom, and none on the top.
Those are his own fingers holding his cheeks open by the way. He thought getting this picture was pretty funny.

Ready for phase 2...

I just got off the phone with the orthodontics dept of the team. We're set to come in on June 11, to get his panorex and preliminary evaluation.
Rowan is going to have to have a palate expander put in. He has a crossbite, which is completely normal in a kid who had a cleft palate. He's going to have to have that fixed, and get his bone graft, some time in the next few years.
She said that he'll have x-rays and his evaluation on June 11, and then depending on how things look is when they'll start the ball rolling. We'll have another visit a few weeks later where they take a complete history (even though they have all his old records, she said they have to do it again at this new phase) and take the molds of his mouth. They'll figure out a treatment plan, and we'll be presented with options as to what we're looking at.
She said if all goes as it usually does, we're looking at getting his braces in August.

All of this is very foreign to me. I never had any of this done. John had braces, and had to wear head gear at night for some of that, so he's going to be better about knowing what Rowan's going through than I am. This is all for the good stuff though. Rowan's got a good foundation so far with his teeth, and all we can do is wait and see what they say.

I'm taking deep breaths. I'm going to be excited for him instead of fearful. At least I had to get molds of my teeth made recently for that nightguard, so I can show him those and how cool it will be to have that kind of thing done with his teeth.

All I can think is, "Here we go!" This 4 years of no surgery, no therapy, no nothing is about to come to an end. I forget what it's like to have monthly appointments. But here we go.
Here we go.