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.

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.

One tooth down

One of Rowan's front teeth finally fell out! At Cracker Barrel no less.

His new front tooth is coming in completely sideways. Hello, dental work.

Surgery still scheduled for Jan 14th.