Aaron's Journey With Braces

Week 19: As a parent, I learned something at Aaron's most recent orthodontic check up: Be careful how much you prepare your kids for the discomfort braces may cause - they might not understand the difference between general soreness and unnecessary pain. Poor kid! He had wires badly in need of a quick, simple trim - but was not aware that kind of pain was not normal and that it could be easily alleviated if he would have just let someone know. The assistant told Aaron to please call for an appointment if he encounters that problem again.  If Aaron had looked on...

                              What a fun summer so far! Aaron's braces survived a refreshing dunk in the Atlantic Ocean among other fun activities while at the beach. But we still have to stop by the orthodontist occasionally to keep those teeth moving and aligning.    After checking in at the front desk, Aaron had a successful check up and appears to be keeping up with his brushing and flossing well - even on vacation!

So far so good. The first check up went well, and the gap is closing! The patient is flossing, brushing, and rinsing as directed. We did have an out-of-town excursion where "someone" forgot to pack his toothbrush... but a quick trip to Target got us back on track with good braces hygiene.  Just a few decisions to make at the check up... Aaron chose a classic blue band for the summer.  Now, for some vacation fun, before the back to school season begins. Regular brushing and flossing helps keep those teeth sparkling!

There goes the bus on Aaron's last day of school! Next week he'll be on his summer schedule -- or lack of schedule -- staying up late, sleeping in late, hanging out with friends playing soccer and video games all day. If we're lucky, he'll squeeze in a few chores.  The big challenge will be maintaining good flossing and brushing habits without the regularity of a school day schedule. Plus, there will be many temptations to indulge in bad snack choices while traveling on summer vacations. These next few months will be a real test for Aaron.  It helps to have...

Week 2: Old snacking habits are hard to break! Especially when this much temptation is around. Aaron may have indulged in a no-no food here, but he'll have to make up for it with some extra attention to flossing and brushing. Compliance is hard, the teenage appetite often wins the battle. Perhaps he will be motivated by learning the braces can come off sooner when he resists the foods that can cause treatment delays.