Dd has just started wearing braces. She has an overbite, teeth that grow slightly forward, and could do with straightening. I’ve gone through life with slightly wonky teeth so I want to give her an advantage I didn’t have.
However, she has started out with ‘blocks’ that pull her lower jaw forward and I’m having misgivings. She looks so different.
Dentists get excited about her overbite, and it measures enough (just) to qualify for free intervention through the hse (Ireland) so it’s not insignificant. We’re paying to get this done privately to take advantage of her growth as the waiting lists are very, very long. However, while she has a gentle chin in profile, it’s not a very weak chin (like say, Gail in Coronation Street). This changes her face a lot and I’m not convinced that I’m doing her any favours to be honest.
I’ve never had braces, and I didn’t know what to expect. And while the dentist explained the various steps it’s only now that dd is wearing the blocks that I’m understanding what it actually means to pull the jaw forward. I’d just been focusing on the teeth being a bit straighter.
I don’t know how necessary this is, or not. I don’t know that I’m doing dd any favours. I know I need to talk to the dentist again and maybe get a second opinion. But in the meantime I’m wondering if anyone else has experience with braces and would share their thoughts.