Too many teeth & not enough space : Time for Braces

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For most families, losing teeth is a fun rite of passage. We celebrate this milestone with celebrations and toothless pictures, followed by the magic of the tooth fairy.

My my oldest, Hudson, this was not the case. Huds just could not ever seem to lose his teeth, which meant his first major dentist experience was the extraction of his first two baby teeth.

It was not a celebratory or joyful occasion, sad to say. We made the rookie mistake of going to a local family dentist (not a pediatric dentist) and, to say it was traumatic would be an understatement.

Subsequently, for the past 6+ years, my kiddo has had MAJOR dentist anxiety. We found an amazing pediatric dentist in Austin that we LOVED and, as we went through additional extractions (the kid just can’t seem to lose his teeth!) we also learned that he had a long road of orthodontics in his future.

Not only does H2 not lose teeth easily, he also doesn’t have enough room for his teeth.

Side by Side Image of a boy, age 8, smiling big to show all of his teeth. Photo on the left shows a full mouth of teeth. Photo on the right shows teeth after four extractions.
Photo, circa 2017, after a round of four extractions. We’ve been attempting to make enough space for a loooong time.

After a round of braces in elementary school to get the party started, he took a break during middle school to give his body a chance to lose the rest of those pesky teeth. During this time, we also moved to Corpus Christi – which meant leaving the only dentist he’d ever felt comfortable with.

Image of a boy, standing on the street in New York City. Marquis at the Richard Rogers Theatre on Broadway in the background. Marquis is advertising HAMILTON the musical. The boy is grinning from ear to ear, wearing a New York Yankess baseball cap. The boy has braces on his teeth.
First round of braces, circa 2017. These helped align the front teeth – until the adult teeth came in and there wasn’t enough space anymore. Which brings us to 2021 and our orthodontic journey with Kennedy Dental.

Upon our arrival in CC, I, like all moms, jumped on the internet and social media to get recommendations for the best pediatric dentists in the Coastal Bend. Ideally, I was looking for a dentist that also had orthodontics in the same office. We knew we had a long road ahead and I’m alllllll about simplifying things. Fortunately, the most highly recommended dentist was Kennedy Dental. Not only did they have super great reviews, but they also did orthodontics in the same office (Saratoga Location). I made appointments for my kids and gave them whirl. That was in 2018. We’ve been going back ever since. Both boys have had great experiences, the staff is SO kind, the office is spotless, and we feel confident in all of their advice and recommendations.

Three years later, we have re-started Hudson’s orthodontic journey. It’s going to be a long road – poor dude just doesn’t have the space – starting with four additional extractions, and the addition of full braces + wires. All in one day.

Image of a teenage boy in a camouflage t-shirt, smiling without showing teeth. Also pictured, sitting next to him, his mom, also smiling with no teeth.#sendgoodvibes

I am grateful for our dental and orthodontist team – and SUPER thrilled that for tomorrow’s appointment, we can get it all done in one location! No traveling back and forth between a dentist and the orthodontist, and all scheduling can be done at the same time. That makes this busy mom VERY happy. It makes Hudson happy because he doesn’t have to miss school/athletics. WIN=WIN.

I am also grateful for all the mama’s who have gone down the braces path with their kiddos – including CBMC contributor, Melanie, who wrote this awesome article in our archives.

A Quick Guide to Helping your Kiddo Adjust to Having Braces

I have taken ALLLL the advice and we feel as prepared as possible. We are going to take you along with us on this braces journey – we are excited to see the transformation of Hudson’s smile. He has the BEST smile, but hides it because he doesn’t love his teeth. This mama can’t wait to see his “smile with teeth” again.

Image of the outside of the Kennedy Dental Offices on Saratoga Blvd in Corpus Christi{This post is a part of a series of sponsored posts in partnership with Kennedy Dental. All reviews, photos, and experiences include our own honest opinions and feedback.}

 

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