Kats Daughter Has a Brand New Smile!

I was talking earlier about my daughter getting her braces off. I cannot tell you how dramatic of a difference it has made!

I remember when she was in 4th & 5th grade. She would come home in tears because some little boy named Jacob had made some reference to her having "buck-tooth beaver teeth." My heart ached... My beautiful girl, who by the way at 13 has never had a cavity, was devastated because of the harsh words of a little boy poking fun at something that was out of my daughter's personal control.

Midway through the 5th grade the dentist finally made the recommendation for braces. Something like this is always hard because it's a service that I have never used before. How to you pick an orthodontist? I mean the dentist gave us 4 or 5 names, but how do you pick? If you're lucky you know someone with real life experience with one of these recommended names. Lucky for me, a former coworker, Jason Mack, had said experience with one of his own daughters. That sealed the deal. We picked Cook Orthodontics, and we could not be happier!

Dr Cook's staff was amazing! Everything from scheduling appointments to the actual orthodontic application and care... they were great! His staff always made my daughter feel good about her orthodontic care. In fact, the first day that the braces were put on, I remember taking her for ice cream afterwards. She took my hand as we crossed the parking lot, looked up at me and said, "Mommy, I feel really pretty." My heart stopped. In my eyes she had always been beautiful, but growing up, I knew what it was like to feel self-conscious about things that were out of my control. I smiled, and told her simply, "I think you look beautiful!" Honestly though, I have never seen a cuter girl with a mouth full of metal! lol

The original plan was for my daughter to wear braces for 2 1/2 years. The treatment would include a bar across the roof of her mouth to widen her pallet. Fortunately, that didn't have to happen. She did however have to go in once every month or two for a new set of power chains, and tightenings. There were multiple little bags of tiny rubber-bands, and a constant motherly reminder of  "did you put your bands in?" After only 2 years, and 1 month... 5 months early, we found out that the braces were coming off!

Last week we went for the removal appointment. I have to tell you, I was really nervous! I can only imagine how my daughter felt. I was so excited to take the very last picture of her with her braces on, and even more excited to take the very first picture of her without her braces!! She was simply breathtaking, and honestly, I'm nervous now more than ever about the coming years!! Thank you so much to Dr. Cook, and his wonderful staff at Cook Orthodontics! You have given my girl an amazing sense of self confidence that she never had before!