The Beginning and the End

Today Emily got her braces off and Bryce got his appliance put in.  Emily was so excited!!  They made a nice big fuss over her at the office, which she thoroughly enjoyed.  They took her picture and made her a big goodie bag full of all the sticky and gummy candy she wasn't supposed to have been eating for the last year and a half.  Here are her before and after photos.  I can't believe how much she has grown up.

Bryce was not quite as excited to be starting his orthodontic treatment.  His top front teeth came in behind his bottom front teeth and every time he bites down the bottom teeth are scraping enamel off of the top teeth. He got an appliance that will push his top teeth into position which he will have in his mouth for about a year.  Then he will get a retainer to hold the teeth in place while the rest of his permanent teeth grown in and then he will get braces.   Poor Bryce will probably be visiting the orthodontist for at least the next 5 years.  Here is what his mouth looks like now.  (He is plugging his nose so that you can see the roof of his mouth without seeing up his nose.)