adventures at the dentist

Somebody wasn't happy with the our trip to the dentist today. Heather had to have a filling. She knew it, of course, but I was purposefully vague about the details ~ namely the s.h.o.t. It wasn't until she was sitting in the chair chatting me up while we waited our turn that she found out.

Sheer terror washed the color out of her face.

Good thing I said "heck yes" to the laughing gas when they asked if I wanted her to have it.

A few tears were shed when she got the shot, but other than that she was a brave girl. The dentist even complimented her on being really still for him. Imagine this is the one I used to have to physically hold down so the dentist could look in her mouth as she thrashed and screamed bloody murder.

Somebody else's dentist visit was less traumatic. Stephanie got three sealants. As the dentist was doing the scheduled ortho check, he reached in and unceremoniously yanked out her last baby tooth.

Last.

One.

That was a little traumatic for me! Maybe I needed some laughing gas too!

That last baby tooth had been loose and needed to come out in preparation for her next appliance ~ another occlusal guard. This rounds out her 4th appliance. We are thankful for these appliances because it seems as if we may have successfully dodged the braces bullet. The route she started in second grade has been a long one, but a less painful one for her...and a cheaper one for us than braces would have been.

Impressions are tomorrow. She's thrilled because she wants to get the period of wearing it 23 hours a day over before school starts.

Apparently she's forgotten the drama involved with impressions.

And gagging.

I know, I know, what kind of mama makes a pitiful-faced patient go to Hobby Lobby after all that? Luckily much was made better by some pampering attention and a piggy-back ride from her older sissy.