1.13.2009

Thumbsucking Countdown Part 1

Sheridan had her infamous dental appointment today. Not the one where they install the "Habit Breaking - Tongue Crib", (that's Thursday), but rather the one where they fit her back teeth with the brackets and take molds of her teeth.

Yeah... Let me tell ya... Today was a FUN day.

I brought reinforcements with me (aka daddy), and off we went to our 2:30 pm appointment at the dental clinic. It was surprisingly a quick visit, with little time to let Sheridan get too hysterical. Once we got into our exam room, she immediately sat down on daddy's lap and was laid back and ready to try on the brackets. She whimpered for a few seconds before realizing that it really didn't hurt, she just wasn't thrilled with the strange guy's hands in her mouth. Once in place, she got to see them in the mirror and remarked how they look just like her cousin Allison's braces.

We then moved on to the impressions. Matt tried to explain how much fun it would be for her to see the molds of her teeth, and how the goop they'd use would taste just like bubble gum. Just 30 seconds of it in her mouth and that would be it. Um... not really. She was fine when they put the tested the mold for size, however when she saw the overflowing bright green casting coming towards her mouth, she flipped out. Matt had to hold her arms while the dentist put it in, and keep her still until she calmed down enough to realize that under no circumstances were we going to allow her to take it out (which she sure did try to do). It honestly lasted no more than 45 seconds... maybe a minute.

In less than ten minutes in the office, they put on and took off the brackets, did the impressions, marked the brackets on her molds, explained the next steps, and sent us on our merry way. We now have a 48 hour reprieve before we head back for the final installment of the device on Thursday.

Being the good mom that I am, I snapped a few photos throughout our appointment. Stay tuned...





Before the chaos begins... fitting the teeth with the brackets



Thoroughly not enjoying the mold process

24 comments:

Kim said...

Reason 2,560,765 why I hate the dentist.

I can still recall the nightmare visits to the dentist/ortho when I had my braces on, that stuff scars ya.. haha

Sorry it was such a difficult appointment.. but can you tell her I loved her outfit?? :)

Alison said...

Thank goodness Daddy was there to hold her (and not just so you could take pictures!)

Good luck with step #2.

Michelle said...

I always hated the mold process when I was a kid. I would get so hysterical, I would gag and sometiems throw up! Luckily she isn't as dramatic as I am--er, was.

The Mom Jen said...

Oh no, the torture, isn't just okay they suck their thumb forever?! :( K is a thumbsucker, now i'm nervous!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

My youngest was a thumb sucker. Well...not exactly. She liked her thumb in her mouth. But she wasn't so much of a sucker. She will be getting braces one day I think...but I am glad we did not have to get the apparatus...

Mom24 said...

Rebekah and I were just talking the other day about how much she hated when they did impressions. Yuck! It's good that's over with. Unfortunately, you could have a rough few days after she gets it--I know sometimes they feel like they can't eat, but she'll get used to it soon. I hope it works. That's the important thing.

What have you told her about it? Does she know it's so that she'll stop sucking her thumb? I would think that could be hard too.

mary s. said...

Awww! I don't blame her...I wouldn't like it at all, either.

3 Peas in a Pod said...

Ahh poor Sheridan and poor Mommy and Daddy. So glad you had reinforcements. I feel Sheridan's pain as I didn't like the impressions either. I had braces for the 2nd time 10 yrs ago and I hated it as much then as I did when I was 10 yrs old.

Good luck with the next appt. I've had no luck with trying to get my daughter to stop sucking her thumb. Your story is inspiring me more by the day! :)Thanks for sharing.

Much love from NJ,
Sue

Robin said...

Poor kid. I don't blame her - I've got a dentist appt myself Thursday and I'm not looking forward to it much either.

Jen said...

Oh, she is not happy!

Amy Amy Bo Bamey said...

Poor Girl! She looks so upset and I don't blame her. I can't stand the dentist. I hope it helps her in the long run.

PiNG aka Patti said...

The mold process isn't any better if you're an adult when they do it! I had it done last year and I too gagged before it was over, luckily they were able to get the impression though - it's the most horrible thing!

Shannon said...

Going to the dentist is not on my list of favorite things to do, either.

Unfortunately I have passed this trait down to my oldest daughter. The youngest could care less... but her sister? Oh, boy. The drama I've had with this child. She did have to go into the hospital (on her 5th birthday no less!) to have caps put on her teeth. Because she refused to let them do it in the office. Even with meds to make her mellow, she kept her mouth clamped shut and wasn't opening it for anything!

Here's hoping Thursday goes well!

Unknown said...

She seemed to do alright minus holding her down. I hope the next appointment goes better!

Simple Answer said...

oooo. that molding thing sucks. if she needs braces, they get to do that again!

Unknown said...

Can I just tell you, I LOVE that you took pictures of your daughter freaking out at the orthodontist's office? I know it's wrong--I'm sorry. I wish I would've thought to do that with my youngest--great blackmail material later. She still cries EVERY SINGLE TIME I take her to get the wires changed! I absolutely loathe orthodontist days.
~Christy

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Diane Mandy said...

Poor little thing! What a trooper! (trooper=YOU)

Kelly said...

Jill...you're breaking my heart with that last picture!!! Does Sheridan realize what all this dentistry is in preparation for? Poor little peanut...I feel for her; I was a professional thumbsucker for years!

anymommy said...

I remember that horrible mold stuff from my days with braces. Poor little girl. I think a little ice cream is in order!

Unknown said...

I love that you are taking pictures the whole way through...
Glad daddy could be there for y'all

Tenakim said...

How cruel did the dr. think you were for taking pics??? I am sooo showing this to Beebs right now!!! See what will happen! How old is she?

Mrs4444 said...

Awww,I don't blame her; I HATE that procedure! P.S. Your husband is a hotty!! And what a great guy to help like that. :)

Unknown said...

OH, those last 2 pictures made ME cry!

I remember your first post about this and how this was going to happen in January. And that put ME on the warpath to get Wynnie --age 5-- off the thumb. We tried the 'honor system' of getting her to choose to not suck her thumb. No surprise that had no results. I took her to the dentist who wanted me to have her seen by an ear,nose,throat specialist (which I thought was a bit over the top, so I didn't). Right before the holidays I ordered a thumb guard from a catalog and she's been wearing that at night for 4 weeks. You know what I hadn't planned? Since thumb sucking was Wynnie's way of soothing herself to sleep... it took 2 or 3 weeks for her to get into a new habit of going to sleep before 11 pm (just out of pure exhaustion). UGH! THAT was the hard part. I think Wynnie is pretty close to being done. I hope so anyway!

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