Today was the start of Sophia's Orthodontic treatment for Class 3 Skeletal Pattern (an under bite).
The treatment will take approximately one year to complete. Today they install rubber band spacers on her back bottom molars. Next Tuesday they take the impressions for her Palatte Extender and then in two weeks they install the palette extender and show us how to use the projection face mask. Both of these appliances will correct 2 problems. One the overgrowth of the lower jaw and secondly the issue of overcrowding on the narrow jaw bone. After analysis of Sophia's actual pattern of growth (we needed to have 5mm or less of an under bite) he determined that Sophia's misalignment is 3.7mm. Making her a perfect candidate for the treatment.
The face mask will be worn for 12 hours each night for one year. The purpose is to apply backwards pressure to the lower jaw bone and forehead while pulling the upper jaw bone out. The Palette Extender will create some much needed space in an already small and over crowded mouth. Right now we have 2 top teeth and one bottom tooth that have no room to even come in. These teeth are not "stuck' yet and we're trying to create some space for them to come in. In 9 months Dr, Burke will evaluate if the space created is enough. If not then partial braces will most likely be applied to both the lower and upper teeth and/or we may pull 2 baby teeth on the top.
This condition affects 2-3% of the entire population. The Orthodontist is curious as to which side of the family has had jaw problems. I answered, that since I carry the "freaky" gene it must come from me. Because anything with chances that small of occurring is definitely something that would happen to me and my spawn. *sigh*
I mentioned that no matter what Sophia is still my cutie patootie and I must have kissed her beautiful chin a little too much when she was a baby. He did give us one interesting fact based on beauty and this condition.
A man in the 80's went through pictures of all the past Miss USA Beauty pageant winners and classified their skeletal patterns.
Class 1 is normal
Class 2 is an overbite
Class 3 is an under bite
Even though this condition affects less than 5% of the world population...40% of the winners of Miss USA were classified as having Class 3 Skeletal Patterns. Apparently, we associate beauty with a strong jaw line which is one characteristic of this abnormal growth pattern.
3 comments:
Tell Sophia that she looks very brave and that her smile is beautiful now and it will be just as beautiful when she is done with her treatment. Best wishes to her!
awww, I remember going through the orthodontic stuff and it wasn't fun. Kudos to Sophia for being so brave and hanging in there with it all!
I think I may have smooched too hard too - and those HUGSSSSSSSSSSS omg - sophie is a love muffin and I am so proud of her for being so brave! gorgeous lil love muffin, sophie!
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