Conference moira::parenting_v3

    We are going through an "appliance" now with our 8 year old who has a
    significant underbite.  The appliance fits over the roof of his mouth
    and keeps his teeth from closing (since every time he closes them the
    bottom teeth exert backward pressure on the top teeth).  The second 
    part of the appliance is a tight "spring" which exerts pressure from 
    behind the top center teeth to push them forward.
    
    He started out wearing the appliance at all times except eating and
    swimming.  A chin strap was added for sleep time about 2 months into
    the process.  That is supposed to help retard the growth of the
    lower jaw.  He is down to just nights now and the process has taken 
    about 6 months.
    
    There is a change in his bite if he thinks about it. he can now get
    his upper teeth in front of his lower teeth, but the back teeth don't
    meet.
    
    This procedure may have to be done more than once as the child grows.
    Our Orthodontist said that during puberty the lower jaw develops faster
    than the upper and we may need to re-do.  Also if uncorrectable there
    may be surgery to shorten the lower jaw when he is in his 20's.
    
    Good Luck!

    I don't have direct experience (yet -- kids too young) but my nephew,
    now 16, had the upper jaw spreader plus braces. He seemed to do well
    with all of the procedures, retainers, etc., and the results were very
    good.  He's still something of a mouth breather (lots of allergies
    cause constant stuffiness), but the upper jaw spreader seemed to help
    with a chronic ear infection problem when he was about 8.
    
    Good luck with it all -- isn't it great that DEC dental insurance
    limits payments to $1000?
    
    Liz

    Kat had the same procedure as Liz's nephew at about the same age.
    
    I can't see that it made any difference.  She didn't have any
    problems before that (an earlier ear infection problem had already
    cleared up), but I took the orthodontist's word for it that
    overbite (or was it underbite?) is inherently a problem, figuring
    he knew more than I did.  After several years of spreaders and
    braces, she was supposed to wear a retainer from the time she got
    the full braces off at 12 or so to the time she would be old
    enough for the jaw-reshaping surgery at 16-18.  
    
    We didn't.  Her teeth are fine.  Her jaw is fine.  She announced
    on Sunday that no way was she having surgery to realign a jaw that
    wasn't causing her any problem.
    
    So when Steven reaches that age, I'm going to be a lot more
    skeptical about orthodonture for things that aren't causing
    problems . . . I know there are good reasons for it, and I'm not
    against it, but I'm going to ask a lot more questions.
    
    --bonnie

    
    $1000 dental limit ...
    
    Huuummm, I think that's for "dental", but "orthodontal" is additional
    coverage.  I believe when I had my braces done (early 80's), JH paid
    "up to $1800", which was still underpriced for ortho work!, over and
    above regular dental work.
    
    I wore a similar appliance for TMJ and it was a hassel to eat and talk
    with it!  I finally gave it up and went with braces!  This did solve
    the TMJ and sinus problems I had experienced for YEARS!  Braces were a
    lot easier to adjust to than a mouth retainer (especially with a
    spacer!).
    
    I have a permanent retainer (just a wire) across the backside of my
    bottom teeth.  I don't know it's there unless I think about it!  Makes
    flossing a little more difficult.
    
    Appliance was a hassell ... no pain, just VERY inconvenient/bothersome.
    Braces were easier to deal with ... just a little pain when they were
    tightened (once a month) AND occasional sores from the brace(s) rubbing
    against my mouth (Orajel worked fine!).
    
    All my ortho work is behind me now and knowing the results, I'd do it
    again!  However, if my child needed ortho work, I'd look into the
    dentist's personality and staffing ... as the atmosphere and attitudes
    towards cleaning, caring and tolerating braces has a LOT to do with the
    success stories (and kids can be less disciplined about caring for
    their teeth, especially when adding the hassels of braces!).
    
    Just my 2 cents!
    Dottie
    

    JH has a onetime life maximum on orthodontic work, including braces.
    It's roughly $1000 - check the medical policy book, which outlines it
    pretty well.
    

There are several notes on orthdontics in HYDRA::MEDICAL.  You may want
to check them out.

   185  MEMORY::FRECHETTE    31-MAY-1988     5  Wanted: Orthodontist
   328  TRACTR::DOWNS        26-JAN-1989     7  Orthodontists and their charges
   422  RENOIR::PEPIN        12-MAY-1989     2  Orthodontist - Maynard area
   438  RENOIR::PEPIN         1-JUN-1989     2  Your experience with Orthodontists
   660    MSEE::CHENG        12-MAR-1990     7  orthodontist in Medford area ?

-Amy