Second Opinion

Earlier this week, we took Quinn to a second orthodontist. This one is closer to our house and much less "jazzy" than the first...although they do have some video games in the waiting area as well as a very nice fish tank. The doctor was also older and perhaps that contributed to his assessment. He confirmed the first diagnosis, tongue thrust causing an open bite and the front teeth to not close properly because the tongue occupies the empty space. But he concluded Quinn does not need braces. What he did recommend though is something I've never heard of...a tongue crib. This is much like it sounds, a metal grid like piece that sits behind his front teeth and acts like a crib, holding his tongue back in the mouth and allowing the teeth to close properly. What the crib also does is re-train his tongue to sit properly in his mouth. At his age, the tongue should re-train itself in the time that the crib is in place. If we wait until he is a teenager, the thrust will be harder to re-train. Since Quinn has this tongue thrust not caused by thumb sucking, he will likely need it to be in place for 6 months (thumb suckers only need it for 3 months on average). If 6 months passes and the teeth haven't closed on their own, he will need temporary braces but the doctor said that most likely his teeth will grow together on their own when given the opportunity. This is a completely different verdict and now we are left wondering which is right. I feel this is a much more reasonable approach than outfitting him with a set of braces immediately. The cost is much less ($400 versus $1200 out of our pocket) so that's obviously a plus. I plan to call his dentist tomorrow as apparently they can also install these tongue cribs. The tongue thrust has become more and more obvious to me now that I am aware of it and I really think we need to do something about it at this point. But it seems there is always second guessing and given some time, perhaps it would work itself out. Ah, the joys of being a parent -- a lifetime of worrying once they are born. More to come as we discuss the options and make a decision...opinions and similar experiences welcome!