Looking at the photos of Xander on the ropes course reminded me of his underbite issues. When he went to the dentist (at age 5) he was also sent on to the orthodontist for a check-in.
I'm glad the orthodontist is an honest man, at least. He let us know that when an underbite is as pronounced as this at such a young age as this, it's really not worth trying to fix it with braces. After years of braces and bands (and bills) the bite MIGHT get fixed, but within 6-12 months it would probably develop right back into an underbite again as his jaw grows.
The solution? Wait until the jaw is done growing (age 19-21). At that point, jaw surgery (eek!) is the best option, to remove a slice of bone so the lower jaw is the right shape.
In the meanwhile, I feel somewhat relieved that at least for now, I don't have to do anything or worry about braces (or college or dating or driving). When I look at photos of my son, I wonder if some day he's going to look drastically different (we have a friend who had a similar situation and looked like a new man after the surgery.) For now, I think he has a lovely, honest, expressive smile. I'll take lots of photos of his cute face, and if it ever changes, I'll collect a whole new batch.
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