Tinsel Teeth

If only for the reason to use our free kid's meal Valentines before it's too late, we decided to dine at Frisch's last week. Well, only one evening last week. And, ok, I just love those fish sandwiches on rye buns, not to mention the coconut cream pie. (Hello, Diet, old friend. Can't say I've missed you much.)

During our dinner we got to discussing how both boys will need braces as soon as they turn 12. Micah's little eyes turned as big as the plate holding his cheeseburger. "I don't want braces. I like my teeth the way they are." Then before we could respond to that, "Do they have to drill holes in the front of my teeth to put the braces in?" And Chase wondered, with a suspicious glint in his eye, "Just what are 'braces,' anyway?"

So I tried to explain how braces work and that drilling holes is not part of the process. Paul may not have helped quell Micah's anxieties when he suggested that he would keep a large magnet on hand and whenever he wanted the boys to come he would pull out his magnet.

I'm not sure how many times during our dinner Micah told us that he thinks his teeth are just fine the way they are and he likes his teeth. A lot.

I hope that during these next three years, orthodontists will have perfected the stress-free, pain-free teeth straightening method. Because, frankly, you have to catch Micah first and then hold him down for just a booster shot - and you know how quickly those are administered. I can't imagine how an orthodontist would hold him down to install braces.