M's visit to the orthodontist

Well, I picked M up from school early (I can't always get the after-school appointments) and we went and had ice cream first rather than our usual afterwards. Then on to the appointment. He got his lower appliance out - he says it hurt a lot to take it out - luckily for him, one side was already loose. And he got new stiffer wires on his braces. The ortho says that when phase I is complete, he will have a fixed retainer (like what dad has) to keep his teeth from shifting. YEAH! No hunting through trash cans for a retainer (or buying new ones) - not that I had that sort of retainer, but I had many friends who had to do the trash can hunt at school.