My 13 year old granddaughter will be wearing one of these Herbst appliances very soon, but it's not intended to correct an overbite or underbite. She had been experiencing headaches for about the past two years, and for over a year her jaw has been making a loud clicking sound as she opens and closes her mouth causing her pain each time. She was finally taken to a dentist who then referred her to an orthodontist. They thought it may be TMJ, so the doctor ordered an MRI of her jaw area. It was not TMJ. The right side of her jaw isn't even connected, and the clicking noises are coming from left side of her jaw . The orthodontist said he has never seen a case so sever as this in a child before...only saw cases like this with adults who have been in a traumatic auto accident, or who have had a forceful blow to their face. Her mom doesn't recall any such things ever happening as she was growing up. But I do remember when she had a root canal and cap done at the age of 3 or 4 years old. I distinctly recall how she cried in pain for hours afterwards and I couldn't find a way to comfort her. I even drove her back to the dental office where it was performed that same day and they insisted nothing was wrong with her. The orthodontist who just recently requested the MRI be done, said she has a smaller mouth than most others. I have a gut feeling, and from after talking with others about this, that there's a possibility that when they did the root canal procedure it may have partially dislocated her jaw and that her jaw never went back into the normal position as she was growing all these years. The Orthodontist does not guarantee that wearing the Herbst will even solve her problems in the end, which is heart wrenching to even think of. It's even more heartbreaking to know the pain she is going to have to endure wearing this appliance. But worse, if it doesn't work, they said surgery is the next option. I've heard that with surgery nerves will be cut and loss of feeling in the chin area occurs causing the person to always drool. That would be so traumatic for any teenager to have to deal with. This is so difficult to even imagine what might happen in the long run. I just pray that wearing the Herbst will completely correct her condition. Please, if there is anyone else who has had this similar condition, please let me know how your results were with wearing this appliance.

The child can choose at 12 but you cannot force the parent to take him in. This happened to an adult friend of mine. Her parents split and when she turned 12 she wanted to live with her dad. THey had to go to court because it needs to be legalized. Well dad said no to the judge that he has no interest in his daughter living with him. So of course she was devastated. So sweeby, the child can choose but so can the parent. As for my sd , yes she wants to go to college, university. My husband believes that with all the poisoning BM has done saying where we live is dangerous and evil that she will still with mom for sure till18 and mostly likely wont move in after that. So he is in denial from my perspective. My SM said that most likely she will find a boyfriend and live with him. And with the value that bm has taught her....that sounds like more plausible outcome. And the home i will purchase will be outside of the city...so...will have to go to live with roommates or dormatory for university. That is anotehr option. There is nothing i can do until the moment comes except make it clear and remind my dh from time to time. I've also stated to him that when they come for an extented period of time, he loses his patience and the visit a few months ago ended badly with her and him fighting. Its not me who wotn get along with her...its my dh and i dont want to be stress because he is stressed. LH - you can't really iron it out. Because nothing has happened yet but the line was thrown from bm. I remember my Sd telling me it...and i said...what if you want to stay until you are ready to leave from moms? and i also told her that by the time i was 15 i had a fulltime job and a place of my own. The thing that disgusts me, is that this line just proves that all she wants is money....all that counts is money. Not her childs emotions, education , well being....all about the money and how much she can gouge out of my Dh. I'm just so disgusted with her and im happy i never deal with her. No communication what so ever hallaluya! Have i told you BM is a substance abuser? and has no job now? the substance she hides very well and so far the only thing we see and hear is she has mood swings...but apart from that, kids are fine. But they really do not say much about their household. Ours is very stable and its day and night between the two homes. Her new husband swears at the kids from time to time..yah we all lose our temper but even my sd friends do not like this guy. And if my husband ever told me to F off...oh nelly! Where is the shovel!?

Thanks :) I know there are no guarantees. While the hope of course is that Molly does well during and after surgery and lives until 17 or 18, anything can happen at any time. But, I don't want to see her get weaker and sicker from this terrible disease, so at the very least I can prevent that. Preventing that alone is worth the money and effort, no matter the outcome. She is too happy and kind of a creature to have any suffering in her life and I will do everything I can to prevent her from experiencing it. I'm very hopeful about some of the clinical trials going on now. Not for Molly, they won't be in time for her (hence why we're going overseas) but I think/pray a breakthrough is just a few years away. MVD is one of the leading causes of death and disability in dogs, and it affects millions of dogs. I truly hope that some of these non-invasive valve replacement solutions will mean far fewer dogs suffering from this horrible condition. {And potentially some of these solutions could one day be used to provide a less invasive option for people with mitral valve disease too).

Huh. They make a dematting tool. Furmintor brand. Looks sturdy and safe. I'd trust it. I don't mean for Elliott since he's not that matted. For anyone who is wary of dematting. I'd sure try it before subjecting my kittyfluff to the car ride, the noisy place that smells strange, and with people she's unhappy to be around. Even if they say she's sweet. But that's just me. ;) https://www.chewy.com/furminator-adjustable-dematter-dog/dp/191474?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=%7Bcampaignid%7D&utm_content=FURminator&utm_term=%7Bkeyword%7D