A new smile for Kippy

On Friday afternoon, Kippy got her new upper and lower expanding retainers.
The upper retainer is removed when she eats, but otherwise worn day and night. Kippy got to pick the design on her retainer and she choose this one because it looks like a doggy paw print.
The lower retainer is cemented in place. There are special keys to turn twice a week to expand both her upper and lower palate and make more room for her permanent teeth. She has done really well (meaning she hasn't lost it yet). An unexpected bonus of having the retainers is Kippy discovered she can no longer chew her finger nails! Hopefully by the time her teeth are fixed, that nasty nail-biting habit will be gone too.
She had one problem with a wire on the lower retainer popping off last night, but Dr. Kelly Schroeder fixed it up for us.

In another year or so, she will have a brand new smile!