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Son needs braces

Started by ncpneedshelp, Mar 28, 2007, 11:33:30 AM

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ncpneedshelp

I am NCP.  In Indiana.  Ex has insurance on kids, but won't supply me with information as court ordered.
My son, 12, is in desperate need of braces and CP knows this, but is
spending all extra money on vehicles...long story!

1) Anyways, can I take my son to get the braces, pay my half of whatever insurance doesn't pay and send bill to CP?
2) Or can I just pay for them myself without reprocutions from CP or courts?

I really don't care who pays he just needs to get them and I am getting NOWHERE with EX or EX's spouse on this issue..

Any input is greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.

mistoffolees

>I am NCP.  In Indiana.  Ex has insurance on kids, but won't
>supply me with information as court ordered.
>My son, 12, is in desperate need of braces and CP knows this,
>but is
>spending all extra money on vehicles...long story!

You'd need to provide the exact wording of the medical portion of the agreement to know.

And it's quite possible that your ex's insurance doesn't cover braces, so it may not be relevant. However, you should have the insurance information so you can check for yourself. If she won't supply it and the order really requires it, file for contempt to force her to supply the information.

>
>1) Anyways, can I take my son to get the braces, pay my half
>of whatever insurance doesn't pay and send bill to CP?

Probably not - unless you can convince the orthodontist that you're only responsible for half. In general, they're going to want the person who brings the kid in to agree to full responsibility.

>2) Or can I just pay for them myself without reprocutions from
>CP or courts?

You can absolutely pay for 100% if you wish. There's absolutely no restriction on paying MORE than you're required to. Why do you think the courts or CP would try to stop you from PAYING for more than half?

However, if you don't have joint legal custody, you may not be able to legally sign for your kid to get braces no matter who pays. If you have joint custody, you're probably OK authorizing braces and paying for it (check with an attorney, though). If your ex has sole legal custody, then you probably can not authorize braces. If your son really needs braces and your ex won't authorize it, then you'll probably need to go to court to force the issue - which is probably going to be expensive and nasty.

AND, if it's purely cosmetic, the court probably won't require it. There's no law against going through life with crooked teeth, so the courts won't force it. If it's required for health reasons, you have a better chance of getting the court to require it.

>
>I really don't care who pays he just needs to get them and I
>am getting NOWHERE with EX or EX's spouse on this issue..

Ex's spouse has no say in the matter. You should not waste your time talking to him/her.

MixedBag

There are other folks here on this board who live in Indiana, so hopefully they will also chime in.

On one of the other boards, there is another person who also can't seems to get the EX to give the insurance information to the other person....so you are not alone.

As I suggested there, see if you can call the HR department to get the basics in order to file claims.

Whether or not YOU can take your child and stuff really, from what I think I've learned on this site, is whether or not you have joint custody in your decree.  There have been definitions by Socrateaser on this part of the board of just what you can and can't do when you have joint custody.  Do a search and you should find some of the older postings.

Then make it happen on your child's time with you.

And yes, send the other parent the bill for their half.

Make sure the order says that ortho is covered (for my girls, with EX#1, it wasn't covered because he convinced the judge he didn't want to pay for it and I thought whatever, I'll make sure it happens).

Good luck!


ncpneedshelp

Thank you.
Ex has full custody.  They live in different part of state.  And
I figured I did not have the "right" to get braces for him on my dime.  That's what I meant when I said I would pay the whole thing, I know darn well no one's EX would argue someone paying the bill 100%!  But
I was thinking of having it done this summer (kids here majority of summer.) without saying anything to anyone and taking whatever from Ex and/or courts when I had to.  Kids are more important than some things, but I know it would make thing ALOT more stressful for the kids if I just did it anyways.

Ex's spouse intercepts every email even when addressed to EX...
My son really wants braces and yes, it would be cosmetic.  Ex has bad teeth so probably doesn't think it is important.  But kids tease my son  and it hurts him and me to hear this.

Not sure which way I am going to proceed on this, but appreciate your input!!
But what would a court actually do if I did just do it and Ex took me to court?  Hmm, makes me wonder.
Thank you.

mistoffolees

In that case, I wouldn't do it. Since she has sole custody, you could get into a lot of trouble. I would assume that it would be just civil charges, but I can picture a scenario where you might even get charged with criminal charges.

This would be particularly true if it's purely for cosmetic reasons.

I would suggest that you write a letter to the ex stating that the dentist has recommended braces and you'd be happy to take on the inconvenience during his time with you in the summar as well as any expense that isn't covered by insurance.

If she declines, then I would not do it - you could ask the court to order it if you wish, but that's going to work only if there's a solid medical need for it.

ncpneedshelp

Unfortunately, Ex is now unemployed (kind of, again a long story!) and Ex's spouse is self employed, so no HR to contact!
I do remember once that they told me they had BCBS, I think I will contact BCBS this week and ask!  Worse they can say is "no we can't give you that information".
Or, can the insurance company give me the information? Another think I need to find out about!
As I stated before tho, I don't care if I have to figure out a way to pay for this myself or if insurance does, I just want to do what is best for my son!
Thank you.

Kitty C.

Even if you can get the braces done while he's with you this summer, there are a LOT of follow-up visits required..........do you think BM will take him to them?  Braces won't do him any good whatsoever if you don't follow the complete program from beginning to end.  And if she wanted to be really vindictive, she could have them removed by someone locally as well.

I understand your concern and certainly sympathize, but I truly feel this is something that you will need to work out with the BM in order to make it happen.
Handle every stressful situation like a dog........if you can't play with it or eat it, pee on it and walk away.......

MixedBag

Ah, but if the EX has full custody, I'm translating this into sole.

And I agree that you don't have the right to do this.

Will tell you that I've had two different insurance experiences on insurance covering braces.  Each paid either $1K or $1500 over a period of time, which didn't even come close to paying what it actually costs.

In your situation, IF you are willing to pay for it in full, I'd write the EX a letter stating that you're willing to do this and see if she will start supporting this.

Otherwise, your child is out of luck.  The court took away your right to make anything happen for your child.

mistoffolees

I agree - with one exception.

If the orthodontist says the kid needs braces for medical rather than cosmetic reasons, it's possible that the court would order it. However, my guess is that it would be a very expensive, lengthy process to convince a judge that there was a medical necessity. And I'm not sure, but I don't think very many people actually NEED braces.

ncpneedshelp

It really would be cosmetic purposes, I think.... I can't get any information out of them for sure.  
I have emailed, told EX I wanted to take son to get braces, told them I would split, or pay, asked them if they would supply insurance info and write letter stating "permission" to do so....
I also would find an orthodontist locally that has Saturday hours, the only thing they would have to worry about is if something broke while there...
I will await Ex's response, but whenever I ask something they don't want to answer, or if they know I am right, it gets ignored...
Unfortunately, my children (son 12 and daughter 9) do not feel comfortable enough to talk to Ex or Ex's spouse about alot of things.  Afraid it will upset Ex some how, so I hear about certain things EOW and often don't know what, if anything, I could or should do.
Thank you for advise!

mistoffolees

If it's cosmetic, you're out of luck. You can't force the issue. All you can do is ask and offer to pay (I would suggest that you offer to pay for the amount that's not covered by insurance so that insurance picks up some of the bill) as you've done.

One thing you want to think about. Your first post was about how your son 'NEEDS' braces, but you're now saying it's cosmetic. By saying that he needs something that's purely cosmetic, you are potentially doing a number of things:
1. possibly harming his self-esteem (particularly if the mother doesn't go for it). Sorry, but straight teeth isn't a requirement in most jobs that I know of, nor is it a major life impediment to have crooked teeth (my teeth have been crooked my entire life and it's not a big deal). By saying he needs it, you could create the image in his mind that his value as a person depends on physical appearance.
2. this is the way lots of people get started with a sense of entitlement. IMHO, braces are a luxury and sending the message that they're a requirement confuses kids about what matters and what doesn't - and often makes them think that what they want is what they should get.
3. you're setting yourself up for a conflict with your ex. If she sees you as making unreasonable demands (by saying that he NEEDS braces when it's just a cosmetic issue), you're not going to have a very good working relationship

Maybe I'm reading things into your initial message, and if so I apologize, but my pet peeve is people who confuse 'need' with 'want'.

ncpneedshelp

I completely understand what you are saying.

Unfortunately, in the world today, people are judged on their
appearance.  As I stated before he is already being teased about
his teeth.  So to me, that is a need...because it is hurting him emotionally.  Yes, I know kids tease, that's normal.  But isn't a parent wanting to make things better for their kids normal too!?!

I am not going to push the issue, believe me there are many more important issues we have problems with!  So if issue is ignored
I will probably drop it for now.... But as I was taught if you don't ask you won't get!  

Thank you, again!

mistoffolees

>I completely understand what you are saying.
>
>Unfortunately, in the world today, people are judged on their
>appearance.  As I stated before he is already being teased
>about
>his teeth.  So to me, that is a need...because it is hurting
>him emotionally.  Yes, I know kids tease, that's normal.  But
>isn't a parent wanting to make things better for their kids
>normal too!?!
>
>I am not going to push the issue, believe me there are many
>more important issues we have problems with!  So if issue is
>ignored
>I will probably drop it for now.... But as I was taught if you
>don't ask you won't get!  
>
>Thank you, again!

Well, you could possibly argue that it's needed for her emotional health if her teeth are so bad that it's just plain hideous, but other than that, I'd put this in the category of 'parents can't guarantee a world free of hurtful behavior'. Kids are tough. If it wasn't the teeth, it would be the weight. Or the height. Or hair color. Or something else. In my experience, ALL kids get picked on about something. The difference between the ones who do well and the ones who don't is how they deal with it.

Good luck.

MixedBag

the child COULD get this done when they are an adult if the CP decides not to allow the NCP to pay for it and cooperate by taking the child to the appointments and stuff.

Yes, tons of psychological damage will be done in the mean time, but it CAN be fixed later (and probably cost more and stuff), but adults also wear braces.

And psychologically, this will have a positive impact on the child's relationship with the parent who is willing to set things straight after many years of putting up with crooked teeth.

Or maybe the answer is to wait until the child can drive themselves to the appointments and get things done (which would mean more around 16 or so).

mistoffolees

>the child COULD get this done when they are an adult if the
>CP decides not to allow the NCP to pay for it and cooperate by
>taking the child to the appointments and stuff.
>
>Yes, tons of psychological damage will be done in the mean
>time, but it CAN be fixed later (and probably cost more and
>stuff), but adults also wear braces.

Or the kid may grow up and realize it's not such a big deal, after all. Every time I see the dentist he says that he could fix my crooked teeth without too much difficulty. Money isn't an issue, but I'm just not vain enough to want to go through it.

>
>And psychologically, this will have a positive impact on the
>child's relationship with the parent who is willing to set
>things straight after many years of putting up with crooked
>teeth.
>
>Or maybe the answer is to wait until the child can drive
>themselves to the appointments and get things done (which
>would mean more around 16 or so).

That doesn't solve the real problem. The mother has sole legal custody. I don't believe the father could legally sign for braces no matter how the transportation works out.

Jade

>the child COULD get this done when they are an adult if the
>CP decides not to allow the NCP to pay for it and cooperate by
>taking the child to the appointments and stuff.
>
>Yes, tons of psychological damage will be done in the mean
>time, but it CAN be fixed later (and probably cost more and
>stuff), but adults also wear braces.
>
>And psychologically, this will have a positive impact on the
>child's relationship with the parent who is willing to set
>things straight after many years of putting up with crooked
>teeth.
>
>Or maybe the answer is to wait until the child can drive
>themselves to the appointments and get things done (which
>would mean more around 16 or so).


Getting it done is better as a child, as it is much easier to get the jaw to change shape when children are still growing.

My aunt had to have her jaw broken as an adult to get braces.  She wouldn't have had to have this done as a child.




Kitty C.

......and make sure you have ALL the facts before you give out that kind of 'advice', Jade.  If your aunt had to have her jaw broken before she got braces, it wasn't because of the braces but probably something else that had to be fixed before applying braces.  Or from some other problem that developed at some time in her life.  Or it could be congenital and she had it all her life.  MANY possibilities as to why she had to have it done.

I work in a collegiate oral surgery clinic..........breaking the jaw is a very rare occurance nowadays and there must be extenuating circumstances before they will go that far.  The only possible difference between getting braces as a teen compared to adult is that it 'might' take longer as an adult.  Then again, it might not.  EVERY person is different and what happens to one may not happen to another.  And everyone reacts to treatment differently as well.  Some progress rapidly, while others take more time.

Handle every stressful situation like a dog........if you can't play with it or eat it, pee on it and walk away.......

MixedBag

hate to disagree, but both of my girls and my son have had their "jaw broken" -- when it comes right down to it.

All three had an appliance mounted in their upper jaw to their teeth and it had this thing in the middle that (for the girls), I turned each day and over a period of I think it was 6 weeks, they upper jaw was made wider and "was broken".  It didn't hurt them.

Their front two teeth were actually apart by a bit, and then they went back together on their own.

The appliance stayed in place for a very long time to allow the bone to grow back and heal therefore their upper jaw was now wider to allow for more space to fit all the teeth.



MixedBag

You're right.  Until the child emancipates, mom has the final say.

But c'mon, if the child can drive himself/herself there, and the other parent is footing the bill entirely, is the court gonna find the NCP in contempt and stop something that the child wants?


MixedBag

getting it done as a child IS much better.

But this NCP is saying that the CP won't approve.

And I'm throwing the idea out there that the NCP can decide to also support this down the road when the child is an adult -- because the focus is to support the endeavor for the child.

And if the CP won't cooperate now, the NCP can always still support later.

mistoffolees

But wouldn't the person who works in a dental oral surgery clinic have a better feel for how common this is than you do? Perhaps your family just has a very rare genetic trait which causes a narrow jaw?

Of course, it doesn't really matter - the OP doesn't have the legal authority to authorize braces and the CP refuses. Unless he can convince a court that it's necessary, he's greatly overstepping his bounds by authorizing braces.

Jade

>......and make sure you have ALL the facts before you give
>out that kind of 'advice', Jade.  If your aunt had to have her
>jaw broken before she got braces, it wasn't because of the
>braces but probably something else that had to be fixed before
>applying braces.  Or from some other problem that developed at
>some time in her life.  Or it could be congenital and she had
>it all her life.  MANY possibilities as to why she had to have
>it done.
>
>I work in a collegiate oral surgery clinic..........breaking
>the jaw is a very rare occurance nowadays and there must be
>extenuating circumstances before they will go that far.  The
>only possible difference between getting braces as a teen
>compared to adult is that it 'might' take longer as an adult.
>Then again, it might not.  EVERY person is different and what
>happens to one may not happen to another.  And everyone reacts
>to treatment differently as well.  Some progress rapidly,
>while others take more time.
>
>
So you know my aunt and her situation better than me?  Didn't realize that you knew her.

Oh, wait a minute, if you knew her, then you would have known that the doctor told her that she wouldn't have had to have her jaw broken to get her teeth fixed if she had it done as a child.  

Jade

>getting it done as a child IS much better.
>
>But this NCP is saying that the CP won't approve.
>
>And I'm throwing the idea out there that the NCP can decide to
>also support this down the road when the child is an adult --
>because the focus is to support the endeavor for the child.
>
>And if the CP won't cooperate now, the NCP can always still
>support later.

Then the CP is an idiot.  I had to have braces.  And I was teased as a child because of my teeth.

It does a lot of damage to a child.  

Would a psychologist stating that they are necessary help the ncp's case?

MixedBag

that THAT depends on the state and whether or not most orders lean towards having ortho covered as a medical item or not.

Don't know about Indiana.

I had a letter here in AL saying they were medically necessary and EX#1 didn't want to fess up because his parents didn't do it for him.  Judge supported EX#1.

I as CP still took them and paid about $10K total for both girls.

CP is an idiot IMHO particularly if the NCP is willing to pay 100%.

Kitty C.

.........any more than you know the child pertinent to this thread.  That's why I said there could be a myriad of reasons why her jaw had to be broken and just because she had to have it done as an adult doesn't mean that every person who gets braces as an adult would have to have it done as well.  And because we see the worst of the worst, there have also been instances of kids required to have their jaws fractured for various reasons as well.  When you see patients within a 4 state area, you eventually see almost everything at least a few times.

Almost every medical and dental procedure is easier to recover from as a child than as an adult.  That's the difference in physiology between and adult and child.  The VERY first thing you learn about pediatrics is that they are NOT little adults.  Another example is chicken pox....much easier for kids to recover from and less painful than the shingles that adults can get if they are exposed and not already immune.

But the issue here is the desire of the NCP to get braces, when the CP is adamently against it.  And regardless of how emotionally detrimental it might appear for the child to have crooked teeth, is it worth the thousands of dollars, hours in court, and possible backlash from the CP, with no guarantee of the outcome (let alone what the process could do to the child's wellbeing).  Yes, it's tough on the child, but it can be character-building as well if they had to wait till they were an adult.  I was bullied for over 6 years in school and publicly humiliated at my HS graduation for the way I looked.  I had that fixed 20 years ago.  But I credit my strength of character today from what I went through then.  You take the good with the bad and if you look hard enough, there is a silver lining to all bad situations.
Handle every stressful situation like a dog........if you can't play with it or eat it, pee on it and walk away.......

mistoffolees

>I completely understand what you are saying.
>
>Unfortunately, in the world today, people are judged on their
>appearance.  As I stated before he is already being teased
>about
>his teeth.  So to me, that is a need...because it is hurting
>him emotionally.  Yes, I know kids tease, that's normal.  But
>isn't a parent wanting to make things better for their kids
>normal too!?!
>
>I am not going to push the issue, believe me there are many
>more important issues we have problems with!  So if issue is
>ignored
>I will probably drop it for now.... But as I was taught if you
>don't ask you won't get!  
>
>Thank you, again!

Well, you could possibly argue that it's needed for her emotional health if her teeth are so bad that it's just plain hideous, but other than that, I'd put this in the category of 'parents can't guarantee a world free of hurtful behavior'. Kids are tough. If it wasn't the teeth, it would be the weight. Or the height. Or hair color. Or something else. In my experience, ALL kids get picked on about something. The difference between the ones who do well and the ones who don't is how they deal with it.

Good luck.

MixedBag

the child COULD get this done when they are an adult if the CP decides not to allow the NCP to pay for it and cooperate by taking the child to the appointments and stuff.

Yes, tons of psychological damage will be done in the mean time, but it CAN be fixed later (and probably cost more and stuff), but adults also wear braces.

And psychologically, this will have a positive impact on the child's relationship with the parent who is willing to set things straight after many years of putting up with crooked teeth.

Or maybe the answer is to wait until the child can drive themselves to the appointments and get things done (which would mean more around 16 or so).

mistoffolees

>the child COULD get this done when they are an adult if the
>CP decides not to allow the NCP to pay for it and cooperate by
>taking the child to the appointments and stuff.
>
>Yes, tons of psychological damage will be done in the mean
>time, but it CAN be fixed later (and probably cost more and
>stuff), but adults also wear braces.

Or the kid may grow up and realize it's not such a big deal, after all. Every time I see the dentist he says that he could fix my crooked teeth without too much difficulty. Money isn't an issue, but I'm just not vain enough to want to go through it.

>
>And psychologically, this will have a positive impact on the
>child's relationship with the parent who is willing to set
>things straight after many years of putting up with crooked
>teeth.
>
>Or maybe the answer is to wait until the child can drive
>themselves to the appointments and get things done (which
>would mean more around 16 or so).

That doesn't solve the real problem. The mother has sole legal custody. I don't believe the father could legally sign for braces no matter how the transportation works out.

Jade

>the child COULD get this done when they are an adult if the
>CP decides not to allow the NCP to pay for it and cooperate by
>taking the child to the appointments and stuff.
>
>Yes, tons of psychological damage will be done in the mean
>time, but it CAN be fixed later (and probably cost more and
>stuff), but adults also wear braces.
>
>And psychologically, this will have a positive impact on the
>child's relationship with the parent who is willing to set
>things straight after many years of putting up with crooked
>teeth.
>
>Or maybe the answer is to wait until the child can drive
>themselves to the appointments and get things done (which
>would mean more around 16 or so).


Getting it done is better as a child, as it is much easier to get the jaw to change shape when children are still growing.

My aunt had to have her jaw broken as an adult to get braces.  She wouldn't have had to have this done as a child.




Kitty C.

......and make sure you have ALL the facts before you give out that kind of 'advice', Jade.  If your aunt had to have her jaw broken before she got braces, it wasn't because of the braces but probably something else that had to be fixed before applying braces.  Or from some other problem that developed at some time in her life.  Or it could be congenital and she had it all her life.  MANY possibilities as to why she had to have it done.

I work in a collegiate oral surgery clinic..........breaking the jaw is a very rare occurance nowadays and there must be extenuating circumstances before they will go that far.  The only possible difference between getting braces as a teen compared to adult is that it 'might' take longer as an adult.  Then again, it might not.  EVERY person is different and what happens to one may not happen to another.  And everyone reacts to treatment differently as well.  Some progress rapidly, while others take more time.

Handle every stressful situation like a dog........if you can't play with it or eat it, pee on it and walk away.......

MixedBag

hate to disagree, but both of my girls and my son have had their "jaw broken" -- when it comes right down to it.

All three had an appliance mounted in their upper jaw to their teeth and it had this thing in the middle that (for the girls), I turned each day and over a period of I think it was 6 weeks, they upper jaw was made wider and "was broken".  It didn't hurt them.

Their front two teeth were actually apart by a bit, and then they went back together on their own.

The appliance stayed in place for a very long time to allow the bone to grow back and heal therefore their upper jaw was now wider to allow for more space to fit all the teeth.



MixedBag

You're right.  Until the child emancipates, mom has the final say.

But c'mon, if the child can drive himself/herself there, and the other parent is footing the bill entirely, is the court gonna find the NCP in contempt and stop something that the child wants?


MixedBag

getting it done as a child IS much better.

But this NCP is saying that the CP won't approve.

And I'm throwing the idea out there that the NCP can decide to also support this down the road when the child is an adult -- because the focus is to support the endeavor for the child.

And if the CP won't cooperate now, the NCP can always still support later.

mistoffolees

But wouldn't the person who works in a dental oral surgery clinic have a better feel for how common this is than you do? Perhaps your family just has a very rare genetic trait which causes a narrow jaw?

Of course, it doesn't really matter - the OP doesn't have the legal authority to authorize braces and the CP refuses. Unless he can convince a court that it's necessary, he's greatly overstepping his bounds by authorizing braces.

Jade

>......and make sure you have ALL the facts before you give
>out that kind of 'advice', Jade.  If your aunt had to have her
>jaw broken before she got braces, it wasn't because of the
>braces but probably something else that had to be fixed before
>applying braces.  Or from some other problem that developed at
>some time in her life.  Or it could be congenital and she had
>it all her life.  MANY possibilities as to why she had to have
>it done.
>
>I work in a collegiate oral surgery clinic..........breaking
>the jaw is a very rare occurance nowadays and there must be
>extenuating circumstances before they will go that far.  The
>only possible difference between getting braces as a teen
>compared to adult is that it 'might' take longer as an adult.
>Then again, it might not.  EVERY person is different and what
>happens to one may not happen to another.  And everyone reacts
>to treatment differently as well.  Some progress rapidly,
>while others take more time.
>
>
So you know my aunt and her situation better than me?  Didn't realize that you knew her.

Oh, wait a minute, if you knew her, then you would have known that the doctor told her that she wouldn't have had to have her jaw broken to get her teeth fixed if she had it done as a child.  

Jade

>getting it done as a child IS much better.
>
>But this NCP is saying that the CP won't approve.
>
>And I'm throwing the idea out there that the NCP can decide to
>also support this down the road when the child is an adult --
>because the focus is to support the endeavor for the child.
>
>And if the CP won't cooperate now, the NCP can always still
>support later.

Then the CP is an idiot.  I had to have braces.  And I was teased as a child because of my teeth.

It does a lot of damage to a child.  

Would a psychologist stating that they are necessary help the ncp's case?

MixedBag

that THAT depends on the state and whether or not most orders lean towards having ortho covered as a medical item or not.

Don't know about Indiana.

I had a letter here in AL saying they were medically necessary and EX#1 didn't want to fess up because his parents didn't do it for him.  Judge supported EX#1.

I as CP still took them and paid about $10K total for both girls.

CP is an idiot IMHO particularly if the NCP is willing to pay 100%.

Kitty C.

.........any more than you know the child pertinent to this thread.  That's why I said there could be a myriad of reasons why her jaw had to be broken and just because she had to have it done as an adult doesn't mean that every person who gets braces as an adult would have to have it done as well.  And because we see the worst of the worst, there have also been instances of kids required to have their jaws fractured for various reasons as well.  When you see patients within a 4 state area, you eventually see almost everything at least a few times.

Almost every medical and dental procedure is easier to recover from as a child than as an adult.  That's the difference in physiology between and adult and child.  The VERY first thing you learn about pediatrics is that they are NOT little adults.  Another example is chicken pox....much easier for kids to recover from and less painful than the shingles that adults can get if they are exposed and not already immune.

But the issue here is the desire of the NCP to get braces, when the CP is adamently against it.  And regardless of how emotionally detrimental it might appear for the child to have crooked teeth, is it worth the thousands of dollars, hours in court, and possible backlash from the CP, with no guarantee of the outcome (let alone what the process could do to the child's wellbeing).  Yes, it's tough on the child, but it can be character-building as well if they had to wait till they were an adult.  I was bullied for over 6 years in school and publicly humiliated at my HS graduation for the way I looked.  I had that fixed 20 years ago.  But I credit my strength of character today from what I went through then.  You take the good with the bad and if you look hard enough, there is a silver lining to all bad situations.
Handle every stressful situation like a dog........if you can't play with it or eat it, pee on it and walk away.......