These teeth. They have been with us for a very long time.   

My son didn’t have any teeth at all until he was almost 3 years old. His first tooth was a big, back molar. Then, gradually, teeth started popping up all over the place, some at the back, an odd one near the front, then more back teeth. He only had one front tooth for the longest time. Eventually the second one joined it, but these two front teeth came in at an angle, so he had two little triangles for front teeth for about a year.  

When other children his age started losing their baby teeth, there was no sign of any tooth fairy in our house. One of the many things I have learned having a child with Down Syndrome is to have patience. Everything in its own time. So, we waited. And waited.  Years went by and still no loose teeth.  

Then his adult teeth started coming in behind the baby teeth and he had two rows of teeth, top and bottom.  With no sign of nature taking its course, we had to intervene and have his baby teeth taken out. He had 4 taken out a few months ago and another 4 taken out last week.  

His adult teeth have very quickly moved into their correct positions. As we approach his 12th birthday, and he beams at me with his beautiful big smile, I think of those baby teeth. They’ve have been part of our lives for so long and caused us so much anguish. I’m glad they’re finally gone. But I might just miss them.