I have dealt with having a smile which I hated for years. My teeth (once all my baby teeth had fallen out) became very crowded. I have an over bite also. It is just something I kept out of my mind an secretly when I would look at pictures I would hate my smile. I even, as I am sure most people who dislike their smiles do, had a ‘fake’ smile for pictures. I would never smile full on because I have a very toothy smile and it would always look bad to me.
This year I did a lot of debating with myself. This is a big year for me. I am finishing my AA degree continuing my education (my BA/MA) else where. I also want to move out, and in a few years get married. It just felt like the time was right. As strange as that sounds.
I found my orthodontist through google. I had no idea what to look for and what to expect until I came across this web site. Lucky for me my google search paid off and I found a very nice, and good doctor.
I had my x-rays done. I was given my prognosis which was I needed a lot of work. I had to have two teeth pulled, and I also had to have orthodontic anchors put in which would help fix my over bit.
I had to wait 3 months for my insurance to approve. Finally 2 months ago I was approved and I had to wait another month for my appointment. I had spacers put in which was no fun, but not as horrible as some of the stories I read.
The faithful day that I had been counting down to came June 8th. I was so nervous! I had the lower braces put on and the brackets put on on the top. I had to wait to have my teeth extracted before I could have the wire put on on the top.
The Orthodontist had to file down two of my bottom teeth because they were too large, and he didn’t think it was necessary to have them removed. It was a weird process but didn’t hurt.
When I got home though I was so upset. I took a good long look at myself in the mirror and was horrified by the big ugly metal braces I had on. My insurance didn’t approve me for the lingual or ceramic and both were way to costly for me to afforded. They did approve everything for the metal braces so all I had to pay was 200 dollars for the whole treatment. Yet my vanity got the best of me. This was not what I expected. My teeth looked even more crooked!
I had the two teeth extracted the following day. It wasn’t bad, I was just really scared. I never even had a cavity my whole life and now they were going to pull teeth from my head! I had worked it up so much in my head that by the time the dentist came in my hands were shaking.
I had no pain. I think the worst thing was the Novocain. I had never had it before and feeling that numbing sensation was so weird! That an the huge needle they have to stick into you.
I had no problems healing. So a week later here I am, full braces. I just got the top wire on a few hours ago. I have notices a huge improvement in my lower teeth already. I thought it was my imagination but the Orthodontist said he was very happy with how much my teeth have moved already.
This is the first day since the braces that I actually feel excited about them, and not ‘What have I done’. I just hope it gets better from here on out.
And thank you guys for sharing your stories and helping get through all of this and finally be brave enough to just get them.
Although it sure would be nice! 
