After signing in they soon call me back. Walking back I say to the assistant, "here we go". She lead me back to a room to take pictures and casually ask me, "how are you about impressions?". "I was going to talk to you about that, imagine your worst patient, I'm gunna be worse" I replied. She shoots some photos and informs me were doing impressions in the back room to make me more comfortable. ( Really it was a , so other patients and people waiting don't have to see or hear you. ) But I'm cool. I use my cough spray to numb my mouth. Bottom teeth, no problemo. Top teeth I gagged a couple times but I kept my mouth open as she held the mold in. So much easier than in the past. The worst part was over.
Now it was time for the molar band. Unfortunately, she couldn't get it on all the way. My teeth were just too tight together. With a bit a pushing tugging and me biting, we got it on. Yet the band was too big vertically and needed to be ground down. Next up, the brackets. Lip spreads, don't be fooled by the pictures you've seen, they aren't that bad. She applies the etching and then the brackets, the doctor comes over and find adjusts the brackets, followed by a light curing.
What color would you like? Yes I had wanted something bright and super cool. I'm not sure if it was the relaxing tone of the bold blue, or stress. I ended up choosing a strait blue. She did offer pink and red for valentines day. I did however respectfully decline. As she puts the wire in place with the ligs I can feel the tension immediately. Followed by a, how to clean your teeth session.
That was it. That's what I had been stressing about so badly? Seems I was all worried and worked up over nothing. Driving home however I looked in my rear view and smiled. It was beautiful. I loved it, and I loved my smile. Yes, I'm still missing that tooth, but it fades in to the background with the braces. Yes, I love my smile.

I'll post a better pic later, kind of hard to take a photo of yourself
- Missing Tooth -