Vanity

All my life I have had terrible teeth. I have always been self conscious of them. I was one of the unfortunate few in my family that didn't have all of my permanent teeth come in, because of that I have always had too much space on top and too little space on the bottom. While in the sixth grade I got braces on the top just to pull my top teeth together. They then put a permanent brace behind my front teeth to keep them from seperating again.

Fast forward about 9 years, Nate and I were dating when we got into a a pretty bad accident.
Long story short, while the car was rolling our heads made contact with each other and I sustained major dental damage. Once the car stopped rolling I could feel the permanent brace they had put in almost ten years earlier lying on my tongue. I was taken to the dentist later that day where they cemented my top row of teeth together for the next ten days. Due to the trauma they sustained a couple of my front teeth died. They eventually turned dark and I had veneers placed over the top of them. Even with the veneers they still look darker than the rest of my teeth. I have always hated that. Nate and I looked into getting me braces years ago but the prospect of having to wear braces for 4 years and the cost just didn't work at the time.

Then last year I got serious about getting braces. I was finally so beyond sick of my teeth I looked into getting them again. I was liking what I had to hear, not 4 years but around 2 instead. Although I wasn't terribly excited about being a thirtysomething with four kids while wearing braces I was ready to finally feel good about my smile. Some of my treatment was a little hard to swallow but I knew it would be worth it in the end. So in January 2009 I bit the bullet and had THREE teeth extracted.......ouch! Two molars on the bottom and the little tooth on the top right side next to my front tooth. The top one was the most difficult to part with. I will admit I am vain enough to not want to be missing one of my top front teeth. Luckily they were able to create a false tooth that connected to my braces. Every time I go in for an adjustment they just shave it down a bit while they close up the space. We are getting to where the tooth is getting too tiny to hold a bracket, and while the space is considerably smaller it is still quite noticible when my tooth is off. My days are numbered with it and fairly soon I will actually be a toothless hillbilly. NOT looking forward to it but it is a necessary evil. No turning back now though.

Prior to getting my braces on Nate was feeling bad about all that I would have to go thru and he graciously agreed to getting braces on himself to support me. I fell in love with him all over again for being so self sacrificing. Although once they were on he told me that if he had had any idea what he was going to go thru with them he would have told me "Sorry, dear, you're on your own." What a trooper. Imagine my surprise when 6 months into the deal Tiny Man got braces on his top front teeth as well. I now had my own braces support group! I loved it! It was much easier running around with half the family in braces than being the only one, and a grown up at that, with braces. Although I will admit there are a HUGE amount of adults that are sporting braces lately! LOVE IT!

Well, the Monday after Christmas Tiny Man got his braces off! He is only done with phase one and in a couple of years he will be wearing a full set. Two days later on Wednesday, after only 13 months of wearing braces Nate was able to get his off too! While I am very excited for them it is difficult losing my support group, especially with the knowledge that my hillbilly days are coming soon. I am so grateful for the men in my life and the support they have given to me this last year, even if it is just to ease my vanity burden. My continuing mantra for the next year will be "It will be worth it, it will be worth it, it will be worth it....." Wish me luck!