After toying with the idea for several months, last week I finally decided to get braces. I have heard about the inconveniences of it over and over again but I was still left unprepared for the journey to come.
The first consultation with my orthodontist was fairly straight forward. He told me that he was going to put braces on my upper teeth, and he did. He then mentioned that I had to get four teeth extracted (2 top, 2 bottom) before he can put braces on the rest of my teeth. I didn't think much of it.
The day after the first consultation was painful. I skipped my college classes that day and I felt guilty about it because I hadn't missed a single class this semester. I couldn't eat anything except yogurt because my teeth were too sore for me to bite into anything. The pain gradually subsided. The very next day I got a tooth extracted. Four days later, today, I got another extracted. To be honest, I do not look too great. My mouth reminds me of the old witches from the books I used to read as a child. I cannot comprehend how embarrassing it would be when they get the rest of my teeth removed.
I miss my teeth but I feel like this is a good opportunity for me to redefine what personal beauty means to me. It is a chance for me to learn to feel good about myself come what may. I feel beautiful but I will probably not smile as much in public as I used to for a while.
I hope I eventually get over having four missing teeth. And I hope the braces will do their magic and fill those gaps pronto.
