If You Never Tri, You'll Never Know!

2 Years and 4 Months in Braces

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I wrote a little piece about how bad braces suck in March, 2014. I actually got my braces put on in June, 2013. They have truly sucked. It's been a constant battle of picking out food and fussing with cuts, rubs, and sores/soreness.

I hate when I see someone's fingers in their mouth. I always think, "Ew, do you know how many germs you're putting in your body!?" And here I am, constantly with my fingers in my mouth. I grow my pinky nail out JUST to be able to scoop chewed up food out from under my brackets. I'm like a coke addict braces picker. It's gross. It has been totally gross. Chew and smile. That's what it's all about, just chew, don't swallow, and smile.

I have avoided multiple foods because they get jammed down in between stuff that it's more painful. Nuts, Doritos, corn on the cob, chicken wings, any kind of jerky ~eat it, and I'm screwed for days. DAYS! So I don't even bother. There have been days that I have been like 'forget eating today' because I just don't feel like digging. Is it that serious? That exhausting? Yes.

I've just recently gotten braver with my smiles in braces. How insecure metal in your mouth makes ya! And high school kids think this is cool!? I feel like a disaster! I went through photos and maybe 1 in 10, I'm showing teeth in my smiles. I'm a smiler! So that couldn't have been an easy task (tight lip, closed mouth smiling!).

So today, September 2015, 2 yeas and 4 months later, I got them off. I was so nervous that I had nightmares last night!! First, Dr. LeBlanc told me that they weren't quite ready and I'd have to leave them on. 5 years later he scheduled the appointment. Then I dreamt that he took them off and they all fell out. Oh my gosh, I didn't know what to expect!! My teeth are going to fall out!! Truth is, it was quick and painless.
But here's a few things I didn't expect: they stink. BAD! I could have thrown up they stunk so bad. And getting the glue off is like fingernails on a chalkboard. That part couldn't end quick enough. Dr. LeBlanc IS so quick though. And super steady safe hands. He is a marvelous ortho. Not that I have anyone to compare him too, but he was such a perfectionist with my mouth. He wanted straight and beautiful just as much, if not more, than I wanted straight and beautiful.

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The first time I looked in the mirror. I just stared. Speechless. Thoughtless. It felt like I was looking at not me. I look so different. I'm looking at a whole new person. WOW! The more I looked, the more I wanted to look. I more I looked away, the more I wanted to look again. I couldn't stop looking at myself. They're beautiful. They're so beautiful. My teeth are so beautiful. My eyes welled with tears, I look pretty. Every girl in the office wow'ed them, wow'ed me.
I can't believe how different I look. And I totally don't mean to sound so vain ~ but I've always wanted pretty straight teeth. I've always felt like this would make me feel like a prettier girl. And it did. It does. I absolutely love them. I was one huge smile ALL day...

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Returning later in the afternoon, I picked up my temporary top retainer (I have a permanent in the bottom). Apparently my teeth shifted in that short time frame!! WHAT!? It hurt so bad getting the little clear temporary retainer in. They even bled! Oh no!! My beautiful smile just turned painful!! And wearing it the rest of the day, they are so sore. Like original braces sore!! I know I'll get used to them and they'll get comfortable though. And it's SO worth it.

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I cried.
I have never felt so beautiful smiling and it just... I don't know. It brings tears to my eyes and I feel overwhelmed with happy. We all have moments of feeling beautiful. And of course, feelings of not so beautiful. And beauty truly lies beneath what we see on the outside... But, after having wanting this my entire life, there's something so different about this feeling of beautiful. I'm so happy. Every horrible sucky food picking, sore rubbing, aching moment of having braces... it's WORTH it.
I'm going to smile forever!

What a fun adventure! Thanks for following along and let's do this retainer thing!

(and I highly recommend Dr. LeBlanc and all his perfectionism!!!)