Today Angel has the biggest smile ever, and it's not due to the sunshine. Even next week's exams cannot dim her happiness. Today was the big day: the braces came off to reveal a beautiful set of shiny straight teeth.
It must be ten years since she first told me that she didn't like her teeth. That she was being teased in school. And it was about this time that she stopped smiling. She grew to hate having her photograph taken. There are very few from the last number of years and if she was persuaded to smile, she always looked self-conscious and worried that you might be noticing her teeth.
The health service said her teeth were quite bad. And so began the long slow drag of orthodontic treatment. Night braces and day-braces and train tracks and extractions, it just went on and on. I grew to dread the trips to the orthodontist. Over the years she would emerge more and more upset as the treatment dragged on. The last few years she's had to brave appointments on her own as the practice is now up a dozen stairs and I have to wait in the car with Smiley and Aspie boy. I used to manage appointments like this by putting Smiley in afternoon childcare but that was withdrawn in early 2009.
She now has a huge fear of dentists and I sometimes wondered was I right to put her through this. I know some people think it's wrong, that braces are cruel and that orthodontic treatment can cause problems in later life. I think it would've been cruel not to.
It must be ten years since she first told me that she didn't like her teeth. That she was being teased in school. And it was about this time that she stopped smiling. She grew to hate having her photograph taken. There are very few from the last number of years and if she was persuaded to smile, she always looked self-conscious and worried that you might be noticing her teeth.
The health service said her teeth were quite bad. And so began the long slow drag of orthodontic treatment. Night braces and day-braces and train tracks and extractions, it just went on and on. I grew to dread the trips to the orthodontist. Over the years she would emerge more and more upset as the treatment dragged on. The last few years she's had to brave appointments on her own as the practice is now up a dozen stairs and I have to wait in the car with Smiley and Aspie boy. I used to manage appointments like this by putting Smiley in afternoon childcare but that was withdrawn in early 2009.
She now has a huge fear of dentists and I sometimes wondered was I right to put her through this. I know some people think it's wrong, that braces are cruel and that orthodontic treatment can cause problems in later life. I think it would've been cruel not to.
Tampering with Mother Nature has never bothered me - instead it's given me confidence. And I can see the change in Angel already. She got out of the car, stood up straight and tall, and gave me a huge brace-less smile. It was priceless.
Oh how lovely! As someone who spent a good many years throughout my teens with a cemented brace (and the dreaded elastic bands to draw my jaw back into place) I can totally relate. I used to hate going to the orthodontist to have my braces tightened.
ReplyDeleteI can still remember to this day the day I had my braces removed.
I hope you captured that beautiful smile with your camera!
x
Fabulous! Hope she enjoys her new smile :) xx
ReplyDeleteI had awful teeth as a child. Some stuck out and some were too far in.My mouth was over crowded. I wore 8 braces (8 that I can remember maybe more) and suffered various extractions but it was worth it. I was teased badly at school. They would say "shut up or I'll weld your mouth together" but I think that was minor compared to what it they could have called me without the braces. It was all worth it and finally at 16 I became more confident.I don't know if you realise what a gift you have given her.Just make sure she wears her retainer.Well done you and delighted for Angel.X
ReplyDeleteOhhh, I can so relate! It must be so nice for her to have smooth teeth again and not to have food stuck!!! And to see her pride and self confidence. That's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI refused to get braces for a long time..teenage rebellion..but finally got them at 20...getting them off was one of the best days ever-my only regret was that I was an obstinate teenager..and hadn't done it sooner. I have a horrendous fear of dentists..I have found that asking for Valium before the appointment has helped..:)
ReplyDeletewow, I hope you got a photo of that lovely smile. I think that although it was hard for her to go through, a smile is priceless and she now has the confidence to show her smile to everyone without any teasing. Well worth it.
ReplyDeleteCan totally relate to this, as a child who went through the whole braces stage but still ended up with awful teeth. Was teased and called names all through school because of it. Spent most of my adult life hating photos being taken and having to smile in them because of it.
ReplyDeleteOne of my sisters had braces on her teeth for two years in her 40's in order to straighten out her teeth which actually had the opposite effect on me and I decided then and there to embrace what I had and now it doesn't bother me anymore and I smile away in photo's.
Am so glad that Angel now feels she can smile with confidence, it does make such a difference. :) xx
I never had much luck in the teeth department so I can identify so much with her. Send her a big juicy star from me cos she is one!
ReplyDelete@SAHMlovingit - I haven't taken a picture yet, but I'm planning on something lovely soon :)
ReplyDelete@Petunia - me too xx
@Mammy Doolittle - thank you for that comment, it really made it seem worthwhile x
@Lizbeth - yes there was loads of things she couldn't really eat for the past ten years - corn on the cob could be on the menu this weekend!
@kathleen - I'll remember the valium tip, thanks :)
@lyndylou - I really think it was x
@Helen - I never noticed your teeth at all. I'm glad you feel comfortable with them now...and I think that most of us get comfortable with ourselves eventually, but it can come too late if it messed up your youth xx
@Foxglove Lane - Thank you so much for dropping by and I will pass on your comment :)