smile...or don't...

my whole life i've been extremely self-conscious about my teeth. i hated them. i created such a mess when i was younger. i wouldn't ever pull my baby teeth out, so quite a few of my permanent teeth came in while my little ones were still dangling by a thread. what happens when you don't pull your teeth? well, this is what happened to me.




as i got older i would rarely smile with my mouth open, especially in pictures. my parents couldn't afford for me to get braces, so i told myself that as soon as i could afford it i would pay for them myself. well, other things became a priority and i just continued to go through life hiding my teeth. i was so embarrassed. about seven months ago i was looking through some old pictures (the ones above) and i just hated what i was seeing. i finally decided i was going to do something about it. i do have to say i was really excited, but that excitement soon left as i looked in the mirror at a mouth full of metal and the pain began to set in. not to mention the fact that i have a hard time eating most foods. i just had to tell myself, "it'll be worth it,". and now, a short six months later...


...as i look at myself in the mirror i'm telling myself "it's worth it,". no, they're not off yet, but they have almost completely straightened out, and i just need to have my overbite corrected. so, i still have about a year left (hopefully) but i am seeing amazing results. i'm well on my way to the smile i've been dreaming of. thanks to my husband for supporting me with the finances and of course to dr. hanks!