The next 18 months...

[thadthrasher 1,692]

Not many people know this, but I grew up in poverty. My mother was fighting an addiction and didn't work, and whatever my father gave her for child support was blown on drugs and unnecessary items. My younger brother and I grew up with very little, and it impacted not just my mental health, but also my physical health. The biggest impact had to do with my teeth.

 

First, my adult teeth came in incredibly crooked. It's certainly not the worst case of crooked teeth, but it was a noticeable amount. I really don't recall ever being made fun of for my teeth, but I honestly don't remember much from my childhood anyways. What I do know is that I hated smiling. Sure, there are pictures of me as a kid where I smiled and showed my teeth, but most of them have my lips sealed. I hated how my mouth looked.

 

Second, because of the poor parenting and lack of necessities, brushing your teeth was not a priority. The drugs my mom used caused her teeth to erode away very quickly, so she didn't really have a dental hygiene routine to show us. That, coupled with barely ever having tooth paste and a consistent diet of junk food and soda, caused for my brother and I to develop cavities early on. At one point I was given two temporary crowns which should have been replaced with permanent ones a few years later...they weren't. That was when I was about 8.

 

20 years later I started at my new church and finally, for the first time ever, I had dental and health insurance. I went to the dentist and watched as they were amazed that I still had temporary crowns. A few thousands of dollars, and many visits later, I now have the temporary crowns gone and the permanents in. 

 

On top of that work I began to see an orthodontist. I went to one as a kid one time, but as soon as my dad saw the price tag he said "this is why I give your mom child support" and, of course, she wasn't going to use that free money to care for her kids. So, I went without. As I said, I don't remember being bullied as a kid, but I was as an adult. I was once at a training in California for the Army when a guy said, "Hey, why don't you come over here and I'll bust your teeth out so they can fix that crooked smile for ya." I heard things like this in college too. Now, if you know me in real life you'd know that comments like these don't really bother me. However, even if they don't bother you a great amount, the comments can build up over years.

 

About a month ago I made the decision that I was going to do what I've always had to do, provide for myself where my parents did not. So, I went to the orthodontist, wept bitterly at the price, and signed on the dotted line. Today I started my next 18 month journey. I now have Invisalign. I'm incredibly excited for this, and I'm anxious to see what happens as these next 18 months go by, but I'm very proud of myself for doing this. So, I wanted to share with you all!

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

[Garsh 1,192]

Glad you are getting this fixed.  I can somewhat relate to not wanting to smile with your teeth.  I had a single crooked tooth front and center from falling down on concrete when I was a youngling.  I never showed my teeth for pictures and still don't now even though I got it fixed in my 20s.

[bigAL 2,176]

That’s amazing dude. It feels even better when you’ve gone through hell to get there. I love the life updates, your journey past, present, and future is always so interesting. People are deep and complex and more than just profile pics!

[Arce 755]

That's awesome man! It will be worth it when you see the end result! I had to get my top front teeth re-done since my two top "eye" teeth did not have adult teeth grow in after my baby teeth fell out. I had two temporary fake teeth as a teenager. As an adult, I wanted it done right so I had the multi-thousand procedure done to get a permeant bridge put in and it was the best my teeth/smile ever looked. I did a payment plan and paid it off interest free over a year and it was well worth it.

 

Hope this makes your Thanksgiving all the more special, I hope it is a rewarding journey for you! 

[Horcrux 322]

Oh @thadthrasherim so proud of you

[JardyB10 4,865]

This is awesome Thadius! I'm not too familiar with Invisiline, but I'm sure it's just as effective as the classic wires, and I think you're going to be very happy with the results. Your teeth are going to look great, so start practicing your smile now

[thadthrasher 1,692]

@JardyB10i certainly appreciate it. It’s been 2 days and my mouth is killing me. But, as they say, no pain no gain!

[JardyB10 4,865]

8 minutes ago, thadthrasher said:

@JardyB10i certainly appreciate it. It’s been 2 days and my mouth is killing me. But, as they say, no pain no gain!

Yeah there is that! My braces came with a few dietary restrictions too, which is also a nuisance. But you'll adapt before you know it.