Stretching my Smile

This week I went to an orthodontist. My mother-in-law finally got her teeth straightened at age 50-something. Now, she had to have teeth pulled and a great deal done. Her blue collar family couldn't afford to do anything about her teeth when she was young. When she finally got braces a few years ago, she was in danger of losing many of the teeth she had.

So, she is now on a campaign for everyone (at least in our family) to enjoy the benefits of straightened teeth. This is where I come in. I never got braces. My childhood dentist said I was an either/or case. I could get braces. Or not. It wasn't completely necessary, but if I wanted really straight teeth, I should have it done. My family didn't spend $4000 on an optional process. I figured I could live with the imperfection more than my parents' stress about money (which I already lived with most of the time). As I grew older, I had those wishes for a perfect smile. But I wasn't going to actually pay for it.

Evan's mom has decided that I deserve the same treatment she and her sons got. She wants to help pay for it since my insurance doesn't cover orthodontics for patients over 12 years. So I went to a free consultation with her orthodontist this week. I didn't know what to think when the orthodontist said my bottom teeth formed a "very interesting pattern." He asked me if I was a thumb sucker. Um, no. I'm not sure why my teeth are so pushed out on the bottom.

Apparently, my upper jaw is super narrow, so my lower jaw tries to compensate. This doesn't work so well. I don't have any pain, but I grind my teeth at night and my jaw clicks. The verdict? To gain a PERFECT smile, I need surgery on my upper jaw to widen it. Yeah, right. I'd love to pay the thousands it costs and be in miserable pain.

The other option is just to get braces or something similar and work with the teeth in house. It would still fix a lot of problems. I learned that I am an excellent candidate for that Invisilign thing (clear plastic mouthguards moulded to my teeth). That way I wouldn't have to get braces. I could just wear these 23 hours a day and take them out to eat and brush. I would get a new set of these every two weeks of the 2 1/2 years of teeth correction I would undergo.

I don't know what to think. They cost a lot. I feel guilty (as usual) when Evan's parents want to do something for me. I feel 14 again. Self-conscious about my smile. At least I don't have the perm anymore.