tooth story tuesday

Yes! I will be talking about my teeth history... I promise you it won't be gross or nasty. HeeHee!

The first time I went to the orthodontist, I really, really, and I mean really wanted braces. To me, they told everyone, I'm old enough to have braces! I'm a big girl now! Well I was nine when I had my first appointment, so I wouldn't be getting them quite yet. Dr.B, put this thingie in my mouth, which I'm sorry to say I don't know what it was or did. All I know is that I had to wear it for about a year, the wire thingie was at the roof of my mouth, and it was shaped like a 2-D mountain... from what I remember.Because my family and I didn't really know what the thingie in my mouth was called, we just called it a "retainer". It wasn't though! When Dr.B said I would have to have this in my mouth before my braces , I was so bummed! I had told everybody at school (I was in public school until after the forth grade) ,that was in my class, that I was going to get my braces. "Wow! You're really and truly going to get braces?" The nine year old kids asked me in class. With the flip of my hair, trying to act as calm and not that excited, I just answered, "Why yes I am! Now tell me, when will you get your teeth jewelry?"... Well I didn't say that last line, but I was kinda wanting to... but that might be bragging, almost.

So when I walked into the classroom, tardy because of the appointment to get the "retainer" in my mouth, everyone looked at me, then at the teacher, and ran from their seats and yelled, "LE' ME SEE!". I looked at my mom who was standing behind me mouthing "sorry" to our third grade teacher. I looked back at the kids standing around me, with googly eyes, and explained as calmly as I could, "Um, I had to get a retainer before my braces." I tried to fake a smile. The kids, still, stared at me with there big googly eyes... finally, "LE' ME SEE!" From all of the kids! I showed all of them, with pride, but still thinking, "I wish I got my braces today."

Fast forward about a year and I finally got my "retainer" out. When Dr. B took it out, I looked in the mirror and saw the imprint of the wire on the roof of my mouth. I thought that was so cool! Dr. B said I could come back in a few weeks to get my braces on. I was all like, "WOOHOO!!!! LET'S GO CELEBRATE!!!"... and we did. The night before I got my braces on, Mom took me out to get our nails done, and we got caramel apples for our whole family. We all ate them that night, on the outdoor deck. The forth grade would be approaching me soon, and I was going to be whole new person! I was going to show off to my friends, my teacher, and maybe my crush, if I had the nerve. Remember, I was (and am) very quiet!

I had always heard that getting your braces on, hurts! So I was really nervous. When Mom and I sat in the waiting room, my legs were shaking. I couldn't stop bouncing them back up and down. I'm not sure if it was my nervousness, or I was just excited. Then, "Alexandra?" It was one of Dr.B's assistants who was going to help him with my braces. I stood up looked at mom, and gave her a shaky smile. I don't remember If Mom came back with me or not. But I knew that she was right there if I needed her.

Two and a Half hours later, after having my mouth stretched every which way for every reason in the book, I walked out to the waiting room and smiled at Mom and my brothers, Nick and Zack. I don't think I talked much because of two reasons; I sounded weird and my mouth was screaming with pain. After that I wasn't so sure I wanted to have teeth jewelry.

A few weeks after I got my braces on, We went to our families favorite beach, for a weeks worth of vacation. Oh sure it was fun, but different, every year we go there, I get a caramel apple, and I'm happy. Well this year I couldn't get my caramel apple...  =^0 not like I wasn't happy.... it was just different.

Oh, how it actually turned out, getting braces wasn't so bad! My friends loved them, my teachers, loved them, and my crush... well... now that I look back and have seen my brothers grow up, and my littlest brother being a ten year old... I've figured out that boys, aren't into girls... at that age at least. He was just a crush and looking back I'm like, " Seriously?". Anyway!

With the usual orthodontist appointments, getting them tightened and getting new color bands, I was adjusting just fine. I was actually noticing some improvement!

When I turned twelve, I didn't treat my braces the same. I thought they looked geeky, and it felt like I would never be able to get them off. I would just be Allie, the girl who always wore braces. I began asking Dr. B when I could get my braces off, "I remember a time, Alexandra. Where a little nine year old girl was just dying, and begging me to put braces on her teeth." I laughed, "Well, you know...." my voice trailed off. At the time I had to wear these tiny rubber bands on my braces 24/7 to help my over bite. Well they were the darnedest things to put in so I didn't wear them much. "You can get your braces off, Alexandra, when you start wearing your rubber bands more. That's going to take a few months to adjust your over bite, so I suggest you start now." He did a little chuckle. Since he mentioned that, I began wearing those bands for as long as I could manage.

Five months later, "Alexandra you are ready to get those braces off your teeth!" Dr. B said. On the outside I was totally calm and said, "Oh that's awesome!", but on the inside I was like, "YES!!! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT FOR AGES!!!!". When he said I was free to go, I ran to Mom in the waiting room and said, "I'M GETTING MY BRACES OFF!!!". We were all so excited!!! I was so happy.

About a million years had passed, or it seemed like it, I had gotten my braces off! I think it hurt more than getting them on, I'm not sure, but either way, it was soooo worth it! I just wanted to get them off! Or so I thought. When Dr. B handed me a mirror, I looked and almost felt... sad. A big essential of my life was taken away from me... and I sorta missed it. I looked kinda weird without them and for some reason my teeth looked really big to me, and not in a good way. I looked at my Mom and her face was just beaming. Her only daughter just got her braces off, how exciting! She could tell something was up so she asked. "It might take me a while for me to get used to it." I said kind of lowly so no one except Mom could hear. We walked out to my brothers in the waiting room. Nick was standing by himself, "Where's Zack. Why are you starring at me like that?" I was really bummed about my teeth... hey you would be too if you had braces for two and a half years to find out your teeth didn't look the way you wanted them to. I was mad and I didn't want to deal with any jokes from my brothers. "Just watch honey, and play along." Mom said. I put on my best smile, without showing my teeth. It was really early in the morning so we were the only ones there, and all of the people who worked there stood watching us, smiling. Something was up, but what? And where was Zack in all of this? "Abracadabra!" Nick said and Zack popped from behind a bench and held out a bag with goodies in it! I was shocked! I didn't expect them to get something for me. "Aaaaawww!" The staff all said at once and started clapping. I hugged my brothers and said thanks. Dr. B gave me a bag full of goodies too. Wow I'm on a roll today!



Wait for it....




Abracadabra!

 


Okay so I had to smile for one picture giggle



Two days later, I came back to the orthodontist to get my pink, Tinkerbell sticker, with sparkles, retainer! My first retainer, remember my first "retainer" wasn't a real retainer. giggle

Now I just have appointments every other month just for my check up. It's all good! It did take me awhile to get used to my "new" teeth, but now I'm happy with them! I really am!

Oh and my first wisdom tooth is coming in!!!! I know! It hurts but it's exciting!

That will be the end of my Tooth Story History speech, so I hope I didn't bore you or disgust you in any way!

*Allie*