I made it to the finish line!

Today has been a super emotional day for me. Almost exactly 3 years ago, I discovered that I had huge issues with my teeth and jaws. I found out that not only would I need to go into braces, but that I would have to have life-altering surgery. At the time, I was so overwhelmed. I cried thinking about everything I'd have to go through. What's even worse is that 1 surgery turned into 4. Fast forward 3 years and today was the big day where my braces finally got removed.

I've been in braces for almost 2.5 years so today felt a little surreal. Getting the braces removed didn't hurt, it just felt really, really strange. Once all the glue was polished off, my orthodontist finally showed me the smile I had worked so hard for.

I told myself that I wouldn't cry. I swore up and down that tears would not flow. However, the minute I saw my smile in the mirror, I broke down. I started crying (happy tears of course!) and the tears just came. I hugged Dr. Klein, thanking her, and then she started bawling too. We cried together and then we started laughing. It was a really cool moment. I can't even imagine how she felt as a provider. I'm sure this moment is exactly the reason why she went into medicine/dentistry in the first place. For me, her care and knowledge has really changed my life. My confidence and just overall quality of life have risen dramatically. Thinking back on it now, I really don't know how I was living life with my old smile. I never smiled in photos, I only ate a select few items, and I constantly had issues with cavities due to the way my teeth were. Obviously, I wasn't living. I was surviving day by day. So Dr. Klein, if you are reading this, thanks from the bottom of my heart.

I know that Dr. Klein couldn't have done this alone, so thank you to everyone who helped me through this journey. This list includes:
Drs. Ali and Ali - Without you and your staff, I never would have even started my jaw journey. You both were so welcoming and encouraging. I never once felt like you judged me because of my teeth and for that I say thank-you.
Dr. David Keith - You were always so kind and sympathetic to me and my case. Without you and your vast experience, my journey would have been much different. If I had to go through this all over again, I wouldn't change a thing, so thank you!
Staff at MGH Dental Group Danvers and Boston - I've gotten to know most of you over the past 3 years. I know how hard you all work and I really appreciate everything you do! Thank you for taking such good care of me these past few years.


For those wondering, I do have a before and after photos! It was hard to find a good one since I didn't often smile showing my teeth. These are not professional by any means. I have to go back on Wednesday for retainers and again in about 2 weeks for some professional office photos. I will ask for a copy of them so look for those in a couple weeks! For now, here's the before and after photo!

Before braces: October 2013     After Braces: May 2016