I got braces in March. I’ve had them on for 7 months, and to the untrained eye, my teeth alignment is near perfect and my overbite looks like it’s been corrected.

Unfortunately I didn’t get my wires changed for the month of October, but I’m not too upset about it because my teeth are moving just fine. 7 months ago

which didn’t get off to a roaring start.

Dentist: How can I help you today
Me: I’ve come for a check-up as I haven’t seen a dentist in two years
Dentist: Two years?!?
Me: mumbles well, I’ve been living abroad…
Dentist: So they don’t have dentists abroad? Were you living the wilderness?

It got better though. Apparently I’ve got brilliant teeth. Perfectly clean, no plaque or anything, no “you need to do this better” just praise! It really made my day. He even said I didn’t need to come back for a six month appointment as I obviously look after my teeth very well, and that I should come back in a year (seriously? I thought they had an obligation to drum up repeat business)... But woo! Easily the best dentist appointment ever! 22 months ago

it’s just that I lost my retainer before the end of treatment when I had my brace taken off as a teen, and they’ve regressed a little. In most photos they look great, but I’d like them to be aligned just that bit better.

Bit of a fickle goal this one. Seems a bit silly to want what are essentially ‘fashionable’ teeth when my teeth are perfectly nice, clean and functional. Its funny how a certain kind of dental look can gain prominence and legitimacy as the most attractive look for teeth. And how rarely we take a step back and think about how rooted in a particular culture our notions of beauty are. In Ghana a beautiful smile is one in which there is a large natural gap between the two front teeth. The larger the gap the more beautiful. In Japan the practice of Ohaguro was popular- it involved the blackening of the teeth to make them beautiful.

Anyway, cosmetic stuff aside. We’ve got a new dentist and I’ve got an appointment this week- so progress on my goal (in terms of looking after them at least). 22 months ago

Because of my teeth.. They’re not THAT BAD, but they’re not straight either. And I’m a smoker and coffee lover so they could have been whiter =/

I’m starting to work in August and will make an appointment at a dentist later to see what we can do and how much it will cost. One of my goals is to quit smoking and I was thinking that if I make it to one year smoke free I will go to the dentist for a teeth whitening. I talked to my dentist about it last year and he didn’t wanna do it if I keep smoking because it would just be a waste of money for me. 22 months ago

I have the worst British genes!!! I have never had nice teeth. Ever! Now there chipping and almost beige. The worst part is that I am TERRIFIED of dentists. So I haven’‘t gotten them fixed yet. Well, then there’s the fact that I can’t afford dental. So I guess there’s one for me to work on. Thanx for the inspiration Fernweh! 22 months ago