Is having a gap in your teeth attractive?
I opted for metal braces when I was in 9th standard and wore them until 11th standard.
But why? My teeth didn’t have a gap, but it was so messy. So that was the reason I got braces initially after removing teeth that was decaying. It was around this time, I grew a bit taller, my facial muscles grew wider and this in turn expanded my jawline. Because I got my braces, (and because a milk tooth was removed), there was some minute space which was closing slowly as time passed. It was painful every month to get the braces tightened to create more tension. But it was worthy. I felt great seeing my teeth marching towards “perfection”.
This made me confident, and within sometime, I got my metal braces removed. I was wearing the temporary yuck braces (with wire-brackets) for about a year and a half.
This comes with limitations and freedom. I was told to wear it throughout the day and remove it only when I eat. Temporary braces are fun because, you can consume all the food, which you’ve sacrificed during the metal braces time period, by just removing it. Now, this is where things got tricky. Once I was done with it, I removed it and felt so relieved. But as months passed, there was a noticeable gap in my front pair (incisors). I wasn’t bothered much in the beginning, and it was also this time when some of my friends recommended me to get it checked again. I was so not bothered by it until it started spreading so badly as I thought it was usually the case for all as I have seen my friends having small gaps upon removal. It was 2 years since I removed my former braces during this phase, only get to square 1 again.
This was frustrating and after much agitation, I got into metal braces AGAIN as the gap became worse!! (this was such a bad decision). None of the pain bothered me as I foresaw it. Again, after almost wearing it for a couple of years, and witnessing gaps every now and then, I finally reached the temporary braces phase, AGAIN. Unlike the previous one, this was an exact replica of your teeth, which fit comfortably (the plastic tray model).
Let me skip the whole boring narrative and tell what happened. Now this whole stage was during the recent times and it was during this time, I read a lot of body positivity articles and posts. This encouraged me to think and accept my flaws. Insecurity was never in my cup, but this gap bothered me. In between I was asked to undergo a Frectonomy, where a small portion of excess tissue is lasered out of your gums (for me, it was above my incisors).
I was kind of relieved that the minor-surgery went well without much problems, only to see the tissue fall back again to spread my incisors. So later the surgeons took some more tissue out and it was just fine. But it didn’t fix the issues at all. The gaps were back and I was so frustrated at this point.
It was in December 2021 that I decided to get rid of this whole issue altogether.
I put my temporary braces in the container where it’s usually kept when I don’t wear it and just slept peacefully. I had huge urges to get back to the habit of wearing it the day after, but I never went back to it. It is immaterial to me now. We are all flawed in some way or the other. The journey has been hopeful so far and I am happier than ever without having to worry about this silly gap. For some it works, for some it just doesn’t and it’s okay either way.
Laugh out loud and let your positivity be contagious. Perfection is just another misleading term amongst many other. If you loved this, make sure to share this so that I get the privilege to encourage many to be proud of their flaws.
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PS- Twitter profile dne anymore
