Some days I feel pretty despite the braces. Like today. Today I feel pretty despite the braces. I like what I finally chose to wear to work --black jeans, black top, green necklace. My skin is clear today, my hair is behaving. I can feel pretty despite the braces, but as soon as I catch myself in the mirror in profile, I don't feel pretty anymore. My lower jaw juts out, making my face look concave and my cheeks and eyes look sunken in. My chin is too angular and unfeminine. I'm never happy with how I look after I see myself from the side.
I often find myself justifying my decision to surgically correct my bite to friends and family. I list my inability to chew properly and the possibility of TMJ pain in the future, trying to avoid the cosmetic reason for my choice. I don't deny it to myself, though -- while it is not the only reason I am choosing to pursue this procedure, it is a major factor. I believe a new profile will make me feel more beautiful. I hope I'm not expecting too much.
About Me
- allison
- I am an 19-year-old college student. I love the color green, painting my nails, and Orbits Sweet Mint gum.
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5 comments:
Hi Allison, thanks for the comment and checking out my site. Congrats on starting a blog, I think you will be very glad you did, and you are an exceptional writer I might add! I felt the same way at first, that is I tried to keep another blog but never was able to write anything interesting. Then when I started my ortho blog I knew I had lots to say and the flow felt very natural. I totally identify with your reasons for doing this and you will find that us ortho geeks just "get it", we completely understand and share your motivation. We are very visually oriented though and photos definitely play a key role. Not only do they help the conversation along, they also add a great deal of excitement since results really speak for themselves. You are among friends who will appreciate even the smallest change in your teeth and we'll cheer you on the whole way through. Based on your description it sounds to me like this procedure is going to make an enormous improvement for you and you can pretty much count on it changing your life, and that is no exaggeration! I'm also a class III (and I had SARPE last year) so you get to watch me go through it before you do!
Nice blog. I'm so impressed with your 17-year-old writing skills! Will you pursue a career that involves writing? As for feeling like you have to justify your surgery to anyone, just don't. You can't possibly make anyone understand. It sounds like you have wonderfully supportive parents, however! This is not always the case, and you might consider yourself quite lucky. YOU know why you're doing the surgery, the surgeon knows why, and the dentist, the orthodontist, etc. We fellow patients really understand, too. If you can keep your eye on the long-term goal (not THAT long, in reality) then you'll be on the other side of surgery before you know it, and you won't have people asking you to justify it. Then life goes forward with normal jaws from there. Just keep your head up high and enjoy the process. You will be an inspiration, leader, and support to others who are having the surgery or considering it.
PLEASE do whatever you have to do to avoid the surgeon who keeps calling your Class III an "overbite!" (?) Are you serious??? OMG
Just tell people you're having corrective surgery to repair a jaw misalignment--pretty common. When people say they don't think you need it, wait... (AAAAAAhhHHHHHAHHhahhhaa! who do they think they are?!) then tell them, "That's weird, because my surgeon and my orthodontist and my dentist all seem pretty serious that they think I do. So, I think I'm gonna go with that."
O boy can I relate to you missy!!
Hello, I'm Shontell btw. :D I found your blog through Mrs. shantons site. Isn't she awesome!? I think so.
I too... look in the mirror and can feel pretty when my skin is clear and my hair is being nice but as soon as I turn sideways..YIKES! I hate my profile. I always sat in the back of the class so no one would look at it. I only just started having an underbite a couple months ago because of the SARPE surgery that I had. My chin is VERY masculine. HATE IT. lol Having an underbite is hard isn't it?! I SO feel your pain lil miss.
Anyhoo - I'm going to follow your blog now that I've found it and link it back to my page if ya don't mind.
Take care,
Shontell
ALSO.. you will be very glad you started blogging! It's so fun to see everyones results and everyones so helpful when your down. Where else could you find so many people who understand and can relate to?? :)
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