Growing up I didn’t smile too often. My two front teeth protruded a lot and I was called Bucky Beaver. I learned to smile with my mouth closed and when I laughed, I covered my mouth with my hand. I even slept with my mouth covered to hide my teeth (and the habit became so ingrained that I still do that). I had braces for two years and they barely made a difference.
I still managed to do well in my jobs and started working with computers in my late twenties. Around age thirty I made a big decision. I had already had several teeth pulled on the top, two when I got braces (and they were growing in my sinuses), then two more that got infected later in life. After a lot of research, I found an affordable local dentist who was willing to pull the rest of my uppers so I could get dentures.
It was quite the ordeal, I had terrible black eyes from the large amount of Novocain used. When I went back for my checkup, the poor dentist was horrified. But the biggest change was my personality. No, not my personality, my confidence. I no longer felt I needed to hide my mouth behind my hand. I could smile.
As my confidence soared, so did my career. I went from a low level computer job to a VP of Client Services position. I did private consulting, I did consulting for a major computer vendor, I did quite well through the years till my retirement.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. But the biggest surprise has been the number of comments I get on social media about my great smile. No one knows how many years that smile was hidden.
