I have always been extremely self-conscious about my smile. In my teenage years I had unattractive gaps between my front teeth. I was really embarrassed to smile and never smiled in pictures. Most teenagers don’t get excited about the idea of getting braces, but I actually begged my mom for braces because of how insecure I felt about my teeth.
After four years of orthodontics, I finally felt good about my smile. Unfortunately, a couple of years after my braces came off my teeth started moving. Before long, the dreaded gaps in my front teeth were back.
The thought of having braces again did not appeal to me. My former dentist filled the gaps between my teeth with composite, which helped temporarily. From a distance my teeth looked alright, but up close the composite was really noticeable. It was chipped and soon became worn and discolored. My teeth were misshapen and looked bad. Here I was again, feeling embarrassed to smile because I didn’t like the way my teeth looked. There were also times when the composite would chip out completely. I called my dentist several times in a panic to see if he could squeeze me into his schedule to fill in the gaps with more composite. I was constantly worried about it.
I had known that the composite was only a temporary fix for the dissatisfaction I felt about my smile. Cosmetic dentistry was the best solution for me, but I debated going forward with it. I felt that because my teeth looked alright from a distance, it wasn’t a necessary procedure. However I still wished for a pretty smile that I could feel confident about.
I have worked at Arrowhead Dental Laboratory since 2002. I have seen many amazing smile transformations and realized that people who sought cosmetic dentistry were not all extreme makeover cases. Most people simply had minor imperfections that had always bothered them, and they wanted to do something to improve the way they felt about their appearance.
My wish for a smile I could be proud of came true when I had an amazing opportunity to be a patient for a full arch reconstruction course taught by Dr. Chris Stevens. I was nervous going into the procedure, but Dr. Stevens and his whole team made me feel very comfortable and completely at ease. The entire process was much easier than I ever could have imagined.
I am so happy with my new smile. My Elite veneers look so natural. I am very grateful to Dr. Dick Barnes, Dr. Chris Stevens, and everyone else who helped me achieve the smile I have always wished for.
