# I'm SO happy about this, and wanted to share :)



## kristina ftw! (Aug 10, 2008)

I wasn't sure where to put this 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 But here goes!

I've always had horrible self esteem issues because of my teeth. Obviously there are other things I don't love about myself, but my teeth have always been my number one issue.
Here in Norway, pretty much everyone gets braces when they're young, so most people have perfect teeth. I know it's like that in America as well.
The really sad thing is, in pictures from when I was about 10 years old and up until three months ago, I never smile with teeth. Not in a single one of them. I hated them. HATED them.
When I was about 11 I had braces for six months to fix a bad bite.
When I had them taken off, I still wasn't happy about the way my teeth looked (they weren't straight), but my dentist wouldn't do anything about it, because he said it "wasn't a big deal".
Well, it was to me. But hey, I was very young, and I knew it was expensive, so I didn't want to make my parents pay for more if it wasn't nessecary.
I've been bothered by my teeth ever since.
Already back when I was 10, I picked up the habit of holding my hand in front of my mouth when I laughed or smiled. I still catch myself doing that sometimes, old habits really are hard to break.
Now, fast forward 6 years, to three months ago.
I *finally* got to see an orthodonocist.
I was prepared to get braces again, even though most people have theirs taken off way before they're 17. 
My new orthodonocist said that I probably only needed a retainer, since only two of my teeth are actually crooked (which doesn't sound like much, but it's VERY noticable, I'll tell you why later), and all I needed to do was to expand my jaw (it's crowded) and push those two back in place.
I had mixed feelings. On one hand, a retainer is less painful than braces, and you can take it off whenever you need/want to. On the other hand, I was afraid it wouldn't be effective enough, and that when my treatment was done, my teeth still wouldn't be straight, but my dentist would decide it "wasn't a big deal", and I would go through another 7 years of hating my teeth.

The problem with my teeth was that it's crowded, so one tooth (not the very front one, but the one next to it) is a lot further behind the other ones, and the front tooth right next to it is kind of overlapping the other front tooth, and sticks out more than the others.
I know this doesn't exactly paint a very vivid picture, but it was really noticable, and made it seem like all my teeth were crooked, even though they weren't.

Now, after only three months of wearing the retainer, this is what they look like:











Granted, this is my "good tooth side" (as in, was never awful, but not good either), but here's one from the front:






THEY LOOK ALMOST PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. I didn't even realize until I saw these pictures.
Now, I know it's hard to imagine without a before picture, but trust me, there is SUCH a huge difference. And after only three months!
And the best part is ... I was looking at pictures from my vacation to the US, and I'm smiling with teeth in almost every single one of them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



I finally feel comfortable smiling, both in pictures and in everyday life.
They're still not perfect, and I still have a bit of a long way to go, but they are SO much better. 
I AM SO HAPPY.
SO SO HAPPY.
It might seem stupid, but oh my gosh, this is such a huge thing for me.
Oh, and THANKS FOR READING ALL OF THIS. Haha. I was just so happy and wanted to share with someone.

OH, and since this is a makeup forum, I'm going to go ahead and apologize for the shiny face in the last one, haha!

*ETA: Oh, and the treatment so far has been a lot more painful than I expected (must be the "expanding of the jaw"-part - I know - duh, right?) but it's so worth it, it's not even funny 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


*


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## Brittni (Aug 10, 2008)

Congrats. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Your teeth are nice and white, too!

BTW  Are you still using Dior self tanner to get that tan look?? I think that was you who posted a big thread on it. TIA


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## kristina ftw! (Aug 10, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Brittni* 

 
_Congrats. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Your teeth are nice and white, too!

BTW Are you still using Dior self tanner to get that tan look?? I think that was you who posted a big thread on it. TIA_

 
Thank you so much!
Yep, that was me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I did, but after my trip to the US (we were there for a whole month, WOO!) I got a pretty dark tan from all the sun, so I'm not using it right now. I'm going back to it once my tan fades though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's still my love :*
I'm actually REALLY tan right now though (I know, right? NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY! Seriously, I haven't had a proper natural tan since I was like ... 7. My own mother said so.), so if I used self tanner as well, that would be way overkill 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



But man, I'm almost excited for it to fade a little so I can use it again. Only almost.


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## kimmy (Aug 10, 2008)

you're so cute. and your teeth look wonderful!

i had to get jaw work done when i had braces, too. hurt like a motherfucker...i had this thing in the roof of my mouth for my palette and i had to expand it once a day, so i start doing it twice a day (my theory was to get it done in half the time) and that wasn't a good idea at all. i had the worst headache ever the entire time i had that stupid thing. my teeth still aren't perfect (they're not smooth at the bottom for some reason) but i dread going to the dentist so i'm over it haha.

do you use anything to whiten them? they're veeerrry nice.


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## kristina ftw! (Aug 10, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *kimmy* 

 
_you're so cute. and your teeth look wonderful!

i had to get jaw work done when i had braces, too. hurt like a motherfucker...i had this thing in the roof of my mouth for my palette and i had to expand it once a day, so i start doing it twice a day (my theory was to get it done in half the time) and that wasn't a good idea at all. i had the worst headache ever the entire time i had that stupid thing. my teeth still aren't perfect (they're not smooth at the bottom for some reason) but i dread going to the dentist so i'm over it haha.

do you use anything to whiten them? they're veeerrry nice. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
I HAVE THAT SAME THING, AND I DID THE SAME THING. Hahahaha. HURT SO BAD, but I like to believe it's part of the reason I've seen results so soon ^_^
Oh, and I actually accidently left it at home when I went to visit my boyfriend for two weeks, and I didn't loosen it when I got back ... OUCH OUCH OUCH. Haha.
I've used Crest Whitestrips a couple of times! The regular ones, I think they come in boxes of like 50 or 100 or something? My American friend Kaylee gave me some, because we don't have them here in Norway. Even though I've only used them a couple of times, I still think they made a noticable difference! I'm going to do it more when my teeth are straight though, because I'm afraid I'm going to get color differences because of the overlapping 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Thank you so much for the compliments!


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## discopie (Aug 10, 2008)

congrats! i can totally relate to your story. glad to hear that you're so happy with your results!


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## Brittni (Aug 10, 2008)

your eyebrows are gorgeous too fyi. lol. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 i want 'em!! and the tan, hahaha. i think i might give dior a try otherwise its the tanning bed 'cause im getting desperate & just dyed my hair from super blonde to auburn (reddish brown) soo i def. need a tan. xen tan works for me but fades kinda fast and im bad with streakage :S


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## coachkitten (Aug 10, 2008)

You are gorgeous!  I am glad that you are feeling so good about your teeth now!


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## Mabelle (Aug 10, 2008)

Congrats! I know what it's like to be self conscious about you're smile. It feels awful
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




i had pretty straight teeth, but a pretty bad under bite. I was teased horribly. On my first day of high school i was called Jay leno, someone asked if i could open bottles in my jaw, people used to talk about me when i walked by... Anyway! I got braces to make sure my teeth were perfect and then i had upper and lower jaw surgery. Basically they cut some bone out of my lower jaw, made it shorter, then cut my palette in half narrowed it. I have 6 screws in my bottom jaw, 4 plates in the top. It was a shitty situation, but i'm *very happy* with the results. Sometimes i still think my profile looks weird or fake... i had it done in 2002, but i'm finally getting used to/liking the way i look.

Smiles are such a sensitive issue with people. You smile when you're happy, laugh when somethings funny... its one of the first things people see. To feel shitty about you're smile really sucks.

Either way, you're teeth look *GREAT*! At first i thought you got veneers (and good ones to boot! not those big fake looking ones), keep up the good work with the retainer. I stopped wearing mine and my teeth went a tad crooked again, but i dont mind, you an barely notice. 


and tahts my story of the night!


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## purrtykitty (Aug 10, 2008)

Your teeth look great!  Now you got me wanting to get mine fixed.


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## xsnowwhite (Aug 11, 2008)

they look great! you look so pretty!


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## esmeralda89 (Aug 11, 2008)

i know exactly how you felt ive had teeth issues until i got my braces but still im unhappy my orthodintist is makeing my mouth very small and as a result my cheeks are getting bigger


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## Shaquille (Aug 11, 2008)

congrats!! 

My husband had problems with his teeth too that really bothered him (I never knew or noticed that). When he talked or smiled he tended to cover his mouth as well. He had his teeth retained too.. and now although it's not perfect, it looks so much better and his confidence had boosted ever since


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## rbella (Aug 11, 2008)

My God!! Those are the prettiest and whitest teeth I've ever seen!  Congratulations!


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## juicygirl (Aug 11, 2008)

*you are gorgeous girl!! &&i am glad you are feeling better about yourself...although i can't imagine you ever looking bad. =]*


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## laperle (Aug 11, 2008)

I had really bad teeth and the process to fix them was really really slow and painful, so I totally get your joy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




It's off-topic, but your cheeks are so cute! You've must had been a super pretty baby.


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## Enthused (Aug 11, 2008)

Oh I had the same thing at the top of my mouth to expand my jaw, It was such a pain, though mine never really hurt just felt extremely tight. Your teeth look gorgeous now though! And your so pretty!


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## smh28 (Aug 13, 2008)

I can feel your happiness coming off the computer screen! Good for you! I am happy for you.


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## snowflakelashes (Aug 13, 2008)

Sweet! you look amazing and sooo happy!


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## xcharlize (Aug 13, 2008)

I totally agree with you with teeth. It's a big thing for me too and I had the braces and all but the smile.. at the end it's ALL worth it. and Crest White Strips really bring them out. haha. I have this fetish for straight teeth actually. A nice smile is definitely attractive in my books. Congrats on the teeth I can imagine how happy you are. I remember like it was yesterday when I got my braces removed.. I couldn't stop smiling.  ^__^


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## NatalieMT (Aug 13, 2008)

Wow, you have such nice teeth! They're gorgeous. Very straight and very white. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I'm glad you managed to get this treatment done and are finally happy with your smile. You should be anyways it looks great.


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## user79 (Aug 15, 2008)

Glad you are happy with your teeth now, they look great!

BTW I just want to commend you on your excellent English writing, if you're from Norway! I'm impressed...


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## frocher (Aug 16, 2008)

Your smile looks beautiful, I am glad you feel better about yourself!


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## abrody (Aug 16, 2008)

wow your teeth are really white! i was afraid of getting braces when i first hit my teens and although my teeth aren't entirely crooked, i do regret it. i've been looking into those invisible retainers but i haven't committed to anything yet.


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## MAC_Whore (Aug 16, 2008)

They look beautiful.  I am glad you are happy with your teeth now. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Where did you go in the US?  Did you have a good time?


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## kristina ftw! (Aug 26, 2008)

Thank you so much, everyone! And a special thanks to everyone who shared their story 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Brittni* 

 
_your eyebrows are gorgeous too fyi. lol. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 i want 'em!! and the tan, hahaha. i think i might give dior a try otherwise its the tanning bed 'cause im getting desperate & just dyed my hair from super blonde to auburn (reddish brown) soo i def. need a tan. xen tan works for me but fades kinda fast and im bad with streakage :S_

 
Ahh, thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Haha, I have an on/off love/hate relationship with my eyebrows. I'm glad I don't have to pluck them (because it makes me sneeze! Hahahah), but sometimes the shape bothers me. I wish they had more of an arch to them. I actually haven't tried xen tan, but I've heard great things about it. Haven't seen it in Norway though.

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Mabelle* 

 
_Congrats! I know what it's like to be self conscious about you're smile. It feels awful
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




i had pretty straight teeth, but a pretty bad under bite. I was teased horribly. On my first day of high school i was called Jay leno, someone asked if i could open bottles in my jaw, people used to talk about me when i walked by... Anyway! I got braces to make sure my teeth were perfect and then i had upper and lower jaw surgery. Basically they cut some bone out of my lower jaw, made it shorter, then cut my palette in half narrowed it. I have 6 screws in my bottom jaw, 4 plates in the top. It was a shitty situation, but i'm *very happy* with the results. Sometimes i still think my profile looks weird or fake... i had it done in 2002, but i'm finally getting used to/liking the way i look.

Smiles are such a sensitive issue with people. You smile when you're happy, laugh when somethings funny... its one of the first things people see. To feel shitty about you're smile really sucks.

Either way, you're teeth look *GREAT*! At first i thought you got veneers (and good ones to boot! not those big fake looking ones), keep up the good work with the retainer. I stopped wearing mine and my teeth went a tad crooked again, but i dont mind, you an barely notice. 


and tahts my story of the night!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
Oh my gosh, people can be so horrible. I'm sorry you had to go through all that. I would FREAK OUT if I had to get jaw surgery! Surgeries in general scare me, but mouth surgery? -shudder-
I'm glad you're happy with your results! I'm sure you look great 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



Oh, and I'm actually getting veneers for two of my teeth when I'm 18 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Because they are discolored from nerve damage, boo! That's a whole different story, involving a metal horse on a merry-go-round.

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *rbella* 

 
_My God!! Those are the prettiest and whitest teeth I've ever seen! Congratulations!_

 
THIS MADE ME SO HAPPY. Like, you have no idea. Haha. That's just about the best compliment anyone could give me right now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *juicygirl* 

 
_*you are gorgeous girl!! &&i am glad you are feeling better about yourself...although i can't imagine you ever looking bad. =]*_

 
Aww, thank you so much, that's really sweet :*

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *laperle* 

 
_I had really bad teeth and the process to fix them was really really slow and painful, so I totally get your joy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




It's off-topic, but your cheeks are so cute! You've must had been a super pretty baby._

 
Thank you! Haha, actually ... I wasn't a very cute baby at all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Well, I was, up until I was about 2 years old ... Then I just ... Wasn't. Haha. Because I was really little and skinny, so I didn't have cute chubby cheeks or anything 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Just a very skinny, and IMO, long, face. Which I still think I do, a little bit, but what can ya' do!

 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *MissChievous* 

 
_Glad you are happy with your teeth now, they look great!

BTW I just want to commend you on your excellent English writing, if you're from Norway! I'm impressed..._

 
Thank you so much 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My dad and brother and I travelled to the US when I was 7 or so, so my dad started teaching us English a couple of months before. We learned a LOT on that trip. We've travelled there three times after that as well, so that helps a lot.
We've also had au pairs since I was pretty young, and we've always had to speak English with them for the first couple of months, so that's great practise too. 
Oh, and I have a lot of American and British friends, so that's another thing that's helped a lot. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *abrody* 

 
_wow your teeth are really white! i was afraid of getting braces when i first hit my teens and although my teeth aren't entirely crooked, i do regret it. i've been looking into those invisible retainers but i haven't committed to anything yet._

 
I wanted to get those invisible ones so badly, but hardly anyone does them here in Norway, and no one in my city 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Quote:

   Originally Posted by *MAC_Whore* 

 
_They look beautiful. I am glad you are happy with your teeth now. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Where did you go in the US? Did you have a good time?_

 
Thanks! We went all over the East Coast, really. We started out in New York, and we just drove around ... We went to North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois and Washington. And probably somewhere else that I forgot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



We were actually looking at houses in North Carolina, my family is thinking of moving there!


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## kimberlane (Aug 27, 2008)

I just wanted to say your teeth look really great. I am 20 now and have always hated my teeth the bottom is pretty much straight a little crowding. My top is my problem, my two front teeth are big, (wide not long) and the two teeth that surround them are crooked which makes a small gap between them and my vampire teeth(not sure what they are really called, that's what I call them). I was never one to complain as a child though I wich now I had. But it can still be solved. I'll just get carded more often with braces.


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## Kayteuk (Sep 5, 2008)

Hej Kristina, Havordan Har du det? =)

You look stunning! I had exactly the same problem as you did, I had to wait until I was 16 to get braces! And then I had them for a year, but they are so worth it!

Your so tanned too! Lol, I was going to ask if you had been using the Dior tann. We should of created a fan club for it really!

Anyhoo girl! Add me on myspace or facebook sometime!!

Lotsa love!


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## CantAffordMAC (Sep 5, 2008)

Congratulations! You are GORGEOUS girl


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## mafalda (Sep 5, 2008)

Veldig bra tenner. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




(And the rest isn't bad, either. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


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## emeraldjewels (Sep 5, 2008)

You look so beautiful on all of those pictures, and your teeth are the whitest teeth i've ever seen.


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