I'm 27, and I have needed braces for years but the cost was a big turnoff. My teeth weren't THAT crooked, so I just lived with it. I was a schoolteacher for four years, and I was always jealous of my students who got braces. Now, as a medical student, I decided it was time to finally fix my teeth.

The day I finally got my braces (Damon 3's) on was scary. I am a medical student and the entire morning of class, I just kept thinking, "will they hurt? Will I faint from the pain? Will I gag from the impressions?" So many worries... so when the moment came to put them on, I was a nervous wreck.

Needless to say, I survived. My first thought after seeing my braces on was, "Oh no, I look like I am 12!" I am young looking to start with, and the braces accentuate the look. Two amusing things happened that day. First, I went to a department store to do some shopping for my husband. I also bought a necklace for myself and the checkout lady said, "Oh, are you going to the prom this weekend?" I told her, no, my prom was 10 years ago. Then, I went to the gym and swam in the "adults only" heated therapy pool. The lifeguard came over and told me I would have to get out because you have to be 18 to swim there! The youthfulness of my new look is pretty extreme.

Eating was, and still is, the biggest challenge that day. I have "turbo's" in my molars to keep me from biting my braces off. Chewing is almost impossible, and in 3 days I have lost 5 pounds. But my ortho assures me that it will indeed get better (I don't have much more to lose from my frame!)

My husband thinks it's cool that I look so young. I am so excited to finally be on the way to my "movie star smile."