Things we do to be pretty...

(or simply have teeth in 15 years)

I had my second bicuspids on my maxilla pulled yesterday. It took me 30 years to get those suckers; 30 minutes to pull them out. I knew what the obstacles for a healthy bite were going to be, but actually having bloody, gapping holes where once there were (ecru-colored) teeth is a reality check. I have the best dentist and everything went smoothly. In addition to a painless procedure, i have no swelling, no pain afterwards, and clotting is going well.

I guess that in the long run I'll have the benefits of straight teeth. But what are these benefits? I already made it through high school without too much agony. I am already cocky with high self-esteem, I date an incredible woman, and my career is entirely in my hands.

Maybe part of me just needs to know, as my blogmate Rex told me, what it is people go through to be/feel/appear beautiful. In this case, all this fuss is an anthropology of teenager transformation. From what I have read online, braces in this country have become a common place experience for many 12 and 13 year olds, regardless of their actual orthodontic needs.

Whether this whole procedure makes me more beautiful, I don’t really care or know at this point, I just know it's a bitch to have invasive orthodontics at 31 (or any age).