Geyer1

ShainaGeyer
Gardner/4
HonorsEnglish10
25January2016
PermanentTeeth,Permanentmemories,Permanentloss
AsWebMDproclaims,teetharethehardestsubstancesinthehumanbody.
Constructedinfivelayers,eachtoothisartfullycrafted,leadingtowhywesmiletoaccentuate
thecharacterourteethpresent,veiledbehindourlips.Asmileevokesconfidence,leadingtoan
overallstateofhappiness.
Showmesometeeth,mydadwouldalwaysremarkbeforeeveryphototakenwhenmy
sister,Sara,andIwerelittle,tryingtoeaseourwaythroughnotsmilingforthecamera.Asmile
wasalwaysassumedtobeprevalentinapicture,buttheMonaLisaiscontradictorytowhatmy
dadwouldalwaysexclaimtowardus.Hersmileissubtlebutoffersanessenceofhappiness
towardLeonardiDaVincispaintingofher.
ItwasKindergarten.WeallrehearsedinMr.Keigsclassroombeforethewintershow
whereweallsangtoourparentsChristmassongs,including,AllIwantforChristmasismytwo
frontteeth.Mostofusdidnthavemanyofourteethutteringalispofconfusionwhenwetried
toexplainsomethingimportantofourfiveyearoldminds.Itwaslikeapleatoourparentstotell
SantaandtheToothFairytoindulgeinajointcollaborationtobringusourteeth.Wehada
toothlosschartinMr.KeigsclassroomandIwasalwaystheonetolosemybabyteeththe
mostIrememberitbeingthebiggestaccomplishmentasappraisalarosefrommyjubilant
classmatesandtheToothFairyawardedmewithawhopping$20.Inthesecondgrade,getting
yourfirstorthodontistappointmentwasabigdeal.Itmeantyouweregrowingupasyourteeth

weregrowingintoacrookedsmile,andwewantedtolooklikethebigkidswhoplayedonthe
blacktopbythefrontoftheschool,whilethirdgradekidsandunderwerestuckonthe
playground.Mybestfriendwasthefirstonetogetherbracesonandmyjealousyturnedgreen
withenvyaswediscussedshewouldgetastraightsmilelikealotofthebigkidshad.During
theschoolsnackbreaksandlunches,wefantasizedabouttheluxuriousmetaldelicaciesthat
wouldinhabitourmouthsofdifferentdesignstraditionalsquare,hearts,stars,ovalsanything
onecoulddream.Braceswerelikeembellishmentsforourteeththatwouldmakeusfeellikewe
hadmetourprimestageofgrowingup.
Bracesbecameaconceptforasecondstageduringtheagesofprematurityand
insecurityhadbegantotamperwithmyconfidencelevels.Iwasinpossessionofall32
permanentoradultteeth.Itwasadreadfulcommemorationthataftergettingallthatmetal
removedfrommymouthinthefirststageofmyoneandahalfyearofbracesexperienceinthe
3rd4thgrade,Iwouldhavetorestarttheprocessforanothertwoyearsinthe6th.Allmy
classmateswouldtellmethatmyteethwerealreadystraightinMs.McClures6thgrade
classroom,andgettingbraceswouldjustmeangettingteasedjauntily.Mysmilewasfurther
called,traintracks,braceface,andmetalmouth.Bracketsofmetalandwirelinedthe
surfacesofbothlevelsofmyteethinsinuatingpainasitwastechnologythatwouldmaneuver
myteethintoastraighteralignment.Still,inthepicturesmydadwouldcapture,inthemoments
Iwouldtrytoconcealthemetalcontaminatingmymouth,hewouldgenerouslycommandthe
teethtobebroadcastedforthedigitalcamera.
Enteringmiddleschool,bracesbecameafad:almosteveryoneofmyfriendssmiles
wereinhabitedbylinesofmetal.Braceswereintendedtohavestraightteethanditwaslikea
metaphor.Thewiresthatwereshapingourteethintoplacewaslikethestrictdisciplinaryat
KenilworthJuniorHighSchool,preparingusforthematuritywewouldhavetopertaintoriseto

thelevelsofexpectationthathighschoolwouldhaveforus.Juniorhighwasthetrainingwheels
ofdevelopmentandwewouldbeabletoridefreeintothefuturesofoureducationafterthe8th
gradepromotion.

DauntingmemoriesofteetherodethehappycharacterIhaveoftheemotionsthatteeth
arouse.Duringmy8thgradepromotionatKenilworthJuniorHighSchool,myoldersister,Sara
hadthesecondseizureshehadevergotteninherlife.Clenchedteethrepresented
containment:thecontainmentofcuriosity,silence,fear.Thisledtoaseriesofphonecalls,
hospitalvisits,andangerangerwaspersonifiedthrougheachofuswondering,howcouldthis
happentoher?whynow?Irememberbeingintheemergencywaitingroomandlooking
throughphotosIhadpreviouslytakenatthepromotion,allofwhichIwassmilingin.Ireflected
ontheeventsaforementioned,andconsideredtheironyofwhatwassupposedtobea
milestoneinmyscholasticcareer,promotingtowardnewacademicopportunitiesand
experiences,togettingdeliverednewsthatmyoldersistercouldhaveaformofepilepsyand
shewouldnolongerbeabletoperformcertainactions:mostimportantly,driving.Itwasan
unfortunateseriesofevents,butasigntoappreciatelife,totakeadvantageofopportunities,to
takerisks,andliketeeth,tostaystrong.
Enteringhighschool,Dadwasstillthereinmomentsoftestingoutanewcameraorhis
newcellphonethatsupposedlyhadabettercamerathantheiphonethatmywholefamily,
besideshim,possessed.Hewasstilltherewiththe,showmesometeeth,whiletryingto
capturemysisterandIatmomentswedidntwanttoremember,likecomingdownstairstohelp
mominthekitchenbeforeChristmasdinner,andtherestofmyfamilystartedtoarrive.Wedid
notwanttobeassociatedwiththecamerareplyingwithastraightfaceandalineofdiscontent
waspaintedacrossourlips,shieldinganysightofasmile.Asbraceshadbeenoffforayear
now,confidencelevelsstartedtoariseagainbeingshoweredwithcomplimentslike,youhavea

perfectsmile!Yourteetharesostraight!Yourteetharesowhite!Thesehavebeen
rewardedforthetorturethatbraceshadbroughttoallofuswhenwewerecomplaining
preteens,buttheywerenevermeantfortorture,buttopresentthegoalofabigandbright
smile.
Itwasbeingawardedforyourfirsttoothloss,theconstantteasingthatwouldresultin
humorousgiggles,andtheexuberanteagernessofspecificdatesandtimesallinvolvingteeth
todeterminehappiness.WhenIfirstgotmybracesoff,Irememberpoppinganearbudintomy
iPhone4sandlisteningtomyipodonshufflewhenthesong,Smile,byMikkyEkkocameon.It
wasanice,ironicinclinationasitwasassumedthatIcouldntstopsmilingaftermybraceshad
beenremovedandthelyricsexpressed,Butthefutureisforever,thefutureisforever,sosmile,
sosmile,sosmile.ThoselyricswererighteverytimeIdoubtedmyappearancebecauseof
metalsurroundingthewallsofmymouth,bandsthatwouldmovemyjawintoplace,receivinga
lispwhengettingthewirestightened,thosewerethesmallestfragmentsofproblematicissues
inalifewhereIshouldhavebeenshowingappraisaltowardwhatIwasgratefulfor,andsubdue
issuesIhadwithmyself.Theworstisstillyettocomeandallwecandoissmile,whether
bracesareorhavebeeninyourpossession,whetheryoursmileiscrookedorstraight,whether
youhavegapsbetweenyourteethornone,smile.Althoughittakes100bonesinyourmouth
regiontoallowyoutosmile,itisaneffortlessportrayalthathasbeenscientificallyprovento
makeyourmindbecomeintoamorepositivestatethansomeonewhohasntbeensmiling
(Buffersocial).Ifasmileissomethingthatallowsyoutotransportyourselfintoahappier
attitude,itisasmalladjustmenttoensureahappierfuture,if,youjustmakethebestofthe
situationsyouregifted.

WorksCited
"TheTeeth(HumanAnatomy):Diagram,Names,Number,andConditions."
WebMD
.WebMD,n.d.Web.26Jan.2016.
"TheScienceofSmiling:AGuidetoTheWorld'sMostPowerfulGesture."
BufferSocial
.N.p.,09Apr.2013.Web.26Jan.2016.