So, this week my bottom retainer from when I had braces broke. I had not been to the orthodontist for nearly ten years. Going back wasn't awkward at all believe it or not. They were actually the first medical related place to not ask me, "so, you're really a guy?" or "have you had the surgery?" Anyway, they showed me my file that included pictures of me from when I was little and had a mangled mash of teeth. One set of photos was from when I was eleven, the other set was me at fifteen. While my teeth were straight in the photo of me at fifteen I noticed the horrible truth of what masculinization had occured for me during puberty. My forehead sloped backwards, and I grew an adams apple. At fifteen I still had a pretty fat face, but now, at 22, even with HRT it is very lean. The change was remarkable, and depressing.
All the dental assistants thought the photos were funny and cute, but they were pry just looking at the teeth. I would rather have my eleven year old face back, teeth and all.
They let me take the photos home with me, and I did. But someone recommended I just put the away and don't look at them.
