I was frustrated with the dentist I had been seeing and asked a friend at work for a recommendation. She highly recommended Huisman Family Dentistry. Over the years I had a lot of dental work done, including three permanent bridges, and my teeth were in pretty good condition. I did, however, have a space between my front top teeth, and my bottom teeth were crooked. Because of this, I always covered my mouth when I smiled or laughed.
When I first started seeing Dr. Huisman, he asked what my expectations were for my teeth, and I answered that I wanted to keep them. He asked if there was anything about them I did not like and that opened the door for how I felt about the way they looked. I was 59 years old and in a highly visible career – assistant to a CEO at one of Holland’s major employers. Dr Huisman brought up the idea of braces, explaining that he could not really achieve the result he felt I wanted without first straightening my teeth! He recommended a local orthodontist and I decided to see him and get more information.
The decision to fix my teeth was not easy; it was both expensive and time consuming. But I think I had reached a point in life where I felt it was okay to do something this major for myself! I wore braces for nearly two years and saw Dr. Huisman regularly during the period the braces were on.
I didn’t have the big wow moment after the braces came off because Dr. H had a lot of repair work to do. My bottom teeth were all chipped, but he made them even again! He also put a crown over one of my front top teeth, making my smile more uniform. Now, when I see pictures of myself smiling, I am amazed at how nice my teeth look! I think I smile more, and I do not cover my mouth! A nice smile is very youthful and one of the nicest things we can do for ourselves as we age – a bright smile takes years off!
