Something monumental has happened: this past Thursday, I got my braces off. That’s right: no more tin grin, metal mouth, or brace face. This is a big deal to me, and I am very proud that I had them less than two years. Getting your braces off is a rite of passage for students in school, no matter where you are. Although students do not normally tease kids that have braces, it is a big change when they are taken off. Let’s talk about actually getting them off. I am a good person when it comes to my teeth. I brush my teeth at least twice a day, and I floss about four times a week. That did nothing to ease my pain when my orthodontist started drilling down to the glue on my teeth. The drill would hit nerves every two seconds, sending chills down my spine and sending knives to my brain, causing a splitting headache. If that was not bad enough, on every tooth, the drill would scrape the gums, tearing them to shreds. When they finally told me I could rinse, I looked in the mirror, and all I saw was a sea of red in my mouth. It took my gums days before they stopped bleeding when I brushed my teeth. Along with the spine-chilling nerves, and my own red sea, the dust the drill sent up went everywhere made me look like a demented clown that messed up their makeup. At first I thought I would have preferred to keep my braces on for the rest of my life, but now that I look in the mirror every day and see a mature-looking smile, I am very pleased and would gladly do it again for the same result. Getting my braces off may no seem like a big deal to anyone who has not had braces, but to me it is a boost of self-confidence, and I am positive that anyone who had, has, or will have braces will understand where I am coming from.