If you know me, you may know anywhere from a little to A LOT of my story. When I was thirteen years old, I had a serious bicycle accident. I fell from several feet up and my mouth hit the concrete, shattering my maxilla bone by forcing the roots of my front teeth through my upper gums.

I was unable to receive treatment as a child and endured a lot of trauma as a result, which has followed me into adulthood.

In 2011, at twenty-six years old, I finally had my jagged, brown incisors pulled and my maxilla bone rebuilt via grafting procedures in preparation for dental implants which I never received due to fear (C-PTSD) and finances. With my new "flipper" (removable partial denture), my life had changed so much for the better that I thought maybe I didn't need the implants anyway.

In March of 2023, I got sober for what I hope is the final time. The work I've done in my recovery has afforded me the courage and the commitment to healing for good. Many of you know I am writing a memoir about my teeth because this has been THE defining experience of my lifetime. I am ready to move forward for good. (And finish this damn book!)

In April 2024, I braved the periodontist's office again to finally approach this head-on. I told him I am ready for treatment and he referred me to an orthodontist as a first step. I was fitted with full-mouth braces in July 2024 ($7,358.00).

In November of 2024, I sought out a prosthodontist who is a specialist in facial trauma and reconstruction. The architect and point-person of my treatment plan, his job is to create a blueprint that will result in the utmost aesthetics and function in the end. He costs...a lot ($19,950). He sent me to an implant specialist who will be charging me for the implant surgery in addition to the ~$20k I will owe to my prosthodontist, Dr. Leong. Her estimate is around $9,000 for the procedure.

The price tag for healing from trauma is not accessible for most in this country. I am blessed to be able to handle some of this, but not without undertaking a massive amount of debt. Donations will be used to pay for my treatment plan in phases.

Phase 1: $3,100 <-- "paid" with Care credit to initiate treatment plan.

Phase 2: $1,100 to Dr. Leong, $9,000 to Dr. Saunders to extract #10, graft bone, and place three implants

Phase 3: $3,000 to Dr. Leong for provisional implant crowns

Phase 4: Finalize orthodontics

Phase 5: $13,750 to Dr. Leong for three custom fabricated abutments, placement, and permanent crowns.

Phase 2 is approaching more quickly than anticipated and I am hopeful that in July 2025, with my dental insurance resetting, Delta Dental will cover at least the cost of one implant, which could take $2,000 off the total charges. I am currently set up to "pay as I go," and plan to utilize various credit cards and financing options and pay them down as soon as possible in order to continue treatment in a timely manner.

Perhaps the only photo someone snapped of me with an open-mouthed smile before my initial surgery.

The number one way to help me in this process is to share this fundraiser on your social media platforms. I am humbly asking for donations to help me through this journey. It is a journey through which I have often trudged alone and I do not take lightly asking for help in this way. I appreciate you all and cannot express my gratitude enough. <3