A woman named Cheyenne Chalai has documented her process of getting "new teeth," a transformation she had been looking forward to since her dentist suggested she get all of her teeth extracted when she was in her twenties.
The TikToker, now 31, shared that the decision to get her teeth pulled out was made 11 years ago.
"At 20 years old, I had to get dentures because I couldn't afford the dental work I needed to get done," Cheyenne told her nearly 640,000 followers on the social media platform. "I was too young at the time and thought my dentist knew best, so I trusted him and let him pull all of my teeth out."
Image credits: cheyssmilejourney
"Now, after 11 years, at 31 years old, my dentist said I've had so much bone loss that my jaw bone looks like I'm 80 years old," she explained.
"I've had such rapid bone loss just in the past three months that my dentures barely fit anymore, so it is painful to eat, talk, or even have my teeth in."
Once the teeth are removed, the roots are no longer present. As a result, the jawbone lacks stimulation, making the supporting bone deteriorate over time, according to the Texas Implant and Dental Center.
When bones become atrophied, the denture does not have much to grab hold of. This results in a denture that moves around more easily and has less support and suction.
In contrast to dentures, implants can last decades, and they allow the bone to continue to grow.
However, implants aren't exactly inexpensive: to avoid the pain and discomfort, Cheyenne had to pay $33,000 for her new teeth.
Eleven years ago, due to decay resulting from using braces, a dentist recommended that Cheyenne Chalai have all her teeth pulled out
Image credits: cheyssmilejourney
Image credits: cheyssmilejourney
The 31-year-old, whose problems with her teeth began after she got braces, set up a fundraiser, explaining that if "only 1,600 people donated $20," she'd have her dental implants.
"I'm so ready to be comfortable with my smile and be able to eat, talk, laugh and LIVE comfortably," Cheyenne said.
Many people complimented Cheyenne on her new smile
Image credits: cheyssmilejourney
On February 26, she posted a video showing the "before and after" of her smile, writing, "Getting my final set of teeth. I meant to share this back in December when my finals were put in but it's been sitting in my drafts."
She continued by thanking the dental implants clinic for "making sure [she] absolutely loved [her] forever teeth."
People quickly took to the comments to congratulate Cheyenne for her new pearly whites.
"I'm so glad you can regain that confidence of smiling," a TikTok user wrote.
"Damn… I'm in dental, and those are some damn good implant support dentures," another person commented, while another agreed, "I worked in dental for 13 years, and I've never seen implants look this good!"
A fourth person penned, "They look so amazing and natural! So happy for you."
The procedure "has truly brought [her] confidence to a whole new level," the 31-year-old explained
Someone else pointed out the substantial cost of implants, which makes the procedure inaccessible to many individuals facing dental health issues. "I wish I could afford this. Insurance should 100% cover this, but dental insurance is a joke," they wrote, to which Cheyenne replied, "You're so right. It makes no sense why this isn't covered by insurance!!! It should be considered medical because dental is absolutely medical-related!"
Responding to a compliment on her "stunning" smile, the TikToker said that undergoing the procedure "has truly brought [her] confidence to a whole new level."
