Dana L. Yeoman, DDS
Dentures and Implants
The Power of a Smile to Transcend Borders Part 13
Site last published: 08/28/10
The Power of a Smile to Transcend Borders Part 13
Unwrapping the mystery of Andrei, the troubled teenager, took some doing. I knew he was a sensitive boy and a gifted artist. I also knew he was struggling with some deep emotional pain. He would not give us much information about himself, but at least in the dental chair he was polite and remarkably brave.
Each child carried heinous memories that torment them from their life outside the orphanage. Two of Andrei’s front teeth had been broken from Heaven-knows-what- incident in his childhood. He was shy, angry, sullen, and quite exceeded the normal range of being a miserable teenage boy. Needless to say, there was nothing very endearing about his behavior.
When he found himself in my dental chair, I tried to break the ice through a translator. That’s when I asked if he wanted to be a dentist and was informed, he wanted to be an artist.
He wasn’t just a kid who wanted an easy job splattering paints. This was a boy who could see in colors and forms other children couldn’t fathom. He had a talent that was untrained, untouched, and naturally born. And as a natural consequence, he was sensitive to esthetics and horrified by his appearance. Andrei was mortified by his ugly broken teeth.
Dr. Richard Nelson, a practicing dentist from Cle Elum, Washington, had the most experience in cosmetic dentistry. Once every child had been treated for emergencies and decay, extra time was allotted for restoring the broken corners of Andrei’s teeth. Using tooth-colored resins, Dr. Nelson carefully built up, reshaped, and polished the veneers to a shine, making them look as natural as possible. Andrei’s eyes got big when he looked into the mirror.
It took two days to see the first smile peep from Andrei’s face. Soon he was posing for pictures with the Americans. By the end of our week’s visit, he was giving me hugs. I even caught him flirting with exquisite shyness with a girl his age. Andrei was a new boy. He need not remember the incident that broke his teeth each time he looked in the mirror, and no longer needed to be ashamed that others would know the secrets of his violent past. For the first time, he showed confidence, and self-worth was well on its way.
When I returned home to California weeks later, I sent a box to Andrei containing every item an artist could want. His present had a variety of brushes, paints, palettes, paper, charcoals, pencils, erasers, travel cases, and colorful art books. News came back he was thrilled and amazed when it arrived.
During my trip in 2004, I spoke to the director of the orphanage about Andrei. She said he was still growing more and more into a “normal” teenage boy. His self confidence was steadily increasing. He had become social, showing empathy for others. He was shocked when he received his parcel, wondering why he was so important that an American would send him all these things. By being singled out and encouraged in his passion, he discovered he was valued and admired. The director told me he was leaving his anger farther and farther behind. It is the beginning of a new life for this young man.
If only Katya could have changed as quickly. Like her best friend, a feral cat, it took some time to gain her trust.