My name is Anastasia. I am 23 years old and I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Almost three years ago, I went to a dental clinic because I wanted to get braces. At the time, I had no idea that this would turn into such a long and complicated journey.

During my first consultation, I was told that I needed to have some cavities treated before starting orthodontic treatment. I followed the recommendation, had the cavities treated, and my braces were placed shortly afterwards — first on one jaw and then on the other.

At that time, I trusted the doctors and did not know much about orthodontic treatment or what examinations were normally needed before starting it. I was not asked to have a panoramic X-ray before the braces were placed, and I did not question it because I believed the doctors knew what was necessary.

From October 2023 to May 2024, I continued with regular orthodontic adjustments. Over time, however, I began to notice changes that worried me.

My teeth appeared to become more elongated, my gummy smile became increasingly noticeable, and my lips became more and more difficult to close naturally when my face was relaxed.

I also began experiencing pain around one of my wisdom teeth. When I mentioned it during an appointment, I was asked whether I had an X-ray. I did not have one, so I was asked to get one.

The X-ray showed that the wisdom tooth was positioned sideways and was pressing against the neighboring tooth. At the time, I was told to wait and see whether it would erupt, so I continued with my orthodontic treatment.

Later, I entered university and could no longer travel for every adjustment. I was told that I could continue my treatment at another branch in Almaty, where a different orthodontist took over my case.

I explained that I was increasingly concerned about my inability to close my lips naturally and about my gummy smile. This time, I was sent for more detailed examinations, including 3D imaging.

After reviewing the results, the doctors developed a new treatment plan. I was told that all four wisdom teeth should be removed before continuing with orthodontic treatment.

I agreed and had them removed. After the extraction sites healed, we continued with the new treatment plan.

The next step was to use temporary orthodontic screws to intrude my teeth — essentially, to move them upward in an attempt to reduce the gummy smile and improve my bite and lip closure.

I hoped that this would finally solve at least part of the problem.

Unfortunately, the intrusion did not produce the expected result. After several months, my teeth began moving in an undesirable direction and became more flared forward.

Eventually, my orthodontist told me that he was no longer confident that this approach could achieve the desired result and suggested another option: distalization.

The idea was to move my teeth backward, close the spaces between them, and hopefully improve my lip closure. I agreed because I wanted to give orthodontic treatment another chance.

I am still undergoing this treatment.

At the moment, the situation remains unresolved. There is still a noticeable space between some of my teeth on one side, while there is little or no space on the other. My gummy smile remains, and my lips still do not close naturally at rest without effort.

After everything I had already been through, I realized that I needed a broader evaluation rather than simply continuing to move my teeth and hoping that the problem would eventually disappear.

I had a cephalometric X-ray (TRG) analyzed, and the measurements suggested skeletal characteristics involving the position and relationship of my jaws, as well as dental protrusion.

This made me start considering whether my problems might not be entirely orthodontic and whether there could also be a skeletal component.

I am now trying to find out what is actually happening and whether orthognathic surgery could be an appropriate option for me.

I want to be completely transparent: I do not have a confirmed surgical plan, I have not been scheduled for surgery, and I do not have a final treatment cost.

I am not asking people to fund an operation that has already been planned.

My goal at this stage is to be able to consult experienced specialists, get an independent evaluation of my case, understand whether surgery is actually necessary or appropriate, and find out what treatment options I have.

Three years of orthodontic treatment have taken a lot of time, money, patience and emotional energy.

What started as a simple decision to get braces has turned into a much more complicated situation that affects how I smile, how I speak, how I feel about my appearance, and my everyday confidence.

At rest, I cannot comfortably keep my lips together without using extra muscle effort. I have a noticeable gummy smile, and I often feel tension around my lips and chin. These may not seem like serious problems from the outside, but after living with them every day for years, they have become a significant source of stress and self-consciousness for me.

I am not looking for perfection.

I simply want to understand what happened, what can still be corrected, and whether there is a realistic way forward.

Because I live in Kazakhstan, access to highly specialized consultations and treatment can also be financially difficult for me. I am therefore asking for help with the costs of consultations, diagnostic examinations, treatment planning, and, if specialists eventually determine that surgery is appropriate, the treatment itself.

I understand that everyone has their own responsibilities and expenses, and nobody is obligated to support me.

But if you are able to contribute, even a small amount, it would help me take the next step toward getting proper answers after nearly three years of treatment.

And if you cannot donate, simply sharing my story with someone who may be able to help would also mean a lot to me.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for giving me a chance to explain what I have been going through.

Every contribution, no matter how small, brings me one step closer to finally understanding my situation and finding the right path forward. ❤️