A Tale of Teeth & Trusting Amma

Nirupama K. N.
Sep 6
5 min read

It was a sunny but windy afternoon!

Winter wind was hitting the face, and my Amma came up with the most contradicting statement ever: “Nimmi, you have grown thin and I think we need to get you braces.” You should have seen the horror on my face — it was worth every penny to watch!

I’ve always been scared of braces — the way my smile would look, the pain I’d have to endure, the foods I’d need to cut down on (because everything gets stuck!), and let’s not even talk about the endless dental visits. Without a second thought, I said, “I am beautiful the way I am, Amma. I don’t need any more teeth things!” I got the iconic Every Desi Mom Stare for that. And before I knew it, I found myself sitting in my family dentist’s office. Why?Because my mom wanted it. No questions asked.

We explored a few options — forward braces, backward braces, invisible braces — and then the name Toothsi came up. They were always advertising how economic and effective they were. I asked my dentist about it, and he casually mentioned it would cost me around ₹3 lakhs for the whole procedure. My heart sank. At that time, my salary package didn’t even come close to that number.“No way I’m doing this to my pocket or my teeth,” I told myself.

What happened next still cracks me up. My mom, sitting right next to me, secretly WhatsApped my dentist asking for another alternative. Why so sneaky?! But honestly — it worked! The doc gave us the contact of his friend who was manufacturing his own brand of invisible aligners.

After a bit of basic research, my Amma (yes, she led this mission) and I went to meet the new dentist. I’ll share the address at the end for those curious. Now, I have a peculiar dental condition — one implanted tooth — which made using invisible aligners a little tricky. No other dentist had told me it was possible. But then I met Dr. Dhiraj Shetty. He didn’t dismiss the challenge. Instead, he looked at me and said, “We’ll try this out.”

The clinic was cozy — a house converted into a dental space. The moment I met Dr. Shetty, I was blown away. He was warm, super knowledgeable, and within one conversation, he spoke about the science of teeth alignment, mentioned books, asked about my job, gave advice, cracked jokes — all in one sitting. Our vibe matched instantly.

I looked well to me, but then I saw the after result!

Let me take a moment to brag about this incredible doctor.Dr. Dhiraj Shetty completed his BDS from S.D.M. College of Dental Science, Dharwad, and his MDS from ABSMIDS, Mangalore. He’s received certifications from Germany, Italy, and Spain, including a Masters in Clear Aligner Certification from Madrid, mentored by Dr. Kami Maleken. He developed India’s first in-house aligner fabrication unit and has treated over 1800 clear aligner cases. Basically, he’s a legend.

On January 4th, 2024, I went for my first consultation. I asked a ton of questions, and he patiently answered every single one. I got my first set of tooth scan imprints done and paid ₹17,000 for it. Walking out of that clinic, I was definitely overthinking everything. This was a huge financial decision for me. But the estimated total for the treatment was ₹1.2 lakhs over 1.5 years — manageable with some planning.

By January 12th, I was back to review my treatment plan. We discussed how many sets of aligners I’d need, and — surprise — I asked more questions. He didn’t lose his patience, not once. I finally got my first ever set of aligners. He had promised they wouldn’t hurt, but...Bruh! They pained like hell!

This is how my after looks! But better pictures below!

I can tolerate all kinds of physical pain, but anything related to the mouth or teeth just turns me into a different person. I go from Avni to Manjulika in minutes. I honestly felt like cursing my doc that first day — he said it wouldn’t hurt at all! But by the third day, my jaw started adjusting. The pain faded. That’s when I finally understood what he meant.

From then on, things got smoother. My first set of aligners hurt, yes. But the rest? Worked like magic.I changed my aligners every 15 days. Just like that, one year flew by. No constant dental visits, no food restrictions, no hustle. I ate everything I wanted — all I had to do was wear my aligners for 22 hours a day and avoid eating or drinking (except water) while wearing them.

Of course, I broke the rules here and there… but guess what?My doc never figured it out. So, win-win!

I’ve lived a full life with my aligners. I’ve travelled, attended parties, gone on treks — all with these little trays tucked into my mouth. And here comes the twist — I started getting healthier.

Yes, you read that right. My weight improved, my overall health got better, I was more active, and I naturally stopped eating junk. Why? Because those random munching sessions became a task with aligners on. I mentioned this to my doctor, and he confirmed it — when you stop snacking aimlessly, your health actually improves.Aligners changed more than just my smile.

One and a half years later, with just one correction aligner set toward the end, I was done — and so happy with the results. I also got my implanted tooth fixed by Dr. Mithun Upadhya, another gem of a dentist. He aligned my implant with the rest of my teeth like it was nothing.Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

(Why did I get an implanted tooth? Oh, that’s a story for another day!)

Fast forward to June 30th, 2025 — I went back for my final scan to get my retainers. Even Dr. Dhiraj laughed and said, “Is it already 1.5 years? Man, time flies, doesn’t it?”. He truly made this journey so smooth, and I couldn’t be more thankful. I told him I blog bits and pieces of my life and asked if I could write about this experience. He smiled, agreed, and even clicked pictures with me. Sweetest doc ever.

This whole journey wouldn’t have been possible without some amazing people, so here’s a huge thank you to:

Dr. Muralidhar Rai – our forever family dentist
Dr. Dhiraj Shetty – for being so chirpy, kind, and passionate
Dr. Mithun Upadhya – for silently and skillfully fixing my implant
And finally, my Amma – my Chamundeshwari, Durgaparameshwari, Kateeleshwari herself — who never let me live in peace until I said yes to fixing my teeth! No matter how much she pestered me, I’m truly happy she did.

If you guys need any kind of Dental treatments, you guys should reach them out! They're really the best ones!! :)

📍 Addresses for Reference:

For Invisible Braces:Dr. Dhiraj Shetty

Google Maps

Dr. Dhiraj's Dental & Invisible Braces ClinicChurch Hall, 1st Floor, Tiwari Bhavan,Above SLV Book House, Jail Rd, Opp. Bejai, Mangaluru, Karnataka 575004

For Implants and Advanced Treatments:Dr. Mithun Upadhya

Exceldent Dental Clinic

1st Floor, Himalaya Square Building, Kadiyali Temple Rd,Opposite Hotel Ocean Pearl, Kunjibettu, Udupi, Karnataka 576102

For General Dental Care:Dr. Muralidhar Rai

Dental Care Clinic2nd Floor, Bharath Commercial Centre, Near Somayaji Hospital,BC Road – 574211

And and and… sometimes, just trust your Amma and jump into the well.But not always, oki? 😄