by Katie Lamborn

klamborn@thekmgroup.co.uk

After years of dodging camera bulbs, a Kent woman can finally flash her smile with confidence now she has a full set of adult teeth.

Emily Cheeseman, of Blackhurst Lane, Tunbridge Wells, lived with four baby teeth at the front of her month until she was 22.

She had a rare medical condition called hypodontia that meant her adult teeth never grew in place of her baby ones.

The 28-year-old travel agent has now had her milk teeth replaced with adult-sized implants.

"My new grin is fantastic - I actually don't mind smiling in photos now," said Emily.

"Before, my baby teeth were so fragile and looked odd compared to the rest of them."

In her early 20s one of Emily's teeth chipped and needed filing down.

She said: "I knew then I had to do something about it.

"So I had four of them removed and started restorative work to replace them."

Emily had two implant screws with crowns placed in 2002 and had Invisalign clear braces fitted to open space in her mouth so new adult teeth could be put in.

"It had a big impact on my life.

"Every time I wanted to eat I had to take the brace out and I had to have it changed every 2 weeks - it was an epic time.

"When I was wearing the brace I used to have an automatic reaction of putting my hand up to my mouth when I was smiling and eating.

"I also had horrible discoloured fake teeth in the gaps in my mouth - there is no way I would want to go back to that."

Oliver Harman, lead clinician at The Harman Clinic in Tunbridge Wells, fitted Emily with her new smile.

He said: "Finally she has beautiful natural smile lines and more expression to her face.

"A welcoming smile is nature’s big hello in any language."