Smile: A Graphic Novel

With one misstep, Raina goes from needing braces to fix an overbite to undergoing four years of dental surgeries. This painful process, with several false finishes, harms her psyche at a critical moment in her development. Initially taking the accident in good humor, Raina becomes cynical as she faces intrusive questions and hearsay about the accident. She encounters microaggressions such as the get-well card with a smiley face on it or the assistant who wishes her a Merry Christmas following her front teeth removal. Her frustration and pain leave her in a sullen mood that leaves her open to her friends’ teasing.

Her disposition also rises and ebbs depending on the equipment she must wear. The brace tightening leaves her in pain and only able to eat soft food until it is almost time to return to the office. After receiving the nighttime headpiece, she remarks how she should get “glasses, a pocket protector, and some Velcro shoes” to complete the nerd look (55). She adores the retainer, but she must run to the restroom if food gets stuck under it lest she reveal her missing teeth to the world. After she enters high school, her backpack holds not only her heavy books but also a cabinet’s worth of dental supplies.