On May 3rd I celebrate my first year without natural teeth. Please note I use celebrate in a very positive sense. The liberation of poor natural teeth to my dentures is something I feel very positive about. The first months of denture usage is challenging but once overcome can lead, as it has for me, the dawning of a pleasant smile and no pain from poor natural teeth. It may just be me, I may be luckiest person the planet, but I cannot ever feel becoming "toothless" and successfully using dentures is anything less than one of the best things to happen in my life. Although it took more years than I would have liked, if I had the opportunity to live my life again, on the day after college graduation my teeth would have out! Unless your teeth are absolutely perfect, I cannot understand why anyone would ever allow a dentist to rid us of our money to prolong keeping natural teeth. Dentures as early as possible is economically sound and can allow achievement in our physical well being. As I celebrate the completion of my first year of having dentures, I can only ask why it took so long!