Help Onna get dental implant surgery

My name is Onna, and for the past two years I've been afraid to smile. I'm hoping you can help me get the dental implant I need to beat that fear.

I lost my dental insurance after my divorce in 2016. I ended up moving back in with my grandparents, and spent the next 6 years rebuilding my life. In November of 2022 I finally got my dream job working as a Medical Assistant at the VA Hospital. One of the first things I did was schedule a dentist appointment.

Unfortunately, during those 6 years, my teeth had sustained significant damage. I have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), which is a connective tissue disorder that causes me to have hypermobile joints and extremely fragile tissue. Because of this, my teeth have started to decay from the inside out.

The damage to my top premolar (Tooth #12) was too severe to repair. In March of 2023 , I had surgery to remove the tooth. The surgery gave me immediate pain relief, but I wasn't prepared for just how much it would impact me emotionally. As a model, I'm used to looking at photos of myself. The first photos I saw with my new smile was a gut punch.

I started saving up to get an implant immediately. But EDS has made that really hard; I often have to miss work because of intense joint pain and chronic migraines. It feels like every time I start to get ahead, my health conditions flare up, and the savings dwindle.

Because I've been without the tooth for so long, I've started experiencing more significant problems. It's messed up my bite. It hurts to eat. Every time I smile all I can think about is the gaping hole, and I start to spiral. I stopped modeling entirely because I felt so ashamed.

Nine months ago, my sister asked me to officiate her wedding. I was so excited and agreed right away. Then I remembered I'd be in photos, and I felt sick to my stomach. I don't want to spend such an important day being a nervous wreck. I want to be there for my sister and share in her joy.

Like many of you, I hate asking for help. But I can't keep living like this. For my mental and physical health, I need to have a dental implant installed.

I'm asking for $3000 by March 15 so I can have the surgery done and be fully recovered in time for my sister's wedding.

$2000 will go towards my coinsurance, and the remaining $1000 will cover my expenses while I'm recovering from the surgery.

Any additional funds will go into a savings account for future dental work.

I can't do this alone. I know times are tough, but even just $5 makes a huge difference. If you can't donate, please consider sharing. And thank you for hearing my story!