Gina Heslop
Brittany Negler, a 29-year-old woman from Philadelphia, overcame a long battle with addiction and underwent an incredible $38,000 dental transformation that completely changed her life.
Her struggles began when she was a teenager, following the death of her younger brother, who passed away from cancer at just 18 years old.
Brittany felt immense guilt, mistakenly believing she caused his death. She explained that one morning, she felt compelled to skip school and lay with him in bed.
Moments later, he took his last breath. This traumatic event left her thinking she had accidentally caused his passing. Overwhelmed with grief and guilt, Brittany turned to drugs to numb her pain. Her life spiraled into a dark place as her addiction took hold.
Years of substance abuse caused severe damage to her teeth. Some were missing, others had decayed, and her self-confidence plummeted. When she sought help from a dentist, she was told her teeth were “unfixable” and had them all removed.
She was fitted with dentures, but they were oversized and caused extreme discomfort. Brittany could barely eat, leading her weight to drop drastically to just 35 kilograms. She felt so ashamed of her appearance that she avoided leaving her house and endured cruel online bullying about her sunken face.
Desperate for help, Brittany connected with Dr. Kenny Wilstead, a cosmetic dentist often referred to as the “tooth fairy.” He was shocked to learn her teeth could have been saved with a simple root canal and decided to give her a complete smile makeover.
Through his expertise, Brittany received a pair of removable dentures that fit perfectly and restored her ability to eat and smile confidently.
The transformation, shared on TikTok, quickly went viral with over 31 million views. In the video, Brittany cried tears of joy and hugged Dr. Wilstead after seeing her new smile. Later, she joined him and his wife at a restaurant to prove she could now eat without pain.
Reflecting on her journey, Brittany opened up about how she overcame her guilt through rehab and family support.
Her family reassured her that her brother’s death was not her fault and that he would have wanted her to be with him in his final moments. Now, Brittany feels like she has a second chance at life, her radiant smile symbolizing her resilience and hope.
