Considering braces and completely freaked out!

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#1 Post by **SeattleGirl** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:41 pm

Hi all - I was very happy to find this forum. I'm thinking of getting braces - again; I had them as a teenager - and am relieved to find a place filled with other adults who understand this situation (a big THANK YOU to the board administrator for providing this valuable service!!)

I have all the same worries about getting braces that many of you have probably had - i.e. will I despise them and feel like I can't live with them for a couple of years? Will I feel self-conscious the entire time and not want to smile? Will they hurt a lot? Will I look completely stupid for two years?

I'm 40 and have a high level professional job. I'm sure my colleagues would be cool about me having braces; it's my own self consciousness I worry about.

I'd love to hear from some people who are early in their treatment about how they feel about their decision, how self conscious they feel at the moment, and generally how it's going.

Thanks in advance! I appreciate any perspective you're able to provide.

#2 Post by **Zuke** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:46 pm

Welcome to the boards SeattleGirl

I am 28 and I have been in braces since 2/7. The first day or so I worried about everything, now I am totally fine with them

HONEST!

I work in front of the public all the time and most people haven't even noticed I have them! (I have ceramic uppers and metal lowers) Reality is, no one really cares

People see what they expect to see, so most people do not even think that you might have braces, so they really don't see them

When you are worried about your teeth, of course you notice EVERYONE'S teeth/braces...but the rest of the world will not even notice

I just focused on what my teeth WILL look like. I put way more energy into worrying about it than I should, looking back

Z

#3 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:23 pm

Well I'm kind of early on in my treatment, 10 months out of 30-36. I sure thought I was the biggest dork in the world with my extraction gaps and clunky braces. After I started seeing that crooked wire straighten out and my gaps close, I am so happy I did it! The anticipation was worse than anything even though I really wanted to correct my teeth. You should definitely do this for yourself if this is something that you think you need. Why wait? Why worry? Would you worry about needing a cast on a broken leg? Would you think about what people would think? I hope not, because there is a medical need for it! Welcome to the boards!!

#4 Post by **SeattleGirl** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:52 pm

Thanks so much for the input and encouragement.

I had to laugh at Zuke's comment about noticing everyone else's teeth and braces when you're considering getting them, while the rest of the world doesn't pay any attention to your teeth at all.

Since I started considering braces, I've been obsessively noticing everyone's straight teeth! (and of course, comparing mine to them) And when I mention to someone that I'm thinking of getting braces, they usually say, "Really? Your teeth are fine," when in reality they're quite crooked.

I'm sure you're right, Zuke - not one but me will care or even barely notice.

And Miss Smiley, you're absolutely right. No one would think twice about putting a cast on a broken leg, and it's not like my braces would be just for vanity, but to correct a very off bite.

Thanks for the encouragement! It's really, really helpful. I'm sure I'll be visiting this place a lot.

#5 Post by **Zuke** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:06 pm

Yeah the hubby got REALLY tired of me watching TV and going "WOW! They need braces!!"

And yes, after I got braces, lots of people asked me WHY I got them..so I figured, Ok, they didn't notice my crooked teeth, so they are not going to notice the braces...

Great point Miss Smiley made for sure!!! L:)

Z

#6 Post by **SeattleGirl** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:13 pm

HA!!!! My hubby's getting tired of me watching TV and going, "OMG, look how perfect her teeth are!"

#7 Post by **jgrrl22** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:09 pm

I'm 25 years old and was just braced 3 1/2 weeks ago. It wasn't so much the pain that bothered me, because it wasn't unbearable, but the fact that it was hard to eat anything properly.

While I did spend the first week or so wondering what in the world I'd done to myself, now I'm SO happy that I decided to go through with it! In the short time I've had them on, I've already noticed a HUGE movement in my very crooked bottom teeth. Seeing new alignment every day is worth all the trouble of brushing your teeth 5 or 6 times a day! LOL

And I have to agree with the rest of you... my roommate got sick of hearing me critique everyone's teeth on tv -- from "her teeth are so beautiful!" to "Oh my god, look how AWFUL they are!" LOL I think noticing everyone's teeth now is like how they say you notice every pregnant woman you see when you get pregnant yourself. LOL

But, seriously... For all the pain and aggravation they may be, I wouldn't change my decision at all seeing all the movement I've already had in less than a month! I say go for it... you won't be disappointed!

#8 Post by **bracedintx** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:33 pm

Welcome SeattleGirl!
Believe me when I say that once (and if) you make the decision to get braces, things move along quickly and most people here have been pretty excited about taking the plunge.
If you decide you need orthodontist recommendations there are a fair number of us here in the Seattle area. So feel free to give us the area you looking at if you need names

#9 Post by **speerjo** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:49 pm

Hi Seattlegirl,

I'm 4 days in. It's not too bad. The teeth hurt, but I suppose that's normal at this stage. Like others here, it's the not being able to eat certain things that bother me the most. I work out hard, and not being able to eat steak and protein that I need is tough. I just drink protein shakes to supplement. As far as the self-conscious stuff, also like others, no one has really noticed. And, no one really cares. I have been trying to smile huge (something I would never do before braces, that's when I was self-conscious! I'm actually glad I'm doing something about it finally) I want people to know that I'm trying to better my self.
Another note, maybe others can comment, I don't see how anyone survived braces without a water-pik. It looks like a grocery store in the sink when I get finished. I can't imagine just trying to floss it out. My ortho said I could use it in lieu of flossing and it's awesome. Just be careful not to hit your tongue with the blast. Hope you have good luck, just get it started so you can get finished. Take care.

#10 Post by **melliemoo** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:14 pm

Welcome to our board! I can understand your reluctance. I am a 48 year old lawyer who has a lower, central incisor gap from an extraction; I have to talk for a living and I was mortified for a week after my extraction. Now, it's been over a month since I was braced and already my gap has closed 1.5 mm and I'm excited about the future of my teeth.

People are right; you will notice everything so much more than than your colleagues. Most people didn't notice my crooked teeth and haven't noticed my braces. This is an amazing board and you will find people who are going through the same experiences and KNOW how you feel. So, jump in and join us!

#11 Post by **SeattleGirl** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:04 pm

This IS an amazing board, melliemoo. Thanks to you and everyone else for the support and encouragement. It's enormously helpful and comforting to know that other people have gone through the exact same thing, and most people here seem to be really happy they decided to get braces. Knowing that is very helpful to me in trying to make this decision.

Speerjo, I love that you're smiling big with your braces! That's awesome! It's great to know that you seem fairly comfortable with them after only a few days.

What all can't you eat with braces?

#12 Post by **KK Cat** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:32 pm

SeattleGirl wrote: Will I feel self-conscious the entire time and not want to smile? Will they hurt a lot? Will I look completely stupid for two years?

.

I'm 40 too and now 9 months with braces. I deal with the public all day in my job and also give presentations, have meetings etc, etc.

My upper teeth were very crowded & crooked (see www below for pics) and I had already spent 20+ years feeling self-conscious and not wanting to smile, so for me that wasn't an issue. What I was surprised to find is that once I got on the braces that feeling went because at least with braces I felt people could see that I was doing something about my teeth. In reality other people probably couldn't care less about my teeth but that was my worry & not theirs. In fact one colleague recently asked me when I got braces

Ehm....last May! (and I have metals top & bottom!!)

These days you can't stop me smiling and I still have a long way to go. I have never regretted getting them, not for a minute, my only regret (as I knew it would be) is not getting them years earlier. I don't feel at all silly. It's amazing how many adults have them now anyway. When I got mine at first that made 4 adults in an office of 100 people (ages 25, 31, 39, 41).

As regards food, sadly I can still eat almost everything that I did before

, in my innocence I thought it would help me lose weight.

Mind you, I got elastics today for the first time and as I have to take them out to eat I think that will help me stick to diet. The only things I avoid altogether are toffees and crusty bread rolls, very little popcorn, apples (not the same if you can't bite into them).

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Considering braces and completely freaked out!

Considering braces and completely freaked out!

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