Poll: Braces as an Adult versus Adolescent

[JCloNY]

Yesterday my boyfriend (who of course was born with practically perfectly straight teeth) and I were having a lively discussion on the pros and cons of having braces as an adult versus as an adolescent. As such I felt it would be most appropriate to pose such a question to the forum.

Please vote on whether you would have preferred having braces as an adolescent or are you happier becoming braced as an adult. Rationale would be helpful too but not required.

[Bracingmyself901]

I totally regret not doing it sooner (currently 22). But then again I wonder how having braces and being super self conscious about it might affect my teenage social development.

[Beckett]

I don't think my self esteem could have taken it as a teenager. I was a teen back in the day when anything different about your appearance was mercilessly made fun of. Really rotten kids to grow up with. Three of my four kids have gone through braces and not a single one has reported anything negative from other kids. Times have changed. Plus braces are so much more common for teens than they were when I was a kid. Went to an amusement park in early fall and I swear, 9 out of 10 teens had a metal mouth. As an adult, I'm much more confident in the fact that I'm doing this for the healt of my teeth and I don't care one bit what anyone thinks. Bonus is that most adults hardly mention it anyway.

[jaime]

I think the big thing is that as an adult, you appreciate the need to take the process seriously because of the cost and the commitment. As a teenager, perhaps it seems like just another thing your parents made you do but you don't care about. As an adult, it took me years to get up the will to do it. It's not something I took lightly and it's not something I want to go through again, emotionally or financially. I'm assuming that it would not be such a hurdle for most teenagers unless there was more to it like jaw surgery.

The 2.5 years I was in braces, only one stranger ever commented on my braces and it was to tell me she had braces as an adult, too. I said the process sucks, to which she replied, "Yeah but at least as adults, we can drink." So there's that, too!

[BrunetteMoment]

I would've much more preferred braces as a teen. It was never an issue of self esteem or potential bullying, I had no issue with either, but we just couldn't afford it growing up.

[FlowerPower]

Probably a teen/child tbh. Mainly because of my issue (open bite). I am hoping, but I may not be able to fix it without surgery now that I am an adult and I could have gotten away with just braces as a child. However, I have heard many stories of people that had braces as a child having to get them again as an adult since they didn't stick to their retainer, etc. I think as an adult you will have more dedication to making sure your teeth come out and stay perfect, especially since you're paying for them.

[littlething]

I've had this discussion with my boyfriend as well(who also has naturally perfect, straight teeth- grrr). Definitely wish I had done this when I was younger. I don't think the self-esteem and awkwardness thing would have been an issue since almost everyone around me had braces when they were teenagers. But I feel like because of the financial and time commitment, I probably am taking them much more seriously than I would have when I was a teenager. And you BET I'll be wearing my retainer once I'm done!

[shortcircuit]

It would have been better for me to have them as a teen, however I will admit straight out that I wouldn't have taken care of them anyway and they would have probably done more harm than good. This isn't something I want as an adult either but my teeth/jaws are causing multiple issues which are gradually worsening, so it is what it is

[Tyrantblade]

I would've much more preferred braces as a teen. It was never an issue of self esteem or potential bullying, I had no issue with either, but we just couldn't afford it growing up.

Same here, I think for a lot of us it wasn't a choice, just a matter of parents not having the budget.

I think if I got braces when I should have as a teen I probably wouldn't have lost one of my front teeth to falling on the floor, since it sticking too far out front is what made it fall out, that's what's bothered me the most all these years (missing a front tooth).

At the same point though, I also get the aspect of caring more since we pay the price and bear the commitment.

[Beckett]

I wonder if modern day insurance is covering orthodontics more than it used to back in the 80’s, which is when I suspect a lot of us were teenagers. I know my older sister had braces, but she had jacked up teeth. Mine weren't so bad so we didn't really persue it for me the first place.

[JCloNY]

I think the big thing is that as an adult, you appreciate the need to take the process seriously because of the cost and the commitment. As a teenager, perhaps it seems like just another thing your parents made you do but you don't care about. As an adult, it took me years to get up the will to do it. It's not something I took lightly and it's not something I want to go through again, emotionally or financially. I'm assuming that it would not be such a hurdle for most teenagers unless there was more to it like jaw surgery.

The 2.5 years I was in braces, only one stranger ever commented on my braces and it was to tell me she had braces as an adult, too. I said the process sucks, to which she replied, "Yeah but at least as adults, we can drink." So there's that, too!

YES - we can drink!! LOLLLLL

[JCloNY]

Probably a teen/child tbh. Mainly because of my issue (open bite). I am hoping, but I may not be able to fix it without surgery now that I am an adult and I could have gotten away with just braces as a child. However, I have heard many stories of people that had braces as a child having to get them again as an adult since they didn't stick to their retainer, etc. I think as an adult you will have more dedication to making sure your teeth come out and stay perfect, especially since you're paying for them.

Yes - I couldn't agree more re: dedication as an adult versus as a kid.

[JCloNY]

I wonder if modern day insurance is covering orthodontics more than it used to back in the 80’s, which is when I suspect a lot of us were teenagers. I know my older sister had braces, but she had jacked up teeth. Mine weren't so bad so we didn't really persue it for me the first place.

Similarly, my brother had braces because there literally was not enough room for all his teeth to come down. We had cousins who did not get braces and the tooth just grew out of the gum at a very very weird angle. As such we viewed it as a medical necessity. For me though mine were not so bad that I needed to get them until, around the time I got braces, my dentist noticed excessive wear and tear on some teeth due to my teeth not being straight which forced me to take the plunge.

[verso]

I've had braces as an adolescent, and of course the best part was not having to pay for the treatment myself -- though I may not have fully appreciated it at the time. And, of course, having braces as an adolescent is considered more common or typical.

That being said, time seemed to drag on forever and ever as a kid. I swear it felt like I had my braces on for 10 years back then. Time moves a little faster as an adult. It's been five months already. I can't believe it. I'll be out of braces in no time.

I definitely appreciate my braces more this time around, but if I could do it all over again, I'd have worn my retainer religiously or requested permanent retainers in order to avoid all of this.

[thubird]

Hey there. I know for sure if you get them as an adult you are more inclined to follow through with the treatment seriously I.e wearing your elastics, taking good good care of your teeth and wearing your retainers. As an adult you are well aware of the sacrifices and financial costs associated with having braces so you don't take it as lightly as a teen being told they have to get braces by their parents!