Braces and Dating??

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#1 Post by **itsabouttime22** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:01 pm

Hello everyone, I came accross this site as I was doing some research in regards to braces. Like many of the stories I have read so far, I should have got braces a long time ago- my front teeth are awful (some stick out farther than others). I never smiled open-mouthed in pics and always fight to keep my mouth closed when I laugh. Needless to say, I've always been self conscious when meeting guys. I'm 28 and single, and while I don't have a lot of money- I think I am going to take the plunge and get braces (I'm scheduling a consult tomorrow).

My main reason for holding off for so long is I thought people would make fun of me- but since I'm embarrassed of my teeth anyway I'm sure braces won't make me feel much worse. But as I said I am single and am worried I'm going to have to give up any hopes of a guy being attracted to me until they come off.

So my question is- have any of you in your 20's or later actually started dating someone new when you had your braces?

#2 Post by **fluffybottom** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:19 pm

I started dating someone just prior to getting braces. On our first date, I told him that I was getting them and he said that he'd dated girls with braces before so it was no big deal. However, that relationship quickly ended due to other reasons (I was lectured about being too emotionally closed off after only our fourth date. And he gave this lecture while doing yoga. Yeeeeeah.)

About a month after I got my braces, I had my tooth exposure surgery for an impacted canine and I needed someone to drive me home afterward. As luck would have it, all my friends had other commitments so I bit the bullet and asked an ex-boyfriend that I had dated briefly off and on to drive me. The ride back to my apartment consisted of me being high on meds and trying to talk with a mouth full of bloody gauze -- every man's dream girl! A month later, we were dating again and have been together for almost two years now.

It's really all about confidence. If you treat your braces as no big deal, most people will treat them as no big deal too. And the ones who would treat it as a big deal? Honestly, they aren't relationship material period and if it wasn't the braces, it would be some other petty reason that would bring about rejection. Better off without those kind anyway.

#3 Post by **pearls** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 3:24 am

Well I got my braces about half way through what ended up being a 3 year relationship. Since breaking up, I have actually had more dates with boys now than what I had before any relationship. Granted I was in a long relationship, and was younger beforehand. But I think it's just the confidence thing. Honestly, I like having braces. I'll be sad to get them off in approximately three weeks. I just think that so many people know me as having braces, and a few people even said I'm 'cute' in them. Honestly, just embrace it. It will be hard at first (heck I couldn't even tell my friends I got them), but after just a few weeks or months, no one will even seems to notice the braces.

I guess also the main thing to note is that if a guy is that shallow to not be interested in a girl who has braces, then he shouldn't be worth your time anyway.

On another note, I wonder what it will be like when my braces are off too! I wonder if I'll notice a change. I highly doubt it.

Good luck with your journey!

Take care,

Pearls

#4 Post by **Bellalalala** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 3:56 pm

It's all about attitude.

Seriously, I love my braces, and I think they're super cute.

Guys flirt with me all.the.time when they see my braces. I'm 28, and they make me look and feel really young and silly, but I'm also so excited to be fixing my teeth, so I think that's what they pick up on.

My fiance also finds them adorable.

Braces really aren't fundamentally "ugly" the way people think they are.
I find my teeth so much prettier with straighter braced teeth than I ever did with crooked unbraced teeth!

You're doing something wonderful for yourself. If you show guys that it's something you're proud of, they'll probably find it attractive.

Sure, some guys will be totally turned off no matter how cute and confident you are, but would you really want to date that kind of d-bag anyway???

Have fun with them, it is possible to love your braces.

#5 Post by **itsabouttime22** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 7:57 pm

Thanks for all your comments- I know you are right- I just needed to hear it from someone else!

I made an apt for a consult on Thursday- so we'll see what they say!

#6 Post by **Bellalalala** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 8:05 pm

Oh!

I also forgot to mention, many many guys have had braces themselves.

Braces is a major life event that no one ever forgets, so any guy who has had them will just be interested in how it's going for you and will want to talk about their own experience.

It's an intensely personal and emotional process, so it may actually give you something to bond over in a real and meaningful way.

The people I know who have had braces are so attentive to my treatment and seem so excited for me when I see noticeable progress.

So yeah, if you're on a first date and the guy has nice teeth, it will be a great conversation topic!

#7 Post by **tsmurfenator** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 12:39 am

Speaking as a guy, this is how guys generally view women with braces -

90% truly don't notice or don't care. Seriously. Braces are about #1000 on the top list of things guys notice on a woman, and would at a minimum be understanding and sympathetic to your long term goals.

5% will be negatively attracted, up to making it a deal breaker, due to braces connotation of ugliness or nerdiness, awkwardness etc. You can't make everybody happy. Forget about them and move on.

5% will be positively attracted, due to good connotations of braces such as youthfulness, affluence, healthfulness. No question relationships have been started due to these, a woman playing her braces right to win over the guys.

I have no idea how women view guys with braces and to be honest I truly do not care.

#8 Post by **gracey82** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:12 am

tsmurfenator wrote:Speaking as a guy, this is how guys generally view women with braces -

90% truly don't notice or don't care. Seriously. Braces are about #1000 on the top list of things guys notice on a woman, and would at a minimum be understanding and sympathetic to your long term goals.

5% will be negatively attracted, up to making it a deal breaker, due to braces connotation of ugliness or nerdiness, awkwardness etc. You can't make everybody happy. Forget about them and move on.

5% will be positively attracted, due to good connotations of braces such as youthfulness, affluence, healthfulness. No question relationships have been started due to these, a woman playing her braces right to win over the guys.

I have no idea how women view guys with braces and to be honest I truly do not care.

INteresting insights there! I find men with braces very cute, not sure now that is because I'm braced now or what, but I know I will view guys with braces very differently now.

I did went for blind date couple months back, worrying that the braces would turn him off! But it didnt . We went for another date but I just figure he is not my type so we didnt stay in touch.

So no biggie.

And I find

#9 Post by **mikesmile** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:25 am

Hi

, If I think about it, I'd have to say that I've NEVER known I guy (myself included) to be turned off by a girl in braces....provided, of course, that he finds her cute & appealing in the first place. Then the braces only seem to add to their own "cuteness factor". Don't underestimate it.....

#10 Post by **itsabouttime22** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 7:48 pm

How about this- I went on a date with someone I met on the internet tonight and he had braces! I almost feel like it was some kind of sign or something that I shouldn't worry about it. He was still cute- unfortunately our personalities didn't match. I just thought it was funny!

#11 Post by **Kitagirl** » Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:58 pm

I would think braces would be a good sign....that you care about yourself enough to get them. I think that having braces looks better than just having crooked messed up teeth.