Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice....

[NeilH]

Having dinner with a group of volunteers I have been working with recently, one turned to me and said "excuse me, I couldn't help but notice that you have braces..." There followed a really nice conversation about both our experiences, her past and my present.

How have other people started conversations with you?

[TheProfessor]

I've only had 3 braces conversations with strangers in the 18 months that I've had braces! One was about 6 months in when a checker in a clothing store asked how long I had my braces and then proceeded to tell me about how she had just gotten hers off after 5 years! The next 2 were both this week! On Saturday a very chatty grocery clerk decided he needed to warn me about biting into the apple and sweet corn I had just purchased and then told me about how he messed up his braces several times as a teenager by eating things he wasn't supposed to. The 3rd was today at a consultation for getting my wisdom teeth extracted. The oral surgeon walked in, introduced himself, smiled real big and said "hey, I have braces too!" It turned out that we go to the same orthodontist! We had a nice conversation about how annoying braces are before getting down to business and talking about my impending oral surgery!

[newbite]

I can't think of one conversation I've had with a stranger about my braces. I'm surprised! Hmmm. Nope, still can't. Even with people I know it doesn't happen very often and I usually am the one to bring it up. I haven't met any adults with braces except for two young undergrads at school (who are technically adults, but not really hehe). It would be nice to have someone to commiserate with in person (who's going through the same thing). I really enjoy my ortho visits because my tech is very chatty and I can ask all my crazy questions and get great lengthy answers.

[djspeece]

I occasionally hear from people "Oh I see you have braces, I hadn't noticed before" -- such as the register guy at the local Panera that I have been going to for years. It's just interesting that they aren't nearly as noticeable as I would think. It may be something like missing the types of clouds in the sky at a train wreck.

[Tyrantblade]

Not many people notice and those that do don't seem to say much, only once did a person say much, but that was after i said i got braces, she said she never noticed.

It would be interesting for somebody to outright say "so i noticed you got braces" and talk in length though

I mean its not like im trying to hide my braces with a full set of metal Damons top and bottom.

[Beetles]

Ive had people at work tell me their braces stories when they were teenagers, like hating the wire at the end getting into their skin.
Also some other friends who have braces now give me tips on general braces maintenance. Lol a bit of the info I received on the day went over my head.