I want them off!!

[Rebeccasmells]

Hi there, I have the clear braces too and found them really bulky in the beginning. You will get used to them in no time, the hardest thing I find about them is not eating curry lol

I rarely eat curry and find tomatoe sauces is the worst. And coffe. And red wine. Fml.

[MissLou]

Thank you all for the messages - I really appreciated them even if I didn't reply. I am still struggling with feeling self-conscious about them. I avoid seeing friends much more now. I hope I'll feel better in 3-4 months once I'm over the halfway mark. At the moment I keep thinking I want to ask for lingual braces but I cannot afford them without getting into debt plus I may end up with a lisp... I wish I was as confident as some of you. Are any of you in the UK, out of interest? I've only met two other people with adult braces over here and I wonder if it might be more unusual over here that in the U.S. Perhaps it's easier when it's more the norm?

[Heidirs]

Thank you all for the messages - I really appreciated them even if I didn't reply. I am still struggling with feeling self-conscious about them. I avoid seeing friends much more now. I hope I'll feel better in 3-4 months once I'm over the halfway mark. At the moment I keep thinking I want to ask for lingual braces but I cannot afford them without getting into debt plus I may end up with a lisp... I wish I was as confident as some of you. Are any of you in the UK, out of interest? I've only met two other people with adult braces over here and I wonder if it might be more unusual over here that in the U.S. Perhaps it's easier when it's more the norm?

I'm trying to think of some ways that might help you feel a little less self conscious. You shouldn't be avoiding your friends. They love you, and they don't care what your teeth look like. Ask them right out if you're nervous about it, "Do I look weird with braces?" They're responses could be helpful. If you're too nervous for that, ask a complete stranger. I promise you, no one even thinks about it.

I'd also encourage you to look in a mirror and focus on the aspects of your appearance that you do like. Focus on the positives. Remind yourself you're beautiful and carry on with your day. If you're still super nervous about people seeing your teeth, practice small smiles and keep reminding yourself of the positives, rather than your mouth.



I'm in the US, and I think child braces are more common (most insurances will only pay for child braces). I don't think I've ever seen an adult with them, to tell the truth. But ortho says they put them on adults all the time. So, I'm sure they're out there. I just haven't see them.

[Juliebrynn1]

Good thinking fly by night.

[wantstraightsmile]

It's probably easily said than done, but yes please don't think about what others think. Just think about the end result and the outcome! Your going to have an amazing smile, straight teeth and it will all be worth it!

[kcjawjourney]

I get it, adult braces suck. They are bulky, they make your teeth sore, they cut into your cheeks and lips, and they trap every possible crumb you consume. I thought I was mentally prepared for getting my braces on, but it was a STRUGGLE not to cry when the assistant handed me the mirror. I spent the rest of the day (and many days since then) feeling pretty sorry for myself. Plus, I'm a surgical patient, so on top of the braces, I've been walking around with a ridiculously swollen face for about 3 months, too.

The one thing I've learned through this whole experience is that it's TEMPORARY. Yeah, you might feel self-conscious for a year or two while your braces are doing their magic, and then you'll get them off and have an awesome smile and healthy teeth, and you'll move on. But don't let it ruin your life. I've been in braces for almost a year, and I've got on awesome vacations, had fabulous nights out with my friends, led meetings at work, and even gave a presentation in front of like 50 people. Life shouldn't stop because of braces :-)

[Mpkh]

Braces suck, but hang in there. It will be worth it in the end. We're all in this together! Sending good vibes your way.

[kip]

Thank you all for the messages - I really appreciated them even if I didn't reply. I am still struggling with feeling self-conscious about them. I avoid seeing friends much more now. I hope I'll feel better in 3-4 months once I'm over the halfway mark. At the moment I keep thinking I want to ask for lingual braces but I cannot afford them without getting into debt plus I may end up with a lisp... I wish I was as confident as some of you. Are any of you in the UK, out of interest? I've only met two other people with adult braces over here and I wonder if it might be more unusual over here that in the U.S. Perhaps it's easier when it's more the norm?

Fellow UK-er bracee here! I think that adult braces are most definiely more unusual on our side of the pond. I've been braced for 14 months and have only met 2 other adults with braces! I was very self concious during my first few weeks too but it definitely gets easier. I found that once my teeth had straightened out and the more major movements had happened, I didn't feel so bad as I could see what the end results could potentially look like, and how amazing it was going to look!
Keep with it, it will become normal. Don't avoid your friends, they're a great support system. I had a conversation with a friend a few weeks ago who commented how impressed she was with my teeth, that she wished she could get braces and how normal it was that I was in braces now! Think of it as getting a drastic hair cut - it's a huge change at first and you might double take when looking in the mirror for the first few weeks, but it'll become normal soon enough!

[flowers4kelly]

I am nearing one month in braces. Like others , seeing my reflection the first time was painful , to say the least . Eating was a challenge , I spoke with a lisp. It was awful ! But each week it gets easier . I look forward to the end, when my smile will be perfect . Someone said this is temporary , how true ! Hang in there, time will go more quickly than you can imagine .

[str8k8]

I've also been having the 'I want them off' thoughts these past few days (7 weeks braced and fed up)...reading these responses is so encouraging though!!

I also find looking at my progress pictures helps and seeing other's before/after photos & youtube videos.

You can do it!!!

[Khaleesi]

I'm also in the UK and I've maybe seen 3 or 4 other people with them here. They're always a nice conversation starter when you find a fellow sufferer! It's definitely not fun having braces, but you do get used to them. I've also basically lived life normally since getting them; being able to get through a TV talking head piece and a job interview with them on definitely helped. I think once you've proven to yourself you can do those kind of 'important' things, they feel a lot less inhibitive. That said, I am really looking forward to getting them off I think if I had my time again I would definitely reconsider not getting linguals, but speaking personally I think it's definitely not worth getting them put on after you're already braced. You won't have to put up with them for much longer and it's not worth getting horribly into debt for the same result when you're already making progress.

[BlondeCam]

Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm proud of my brace face. I've always been a smiler but I'm more smiley than ever now my front teeth crowding has straightened out so much
I agree with most other posters that people though they do notice them, don't care and may also wish to get their own teeth perfected.
Here in the U.S. most dental insurance plans only partially cover adolescent braces and ZERO for adults. So if you see a grown man or woman walking around with ceramics or invisign (seem most popular for adults here) those folks are paying out of pocket for ALL of it! It's a time and financial commitment. One that I don't regret making at all. My only regrets are not wearing my retainers when I was a teenager (sorry dad) and waiting so long to get them put back on. I'm a 41 year old working mother of 2.
It could also be an age thing, I was def more self conscious in my 20's than I am in my 40's. It's very liberating. Not that I'm still not vein, but I appreciate my positives and just let go of the negatives. Keep smiling

[Catpotat]

I didn't know anyone else with braces before. After I got braced, a few of my friends who had been hesitating to take the plunge ended up getting braces too! I feel good that I was able to inspire them. Now we have a little braces club and can share the pain haha

[Aaeolien]

I didn't know anyone else with braces before. After I got braced, a few of my friends who had been hesitating to take the plunge ended up getting braces too! I feel good that I was able to inspire them. Now we have a little braces club and can share the pain haha

There ya go thats the way to do it. Get all your friends on board. My girlfriend and I decided to take the plunge together as well. She went invisalign, i went with the ceramic braces. She started about 2 weeks ahead of me (18 months for her, 12 months for me, well approx those time periods). Its interesting to us the differences that we both deal with. There are times where we look at each other at dinner and just go WTF were we thinking. HAHAHA. There are times where we just look at each other and go "I'm glad i didnt get ceramic braces" or I'll go "I'm glad I didn't get invisalign" LOL Its funny the little things we each deal with being invisalign/braces. She despises the fact that I can just pick up and drink, eat whatever without having to take out the trays and worry about losing them or putting them back in. I'm jealous of the ease of tooth brushing for her. HAHAHA. Its funny.

So to the OP and anyone else struggling and being self concious. Don't sweat it. Embrace the fact that you are doing something AWESOME for yourself. I promise very few people care that you have them and the few that I have found that do are actually jealous that you can be the type of person that can do something like braces for yourself. And if you find a jerk well tell them to shove it and walk away.

Smile, laugh, show them off and just say "I AM PROUD I AM DOING THIS FOR ME, BECAUSE I CAN"

[Beckett]

I didn't know anyone else with braces before. After I got braced, a few of my friends who had been hesitating to take the plunge ended up getting braces too! I feel good that I was able to inspire them. Now we have a little braces club and can share the pain haha

This is so strange to me because I know more people who have had braces than who haven't. I work with a group of teenagers and pretty much all of them have had, or still have braces. Several are talking about how they are getting braced soon and I think it encourages them to see an adult leader with braces. It's not just torture that teenagers have to endure because their parent said so. Three of my four sons have had braces, the one who hasn't doesn't really have anything that actually needs fixing. If he ever did it, it would be solely for small cosmetic changes. My husband also had braces, right after we got married, to bring down a canine after finally pulling the baby that didn't fall out on its own.