Stephen from Ireland

I have been an avid reader of your site for quite some time now. I have literally read every persons story on this site! I have always wanted to get braces for my teeth for years but I could never pluck up the courage to go and get them. In fear of pain, expense, appearance etc. My teeth were never really that bad when I was a teenager, it was when I got into my twenties that they all started to shift, and moved into very unflattering positions. I have gone through years of mental torment with them. It had gotten to the point where I didn't want to leave my house I was that worried. I knew I had to do something at this stage. Well a month ago I finally plucked up the courage to get braces on my teeth, and I have to say, it was the best decision I have ever made!! I have the clear ceramic ones on my upper teeth and metal ones on the bottom. The process itself only took 20 minutes tops!! and completely painless. At first when I sat up they felt very strange on but this only lasts for about a week and you just get used to them. You don't even notice them in after a week! Seriously!

As for pain, they don't really hurt at all!! Surprisingly! The only time I encountered pain was in the first 2/3 weeks if I tried to eat anything hard or tough. And that said, it wasn't like what some people write on here, "like being hit in the teeth with a baseball bat" PLEASE!! Whoever writes that is trying to scare other people!!! Get real! Your teeth and gums just feel a bit tender and sensitive, but it soon stops and your back to normal food. So my diet consisted of mash potato and soup for the first 2 weeks. Word of warning, this gets very VERY boring!!! But 1 month into the treatment now, I'm back on solid foods again, and its great!!! As regards appearance, they actually don't look bad at all!! and trust me, this is coming from the most vainest of people!!! No one has actually noticed them, unless I point them out!! As for cleaning your teeth, this is no problem at all!! Brushing is still the same, just make sure you get yourself some little interdental brushes from your chemist, for brushing in between your braces. And don't worry, brushing does not turn into this long drawn out process, unlike what some other readers have written!!! Have a good mouthwash as well!!