I have known that I needed braces since I was 15, but I was a weenie head and put it off for way too long. I finally got my braces put on March 6th, 2008 at age 23 (going on 24 in a few days)!!!
Well, it all started when I was about 15. The dentist discovered several things in my mouth that were terribly wrong. Do you know how many times I have heard "WOW, never seen THAT before!" What can I say, I guess I am special haha. The biggest/scariest thing though: lower impacted canines, laying flat down in my jaw. So, shortly after that, I saw my first orthodontist. He told me I would need surgery to get those impacted teeth out. Soon after that, they would put the braces on me. So they gave me the referral to the oral surgeon. . I had my appointment all set up to go see him. The cost of the braces were all taken care of (I was awarded some kind of grant, we were really poor).....and everything was all set. EXCEPT, I never went to the oral surgeon or back to the orthodontist. I CHICKENED OUT. I really wish my mom would of pushed me to go through with everything...but she felt really bad for me and kinda just brushed the braces and everything else off. I didn't really want braces in the first place but was willing to get them anyways....well until they mentioned the surgery thing.
I had put all that in the back of mind and closed the book on it. Every single time I saw a dentist they would mention the braces thing to me. I learned to expect it, but always just shrugged it off, after all, I had the chance to get them but didn't. Now it's too late I would think. Until I was about 19, I opened up to the idea again. I decided to go see an orthodontist yet again. I almost wanted to cry during the whole visit/consultation. They re-hashed everything that I had put in the back of my mind. But it all seemed worse this time. I don't know why, maybe since I was older I could comprehend it better. I knew I had to get them and was fully ready to do it again!! EXCEPT one thing- It was going to be really expensive and I had no way to pay for it!
Fast forward to now, March 2008...after many many differen tortho. consultations, a visit to an oral surgeon (woohoo I made it, and he told me I could leave the impacted teeth there!), and an extracted baby tooth later, now I finally am braced and already on the road to my orthodontic journey! I am so excited by the results already...I will posts pictures soon!!!
I look forward to seeing pics!!
(You share the same birthday as my sister 
Next time I go in I'll ask to get all the info..
You are lucky to have an ortho you like and that likes you. I’m always worried about being the “nuttyâ€