Braces and the Workplace

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#16 Post by **bracieb** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:16 pm

I'm a teacher too- it's been a total non-issue. Today I had to talk for an entire class, so I apologized to the students in advance for my slighty fuzzy speech, and nobody batted an eye. Many of them have braces or recently had them, or are going to get them, so they don't think about it at all.

I have a thick wire on the inside of my lower arch, and it does get in the way when I talk. Sometimes I think I sound like Sylvester the Cat! That is exaggerated by my being a bit self-conscious about it, of course. I don't think it is really all that noticeable to others.

Think of Sylvester giving a lecture on Early Christian art... !

My colleagues have been fine, too, and some of my friends are getting braces as well, so I have lots of company. As for interviews- why worry? Nobody will care. Just go ahead and fix your smile!

#17 Post by **pumpkinpatch** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:55 pm

Thanks so much everyone for your input and advice! You guys are wonderful. To answer your question, Lil Sunshine, I worked with middle school students this year and I teach first and second grade summer school. I am going on interviews hoping for a permanent position for next year. But now that I think of it, maybe it would be cool from the kids' perspective to have a teacher with braces. I'll keep everyone posted.

#18 Post by **Elyse84** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:25 pm

I work in public relations and no-one has really said anything. I might say something to a work mate (we get on really well) but no-one has acted negatively.

I am a little worried about going for interviews with extractions though....

The day after I got my braces on I went to a violin lesson. The girl who came after me is about a year older than me and at around the same level. When my teacher mentioned that I got braces she asked "why?" I explained that the main reason was because I still had baby teeth and the adult teeth need to come down. She laughed at me. Like I have any control over my baby teeth! She asked me why I didn't get it done earlier, and I explained that my dentist checked and they had enough room to come down so thought they would come down own their own. She laughed again. My violin teacher actually looked at me like she was embarrassed for me.

I was really upset at the time, but now I've just decided that as this was the only person to have that kind of reaction she's just a total complain. lol

#19 Post by **Elyse84** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:33 pm

Well if it was my violin teacher that said that she wouldn't be my violin teacher any more! It was another one of her students that laughed at me. Bit she's a biotch so I don't care about her. lol

#20 Post by **pumpkinpatch** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:01 pm

Elyse, I can't believe that girl! What a rude comment to make! Some people have no manners, really.