I Want My Smile Back
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I Want My Smile Back
So I've had my braces on for just a little over 3mos, I also have a quad helix. I am 25 and have full metal braces. I guesss I don't really want my old smile, I had a snaggle tooth and crooked bottoms, but I just want to see my teeth and not a bunch of metal when I smile. I know it will all be worth it in the end, but I don't think I can go 24 mos w/ these train tracks. Not to mention my face seems to look a lot thinner, don't know if it is from the braces or not. I am just discouraged. I get all dressed up and then I smile and all focus is on my braces. I wish the time would go faster, but then again I don't want to get any older. Anyone else feeling the discouragement so early in treatment?
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Marguerite
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 4:30 pm
- Location: USA
Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. Braces really do change the shape of your face, for better or worse. I've heard when people get their braces off, their teeth look huge to them, because they're not used to seeing the entire tooth. You just have to decide if it's worth it to you. I suspect that it is, because you've already gone through the most significant expense and trauma. There is always an adjustment period. Like, whenever people with really bad noses get a rhinoplasty, they are thrilled for maybe a couple months. And then they get used to having a nice nose and don't really think about it so much, and find something else to obsess/rejoice over. For us, we get the braces and we are freaked out and unhappy. Then we kind of get used to it and don't really think about it. Well, actually I think about my braces all the time. That's a horrible analogy, sorry. The bottom line I suppose is just to commiserate how much it sucks to have to wear braces. I totally feel your pain.
I feel your pain
I have been braced for 2.5 months and I am kind of derpressed about 24mo in these things too. I am hoping that I will feel more encouraged once everything begins to fall into place. As of now I am seeing lots of movement but I am noticing that my face seems thinner too and I am seeing several gaps/black triangles by the gum line.
I hope this makes you feel better that someone else can relate. I am certainly thankful that I can talk to others like yourself. Keep your chin-up and know that it will all be worth it in the end.
Stacey
I hope this makes you feel better that someone else can relate. I am certainly thankful that I can talk to others like yourself. Keep your chin-up and know that it will all be worth it in the end.
Stacey
I think everybody has moments like this when they're fed up with their metal smiles, they usually pass and you forget about the braces again.
Funilly enough I got to 16 months before my brace really began to bother me. I think there was so much movement of my crooked gnashers in the early stages that I was really delighted with how things were changing and I found it exciting to see things changing shape. Now though, I am well and truly ready to get my brace off but know that for the sake of a few months more it would be silly.
Time rolls on regardless, and truth be told it is mostly brace wearers that notice and think about their brace. Others are too busy thinking about themselves and whatever personal hangups they have themselves.
Hopefully you'll feel a bit better about them soon and when you see your teeth taking shape you'll be delighted.
Regards
Joney
Funilly enough I got to 16 months before my brace really began to bother me. I think there was so much movement of my crooked gnashers in the early stages that I was really delighted with how things were changing and I found it exciting to see things changing shape. Now though, I am well and truly ready to get my brace off but know that for the sake of a few months more it would be silly.
Time rolls on regardless, and truth be told it is mostly brace wearers that notice and think about their brace. Others are too busy thinking about themselves and whatever personal hangups they have themselves.
Hopefully you'll feel a bit better about them soon and when you see your teeth taking shape you'll be delighted.
Regards
Joney
2 Extractions 2nd November 2006
Brace On 10th November 2006
Top brace off 26 June 2008 (19 1/2 months)
Brace On 10th November 2006
Top brace off 26 June 2008 (19 1/2 months)
I havent been braced all that long so maybe / probably I will go through phases like that as well.
I DO feel self conscious of them but I think that because I had such problems before with eating and with the appearance that I am now so glad something is at last being done that this overcomes the "wanna get the off" stage? with regard to appearance ?
I suppose we just at those times try and remeber WHY we have the braces on in the forst place ...... and llok here to see other people have these stages too ..... but got through them and think its worth it now.
Heidic two years of braces at 25 is not that long in the great scheme of things although it may seem like it at times. I am 51 and wish I had been able to have had braces at that age ........... at least you will avoid years of wishing something could be done ........ or getting to my age and wishing you had stuck with it ....... and have loads pecial occasions like weddings / births of children and even grandchildren where all smiles are closed smiles rather than grins !!!!
slodier on gal !
I DO feel self conscious of them but I think that because I had such problems before with eating and with the appearance that I am now so glad something is at last being done that this overcomes the "wanna get the off" stage? with regard to appearance ?
I suppose we just at those times try and remeber WHY we have the braces on in the forst place ...... and llok here to see other people have these stages too ..... but got through them and think its worth it now.
Heidic two years of braces at 25 is not that long in the great scheme of things although it may seem like it at times. I am 51 and wish I had been able to have had braces at that age ........... at least you will avoid years of wishing something could be done ........ or getting to my age and wishing you had stuck with it ....... and have loads pecial occasions like weddings / births of children and even grandchildren where all smiles are closed smiles rather than grins !!!!
slodier on gal !
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I know what you mean!
When I first got my orthodontic consultation, I wanted invisilign AT MOST. When the ortho told me I had to get braces and was not a candidate for invisilign, I almost cried. In fact... I did when I got into my car. Let's just say I'm not as enthusiatic about my braces, or at least I wasn't.
I've had them on for a couple weeks over a year. As much as I want to get them off, I really love my new smile. My teeth look better now with braces than they did without braces when they were crooked... my ortho knows I'm not thrilled about having braces, so he told me my bite was "medically acceptable" and I could take them off anytime I wanted. What surprised me most was that I decided to leave them on until they are perfect, not just acceptable. I would love to get them off asap AND have perfect teeth, but that wasn't an option : )
I don't like my braces, I don't like the way they look, they way I sometimes feel in them, the way they hurt... the list goes on. However, when I look back on this moment 2, 5 or 10 years from now, I will barely remember having braces, but I will have perfectly straight teeth!!
Hang in there, you're doing this for a reason, and you will be happy in the end.
When I first got my orthodontic consultation, I wanted invisilign AT MOST. When the ortho told me I had to get braces and was not a candidate for invisilign, I almost cried. In fact... I did when I got into my car. Let's just say I'm not as enthusiatic about my braces, or at least I wasn't.
I've had them on for a couple weeks over a year. As much as I want to get them off, I really love my new smile. My teeth look better now with braces than they did without braces when they were crooked... my ortho knows I'm not thrilled about having braces, so he told me my bite was "medically acceptable" and I could take them off anytime I wanted. What surprised me most was that I decided to leave them on until they are perfect, not just acceptable. I would love to get them off asap AND have perfect teeth, but that wasn't an option : )
I don't like my braces, I don't like the way they look, they way I sometimes feel in them, the way they hurt... the list goes on. However, when I look back on this moment 2, 5 or 10 years from now, I will barely remember having braces, but I will have perfectly straight teeth!!
Hang in there, you're doing this for a reason, and you will be happy in the end.
Hi heidic,
I know the feeling. It's like your life is on stand-by. You are not truly yourself but in a waiting position for something that is going to happen x months in the future.
My teeth are pretty much aligned and I am closing the extraction gaps (4 premolars extracted). Using elastics. Don't see much action which depresses me. I know... teeth move at no more than 1 mm per month. But still.. I'm tired of this. I just want to get it over with!!
Time does not go fast at all. 6 months into treatment seems like an eternity. I have at least 6-9 months more ahead of me. Dammit!
It'll be worth it eventually. But now it sucks!
My sympathy to all depressed and selfconscious metal faces!
Danish
I know the feeling. It's like your life is on stand-by. You are not truly yourself but in a waiting position for something that is going to happen x months in the future.
My teeth are pretty much aligned and I am closing the extraction gaps (4 premolars extracted). Using elastics. Don't see much action which depresses me. I know... teeth move at no more than 1 mm per month. But still.. I'm tired of this. I just want to get it over with!!
Time does not go fast at all. 6 months into treatment seems like an eternity. I have at least 6-9 months more ahead of me. Dammit!
It'll be worth it eventually. But now it sucks!
My sympathy to all depressed and selfconscious metal faces!
Danish
metal braces on: 4 Oct 2007
Tx for: crowding
debonded on: 24 Jun 2009
total treatment time: 629 days
my journey ==> http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... highlight=
Tx for: crowding
debonded on: 24 Jun 2009
total treatment time: 629 days
my journey ==> http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... highlight=
I completely understand you. I just got mine 5 days ago and I now I am paranoid that my boyfriend is going to dump me because he will feel embarrassed to go out with me, and his friends seeing me with braces,etc . He has been very supportive so far but he has only seen me once with them.
I do get self consious at work and I try not to talk much. I wish I can wake up tomorrow and dont have them anymore but, i wake up and I still have 2 years to go!!!
You are doing this for yourself and people that really care and love you will stay by your side. I am trying to be positive and I know its hard when you open your mouth and all that ppl see is metal.
At the end you will have a beautiful smile and it will be nicer than the one you had before.
I do get self consious at work and I try not to talk much. I wish I can wake up tomorrow and dont have them anymore but, i wake up and I still have 2 years to go!!!
You are doing this for yourself and people that really care and love you will stay by your side. I am trying to be positive and I know its hard when you open your mouth and all that ppl see is metal.
At the end you will have a beautiful smile and it will be nicer than the one you had before.
I agree with everyone that at one point or another you are not going to like your braces and go through a period where you are just fed up with them.
I've been in braces for 6 months and up until now I was pretty enthusiastic about my braces. I have a boyfriend who is EXTREMELY supportive of my decision to get braces and he makes me feel good about myself. I know he doesn't think I look less attractive.
I was just looking at some pictures that were taken this past weekend and my first thought when I saw the pictures was "oh my gosh, my mouth looks huge and ridiculous." I know it's probably just my perception of my braces, but seeing those pictures made me wish I could get these braces off tomorrow.
On the bright side though, you have to think of the end result and what it will be like to have a beautiful smile with no braces for the rest of your life!
I've been in braces for 6 months and up until now I was pretty enthusiastic about my braces. I have a boyfriend who is EXTREMELY supportive of my decision to get braces and he makes me feel good about myself. I know he doesn't think I look less attractive.
I was just looking at some pictures that were taken this past weekend and my first thought when I saw the pictures was "oh my gosh, my mouth looks huge and ridiculous." I know it's probably just my perception of my braces, but seeing those pictures made me wish I could get these braces off tomorrow.
On the bright side though, you have to think of the end result and what it will be like to have a beautiful smile with no braces for the rest of your life!
Want the Smile Back?
Like another poster has said, I don't want my old smile back. My old smile was something to be avoided. I have two large crowns in front and the canines were twisted to make room for them. On the bottom, the teeth were at all sorts of angles. In the last three months, the arch wire has gotten a lot straighter.
My fiance is supportive. In fact, she wanted me to get braces because the teeth were crooked and they could be fixed with the braces. As far as co-workers go, I have only had positive comments. The main idea is that while the smile (if you could call it that) may be hidden behind metal for two years, when the wires come off, you will have a smile that you will actually want to have and show off to the world.
- Bill
My fiance is supportive. In fact, she wanted me to get braces because the teeth were crooked and they could be fixed with the braces. As far as co-workers go, I have only had positive comments. The main idea is that while the smile (if you could call it that) may be hidden behind metal for two years, when the wires come off, you will have a smile that you will actually want to have and show off to the world.
- Bill