Cause of Braces Self-consciousness

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#16 Post by **wildbill** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 4:21 pm

Steph in Sac wrote:I can't say I agree with all that you say, but now that I have braces, I notice people's teeth. My main issue is crowding of lower teeth. Once I open the braces conversation, I notice people generally say, "Mine are crowded too." And low and behold, they are. Mine were crowded for about 10 years before I got my braces, so I shouldn't pass judgement on why they don't fix theirs. It is relatively easy to fix most cases though.

I am in the same boat as you...I waited about 10 years to fix my bottom crowded teeth. I just got my braces on today. It is definitely a strange feeling at first.

#17 Post by **bookfairy** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:48 am

I have never smiled as broadly as the past month!
(Ok, except during meals

)

I want my braces to be seen, I am so happy to have them , I wanted them my whole life (wore a retainer as a teenager, didn't help) and now I am proudly showing them off.

I figure, if I was ashamed of smiling before, when my teeth were crooked, wwhy would I be ashemed now, that I am doing something about it?
IMHO, it's like seeing overweight/people unhappy with their weight doing sports; I think"good for them! They have a problem and they are doing something about it".

So smile wide, be proud of yourself

#18 Post by **daffodil** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 5:10 pm

I cried when I learned that I would need braces for two years as an adult in order to fix my jaw and save my teeth. And this was after I had braces for a few years as a teenager and knew that it wasn't so bad! I was worried about people being judgmental, especially at work, and I was worried that they'd make me unattractive. But in the end, I decided that I needed to take care of my teeth, and a couple years of discomfort is worth it.

#19 Post by **psych braces** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:59 am

Hi DrBlur,
I'm struggling with even brinnging the subject up with my coworkers. Please tell me how you told your co-workers that you would arrive at work shortly with braces and would be this way for a couple years. I have a very public position and therefore scared to bring up the conversation. Actually my profession is one of the reasons that I put off the braces for so long...until I finally realized that was unfair.

#20 Post by **MrT** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:45 pm

psych braces wrote:Hi DrBlur,
I'm struggling with even brinnging the subject up with my coworkers. Please tell me how you told your co-workers that you would arrive at work shortly with braces and would be this way for a couple years. I have a very public position and therefore scared to bring up the conversation. Actually my profession is one of the reasons that I put off the braces for so long...until I finally realized that was unfair.

My position at work is also very public...I have to stand in front of people and do sales pitches with braces on. I didn't tell anyone that I was getting braces, I just showed up at work one day and said, "Yup, I had braces." I'll be honest, it was very embarrassing at first and a year later, it still is. But in another year (hopefully) this will all be behind me. I knew it wouldn't be easy, especially in such a vain society as America, but I wanted to get through it and, well, here I am getting through it day by day. I know it'll be worth it in the end! I didn't want to have crooked teeth all of my life...I would rather have braces on than cooked teeth. In the end, I am very, very thankful to even have the opportunity to afford braces and if you have that chance, go for it!