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#1 Post by **AlbinoPenguin** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:29 pm

Hi,
Im brand new to this forum, ive looked at it over the years but i never got braces for finacial reasons. I am a 21 year old female who hated smiling for photographs. My mother even has a wall of photos for every member of the family (aunts uncles etc.) but me.Over a year ago I placed as one of four finalists for a perfect smile makeover, I was so excited I was crying and then they said something horrible to me. "your teeth are just too bad for our process" I was devasted and just kinda gave up for a while. then I met a gentlemen 3 years ago and we started dating, the problem is his teeth are absolutely PERFECT and I felt very insecure when he would kiss me or make me laugh. I am so certain hes the one I calculated the costs of braces and decided to get them before we get married. Ive had my braces on since the 21st of April, and I believe the orthodontist told me it would take roughly 2 years...im really hoping thats an overexaggeration thinking ill pluck the bands out or something *crosses fingers* I have a narrow palate and an overbite, if anyone else fits these please contact me id love to know what u went through.

#2 Post by **jambo532** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:35 pm

Well congrats on taking on the braces life. I am a year in and I'm hoping to be done soon... not likely though. I have a blog with pics if you want to see my progression. I too had an overbite and crowding.
www.allbraced.blogspot.com

#3 Post by **AlbinoPenguin** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:52 pm

thank u so much for sharing! i cant wait to see my teeth look like yours!

#4 Post by **clangjr** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 6:54 am

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the guy probably like you for you. I'd also guess that he has already noticed your teeth. Apparently he hasn't left you, so apparently he's OK with it. Besides, if he left you because of bad teeth that's a pretty shallow person.

#5 Post by **AlbinoPenguin** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:12 pm

i know he wouldnt ..its more about altering myself so i feel better about the situation =]

#6 Post by **braced33** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:44 am

I have had the same experience! Always being embarrassed of my smile, never smiling in photographs, and I also have a boyfriend with perfect teeth and a gorgeous smile. I'm only 5 weeks in, and can't wait till the day that I can smile without embarrassment! My boyfriend and I have been together for 8 years, and one of the reasons why I haven't gotten married yet is also because of my smile and the fact that I don't want to be self-conscious in all of my wedding photos. I really hate having braces on, they make me even more self-conscious than normal, but I am excited to have nice teeth in a year...

#7 Post by **TinySmiley** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 3:21 am

congrats for beginning your braces treatment, AlbinoPenguin!

I will be getting braces soon, but from all the reading I've done, I've read that 2 years is typical for a treatment time.

#8 Post by **bookfairy** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 7:21 am

Deciding on getting it done and waiting and being embarassed is the hard part. Once they are on, you know it can only get better! (even though, sometimes it does get worse, but since you know it's all with a goal it's ok

)

Good luck!!

#9 Post by **SiNsation** » Wed May 04, 2011 2:06 pm

I totally understand how you all feel. I didn't smile on any of my prom pictures, so I'm praying that i'll have a beautiful smile when I graduate college & for my wedding. Sometimes it's nice to hear that youre not the only one in the world going through these feelings. Good luck on your progress :)

#10 Post by **Foxsong** » Wed May 04, 2011 5:55 pm

Welcome aboard.

I also have a lifetime's worth of smiling-with-my-mouth-shut photos... hmm, I bet most of us here understand that!

One of the best things I've found so far is that as soon as my braces went on, all of a sudden I didn't feel like I had to hide my mouth anymore. People have been so enthusiastic and nice. I hope you'll find you'll feel that way too. It makes such a difference. Imagine how much better it will be when our teeth all line up nice!

#11 Post by **AlbinoPenguin** » Wed May 04, 2011 10:32 pm

thank you all for your posts your all so helpful! im glad im not the only one feeling this way and it makes it easier to actually talk with those people. i hope all of you send me pictures of when your braces come off! i love dreaming about how ill look on my wedding day...i think im going to plan it out so the week i get my braces off is when i get married so i can surprise everyone i know =]

#12 Post by **AlbinoPenguin** » Thu May 05, 2011 11:26 am

Update: i got my expander in today...luckily i am not going to have to crank it, i was told that type is very painful. mine is just a bit of plastic and metal that sits on the roof of my mouth. its very odd and its making me sound like a bad Sylvester the cat. my wisdom teeth are also starting to feel sore and sensitive. im hoping this subsides or it looks like im losing some wisdom lol

#13 Post by **SeattleSmile** » Thu May 05, 2011 11:01 pm

AP, congrats on going ahead with it! I just got mine two weeks ago after thinking about it for literally years.

Like you, I'm trying not to think about having them on for two years. A woman who works at my orthodontist and had braces recently told me something that was very helpful: she said in her mind, she broke up the time she'd be wearing her braces in six-month chunks - that is, she focused just on the first six months and when that was over, the next six months, etc. She said that made it easier to deal with, instead of looking ahead two years and freaking out about having them on that long.

I'm going to try that too and see if it works. :)

I've also started a braces file on my computer and saved a photo there that makes me cringe every time I look at it because my teeth look horrible and crooked. I look at that and remind myself of why I got braces and how awesome and straight my teeth are going to look when I get them off.

Keep your eye on the prize and hang in there!

#14 Post by **kmluvgod** » Sun May 08, 2011 6:04 am

Im new to this site but what i like most is that we are all all dealing with the same embarrasment and can relate with one another. I have always covered my mouth when I smiled or heard remarks such as she would be pretty if she had her teeth fixed. I cant tell you how many times I would go through my camera and erase all the pictures of me because of my crooked smile and disgusting teeth. Cant wait until my journy began. Im sceduled this friday to get 7 teeth extracted 4 being the wisdom teeth under the care of an oral surgeon and sedated. Will start a blog soon. Congrats to you for getting your journy started!!

#15 Post by **AlbinoPenguin** » Mon May 09, 2011 5:22 pm

Km- im rooting for ya! keep me updated on how your doing!

Seattle- thank you so much for the advice i think im going to do that too! it does seem easier just thinking in chunks

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