How aware are you of your braces?

[Anna5]

Just a question: how aware are you of your braces? Are you constantly aware that you are wearing them (or thinking about them) of do you just often forget?

I have been in braces for 8 months now, and I am still almost always aware that I am wearing them. I wish I could forget about them a bit more often!

[WiredOldLady]

Constantly aware of them...if its not because I can't close my mouth all the way, it's because of the little hooks jabbing in my cheeks or its because I've eaten and there's food stuck in all the wires.

Looking forward to my freedom date of January 2015.

[LawStudentBraceFace]

Super aware of them as well. Now more than ever because when I got my bands on my molars, my orthodontist used a kind of band with a lingual sheath. It's kind of like a hook on the inner part of my molar. Currently I have four of these in and they poke at my tongue all of the time.

Drives me mad. I can't use my tongue at all anymore to dislodge food because I get poked and scratched every single time. Eating sure isn't what it used to be!

[Matilda]

I'm very aware of my braces.

[SunshineRay]

Always aware at 5 months.

[mapleleafman888]

2.5 months in, I'm quite aware...there's only so much time to forget about them...eating 4-6 meals a day allows for about 3 hours in between each meal to forget. All the social events and people staring at the braces when I talk, family members saying 'oh right you can't eat that because of your braces,' or 'hows your mouth feeling today?' keeps me quite aware of them. And then there's the kissing part which is painful sometimes! Hah, and then there's keeping track of ortho appointments.

[prairiehouse]

I'm generally only aware when I make large smile. Otherwise you could say that I'm fortunate that when talking or even smiling just a bit my metal braces aren't noticeable.

It makes me a tiny bit self conscious, but not much. I might cut the duration of my smile a bit, but I try not to. I don't want to get into the habit of not smiling. Smiling makes me happy!


I was pretty self conscious for the first 20 minutes after getting them in, but after that not at all.

They're just braces, really. I don't understand why you'd be self conscious, even if you were older. What's there to be embarrassed about?

[chichi]

I'm only aware when I smile and when I'm brushing/flossing. Otherwise, I eat what I want and I speak just fine

[JeniK]

I think the only time I don't think about it...is when I am sleeping!! Other than that....I am always aware. 3 1/2 months already.

[Lorianne]

About 6 weeks in and, so far, pretty much aware most of the time. Once in a rare while, I'll forget for a few mins. That's kinda nice. Otherwise, my tongue is always feeling up the brackets, or like lawstudent, getting poked by the inner side of the molar bands (why EVER do they use those kind, ugh!). When your tongue or cheeks are hurting, it's hard to forget the foreign stuff in the mouth. oh well. All for a good cause!

[kids041]

Almost 4 months in and I am always aware of them!

[Norrie]

Always aware of them, though not self-conscious about them at all. They're lingual, so you can't see them, but man, I can sure feel them. I'm only two months in to a 24 month treatment plan, but my guess is that I'll be aware of them until the day that they come off.

[Faithsdaisy421]

I seem to always be aware of them. So glad I am not the only one!

[xanidu2012]

I've been aware my entire braceface journey . The kicker is going to be when they come off

[Anna5]

I am happy to hear that I am not the only one who is always aware of them!