Braces in College

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#1 Post by **Gorak** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:49 pm

Hello all, i'm new

I just got braces today - the big ugly metal ones. They are supposed to stay on for about a year +/- a few months. I am 19, in my second year of college. I was wondering if anyone else has been in my situation and also had braces. I'm a fairly social person - talk to lots of people and go out with my friends to bars and stuff. Just curious if having braces is likely to bring any changes to the way people act around me.

For those who have been there, did you notice any changes in the way your friends were towards you? girls? random people? I am pretty secure with my decision but just want to be ready for any big changes that may be about to happen.

thanks.

#2 Post by **missing_tooth** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:57 pm

19 you say? I wish I was 19. At your age you can get your teeth repaired and have treatment that is not available as you get older. At the age of 32 and working in the professional world I can say it will be much easier for you now than later. imo college is a great time to get something like this done, and it's only a year. Sit back relax have fun and enjoy life.

#3 Post by **HollyDontSpend** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 2:27 am

I noticed absoutely no change. They all had their funny comments, but overall they were happy for me.
If people quit talking to you because you have braces may not be worth having as friends.

#4 Post by **megan_in_pink** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 7:03 am

hey i am 22 and in college, it was not that bad cusse a few of my friends had braces at the same time as me also. alot of 20 somethings had braces at my college. only thing i get alot is taht i do not look my age.

#5 Post by **Samantha08** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 7:11 am

Im pretty much in the exact situation as you are. Im 20, and in my second year at college. Im very social as well and my friends havent said anything about them. They have all be through it at one point or another, so its really not as noticable as you might think. There are tons of other people at my college with braces as well.

#6 Post by **ebjones1** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 7:26 am

I agree with everyone's comments.. And although I can't speak from experience since I'm not braced until January, I've seen TONS of people on campus with braces. I think you'll be fine.. Just remember that even if anyone does say anything, they're probably just jealous that your smile will be absolutely gorgeous in a year - and by then they won't even remember you had braces to begin with! Also know that if they do bring it up, as soon as someone else at the bar does something stupid they'll totally forget they were talking about you

You might have some trouble convincing the door guys at bars that you're of age, though.. hehe!

#7 Post by **Brooke** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 9:43 am

I was 19 when I got braces, and in college. No one really acted different towards me. If anything I was the one to make them a bigger deal then they were. As far as people changing or acting different... true friends shouldnt care about braces, and if they do, they aren't worth calling "friends."

#8 Post by **lesdents** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:37 pm

I'm 20 and in my 3rd year at USC. Since getting braces, I've noticed how many others have them too.

I decided that my approach would be this: Yay! I have braces! I'm doing a good thing for myself and anyone who isn't an utter moron will be happy for me.

And you know what? People are happy for me! When I act like it's a positive thing, others see it in a positive way also. While I do sometimes wish I had had them done as a child like most people do (who can afford it), the most important thing is that I'm getting it done now and will get to enjoy 60+ years of healthy, straight teeth of which I can be proud. It looks way worse to have crooked teeth that you're not doing anything about than to have braces correcting it.

About the girls: As I am one, I can't really say. However, two of my good friends have boyfriends with braces, and they find it adorable. Although my boyfriend's teeth are almost perfect naturally, I think he could benefit from some invisalign on the bottom to make it truly flawless.

Just think: college is sort of like years of unpaid labor - in fact, labor that YOU pay for! But it's worth it for all the benefits you'll get later on. Braces are the same, and it's good to get those things both done at once!

Good luck with your braces!

#9 Post by **jenns91civic** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:56 pm

I had braces from the end of my sophomore year of high school, until a few months before I turned 22. No one says anything about them because quite frankly, no one cares but you. My private trumpet instructor was the only one who ever said anything about them in college and that was because he wanted to know when they would come off.

Don't sweat it. Braces on guys can be cute so to heck with what anyone thinks, just be yourself!

#10 Post by **nimo** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 8:15 pm

I knew a few people in college who had braces. My best friend had them through our freshman year, and I had a few more friends that had them early on in college. They weren't as common as seeing them in high school, obviously, but it really wasn't a big deal.

Think of it this way: when I was...well, even now since I don't have braces yet, I look at people with braces and am instantly jealous. I appreciate what they have to go through, and I'm happy for them that they are that much closer to having a good smile. But I'm definitely not critical of them. I know I'm just one person, but I'm sure others feel the same way.

#11 Post by **dkt3** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 8:30 pm

I talk about my braces to my friends to the point of I think they are sick of hearing about them! Id like them to notice more at times!

#12 Post by **altinure** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 9:16 pm

I'm 20 in college, and it isn't a big deal. I just make fun of myself for having them now as opposed to when I was 13 like a normal person.

#13 Post by **warning1024** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 9:16 am

I waited until I graduated from college to get braces (22 years old), but in retrospect should have just gotten it over with when I was still a student. There are quite a few college students with braces. In fact I'd go as far as saying that at this point it's not all that uncommon to see a college student wearing braces (you'll probably see at least 1 or 2 college students in braces during a given week). I don't think that you'll notice a difference in attitude from anyone. Furthermore, I think that it is less of a "social dilemma" for a college student to have braces than it is for a young professional to have braces. This of course depends entirely on your personality (some people are the same with or without braces). Personally, I think that I would have felt far more comfortable as a braced student interacting with 18 - 22 year old peers, than I did as a braced young professional interacting with 22 - ?? year old co-workers (this was a completely internal feeling; my coworkers attitudes did not change at all when I got braces).

I think that you made the right decision, and would doubt that you will notice any changes from your friends/peers.

#14 Post by **luxekitty** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:04 pm

I'm 23 but still in school and my braces are going on next Wed. Don't feel shy about your braces, you're still way ahead of a gal like me!

Once my teeth start staightening out a bit I know I'm gonna talk differently and smile a lot more, I'm going to be so proud of my braces!

#15 Post by **QueensNY** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 5:28 pm

Im also 19 in college, had braces since second semester in freshmen year.

As far as people mentioning it, I haven't heard ONE thing from anybody yet from either friends or family.

As to what other people think, at this age, people are mature enough to not say anything out of line or make a big deal out of it, but you know in the back of their mind that they may think of differently from others, but not necessarily in a negative way. Honestly, braces are considered normal for young teens and having them at such an old age makes you more conscious of your appearance. Usually by the time you get the college, the braces come off instead of coming on so you might have that embarassed feeling.

I have noticed that ever since I had braces, I've started to have a younger appearance. Instead of aging, it seems like Im getting younger, which is something I always noticed on anyone I've seen wearing braces...sorta of like a 24/7 jovial look and it kinda bothers me. And besides that, there's the tooth pain, watching what you eat, etc...

Bottomline, its really up to you. If you really need it, then go for it. If you can afford Invisalign, which I couldn't, and your ortho says it'll work, by all means go for that instead of metal. Even if you have to settle for metal braces, just look at as 1 1/2 yrs towards improving your future. Time flies by so fast that it'll be over in no time.

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