People's reaction

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bracedforit
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:21 am
Location: Canada

#16 Post by bracedforit »

When I got my braces a lot of my friends were only concerned about the color that I had for that month (not really a good choice but o well), but I find that a lot of my aunts and uncles and some of my friend's parents are like "Wow, your teeth are really straight" or my favorite "There's such a change."
Having braces is great so don't let people's reaction throw you off, just smile!!

onedayperfect
Posts: 65
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:01 am
Location: North East England

#17 Post by onedayperfect »

I show mine off all the time, dont stop smiling 8)

alexa
Posts: 1055
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 10:50 am
Location: San Francisco, CA
Contact:

#18 Post by alexa »

I had some people in my life who were very on the fence about my decision when I told them I would be getting them. They sort of figured that if I didn't get them fixed when I was a teenager, then it was pretty much too late and I should just have crooked teeth. They thought I was too old.

The thing is, as soon as I got them and the teeth straightened out, the comments were the complete opposite. This was the best decision you ever made. Your teeth look so much better. When are you getting them off, your smile will look awesome.

People change their tunes all of the time. :P
Spacers: 1/26/05; 2/6/06; 3/15/06; 4/24/06
4 First Bicuspids removed: 2/2005
Metal Braces, top and bottom: 3/1/05; Debanded 7/26/07
Hawley retainers top and bottom

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Gennel
Posts: 643
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 5:19 am

#19 Post by Gennel »

I thought so many people would sort of freak out when they saw my metal mouth. But it was the opposite. My mom was so happy that I finally decided to do this for myself.A few people commented that I should have spent the money on something for myself . I thought that was a really stupid comment! lol I am doing one of the best things for myself lol. I have no regrets because the progress has been amazing .


Gennel

Skylark
Posts: 96
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 4:02 am
Location: London

#20 Post by Skylark »

Reactions to mine (ceramics) have been so minimal that I find it quite odd! They are noticable, but either people don't look at my mouth as much as I thought, or they just don't think it's worth making a comment on.

My best friend commented that I was shallow to bother getting them sorted. That upset me a bit, but then I wonder if she's envious as she also had them as a kid and hers have become crooked again. A couple of people have said they're cool! Others just seem to look at my teeth but don't say anything.

Just had my second adjustment and my wire is now thicker which has made them more noticable so I'm back in the self conscious zone. Am just reminding myself that I'll get used to them again and they really aren't a big deal....

chicklets
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:44 am
Location: Maryland, USA

#21 Post by chicklets »

gunter8888 wrote:My personal feeling is that anyone who still sees braces as nerdy is out of date and anyone who thinks we are overly focused on appearance just doesn't get it.
I TOTALLY agree, Gunter.


We had a dinner party at our house on Saturday night. I was spotted by one couple when I was stealthily removing my expander before dinner. I told them how excited I am to be getting my braces at the end of the month. They both looked puzzled and said, "What do you want to do that for, you're teeth look fine." Oy-vey . . . . . .
Palate expander: 10/10/2006 through 03/27/2007
Spacers and brackets: 03/27/2007
Archwire: 04/05/2007
First adjustment: 06/05/2007

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susieq182
Posts: 240
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:11 pm
Location: Casper, WY
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#22 Post by susieq182 »

I havent really got any negative comments about my braces mostly people are just curious why i got them now and not as a teen. or you get the standard you didnt really need braces did you thing. I dont mind people asking me about them or commenting either way, because i didn't do this to please anyone else I did it so I can have healthy teeth and not have to have jaw surgery. Little kids are the best about them they always say something silly about my braces.
Extract #3 6/07 implant 10/07
Upper Molar bands
Bite Plate 12/12/05-5/20/06
spacers all lower arch first 10 weeks
Braced 12/12/05
New ortho 2/8/07

egocidal
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 1:35 pm

#23 Post by egocidal »

Think of them as decoration. Style. Ornamentation :wink:

Somehow that always comes to mind whenever I see metalworks on anybody. Even more so if they have on colorful ligatures.

But then I speak from the pov of one who isn't braced (yet! Six more days!) but with, can I say, brace-envy? :lol:

manglemouth
Posts: 300
Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2006 11:30 pm
Location: Home is where the cat fur is

#24 Post by manglemouth »

I had one person kinda try and talk me out of it cause she had a bad experience with braces herself. Others who had braces before congratulated me and were really eager to give me lots of advice, they gave me the good, the bad, and the ugly (which I appreciated). Pretty much everyone close to me knew that I was gonna get them as I announced it to the whole world...and they were excited for me when my brace day was finally here. As far as strangers, they sometimes give me an intruiged look because I have ceramics on top so they are not immediately visible, but not one person has actually commented on my braces yet other than the initial congratulations.

Very positive experience! I am so much more confident with them on now than I was without them!
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-Michael-
Posts: 86
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: California

#25 Post by -Michael- »

Nobody has noticed them, or even done a double take!

It's great. What I think is probably happening is that (at least in USA) that braces are becoming so common place amongst kids/teens, that it's really becoming second nature to see someone with braces.

In fact, the few that have mentioned something told me they want to get braces too!

Response has been overwhelmingly non-existent ;)

-Michael-

chicklets
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:44 am
Location: Maryland, USA

#26 Post by chicklets »

egocidal wrote:Think of them as decoration. Style. Ornamentation :wink:

I like this, Egocidal. At my age (42), rather than getting my nose/eyebrow pierced or a bellybutton ring, I decided to bling my teeth. :lol:
Palate expander: 10/10/2006 through 03/27/2007
Spacers and brackets: 03/27/2007
Archwire: 04/05/2007
First adjustment: 06/05/2007

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iBorg
Posts: 1877
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:34 pm
Location: West Virgina
Contact:

#27 Post by iBorg »

I had planned on telling my college students that it was either get braces or my nose pierced. I taught for a week an NOT one student said a thing! :cry:
I guess I wasn't self conscious enough for it to matter.

Then I got my bite plate. As I struggled with the typical new bite plate lisp, they noticed. :(
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.

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Mmmmuuaa
Posts: 196
Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:16 pm
Location: Manitoba, Canada

#28 Post by Mmmmuuaa »

I've had really mixed reactions. My family was and is not supportive. They think it's vain and too much money. Which is weird because I had to get them for my TMJ which has given my problems for 3 years. I think they think it's just an excuss. I should get my ortho to write a letter to prove to them, he he he, JK. My parents got my little bro braces when he was young. I guess it's ok to be vain when your young and not an adult. Go figure. Though they also harp on my for running and being too thin (which I'm not), ect.... . My friends are all so supportive. Most of my friends had braces as a teenager. I've also had people admit that they could also get braces also. I don't care if people are negative anyway. I needed to get them and I'm excited about it and my husband and friends are supportive and that's what counts.

gramsinbraces
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:06 am

#29 Post by gramsinbraces »

I work in a grade school Cafe and all the kids were so cute yesterday to me, they all seemed to notice at once I had braces. Comments like "You have Braces" "I like your braces" or "my sister has braces" the funny one was from an honest little boy that said "why are your teeth green" I showed him I had braces and he just smiled then. All so cute and honest I enjoyed the comments. And any adults I've run into have been positive so far. Just be proud of what you are doing. SMILE
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Top expander 12/2006
Top Braces Feb. 27, 2007
Top Expander removed 7/2007
Bottom expander 7/2007

bracesafter40
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:48 am
Location: TX
Contact:

Re: People's reaction

#30 Post by bracesafter40 »

rcsw6 wrote:I've had my upper braces for about four days now and have been very surprised by the reaction I've had from people. ...
Like rcsw6 and gramsinbraces, I got braces at the end of Feb. (28). just the tops; the bottoms comes in 4 weeks time. My ortho wanted me to get used to the top first and I think my bottom teeth is touching the tops and she wanted to see how all that played out.

I'm excited and so are my co-workers and friends. I told almost everyone before I got them so when I did, they all wanted to see how I was doing and what they looked like. It was a beautiful things. In addition, another guy got his two days before mine, so I had company on my floor :-). Others have come up to me and say how brave I am and that I've inspired them to go get theirs done. Will see if they live up to that...

I've been on the street and people just do a double take, but say nothing. So far no strangers have commented on them. They are quite obvious once I smile and talk so there is no missing them.

I've not made it out to the bars just yet, but I will advise how that reaction is. Oh, I'm going to a bar tonight so will see. Going out for wings, well boneless wings :-(...

Even people I know at work has not said anything, but have clearly noticed. Some people are just shy about that. Thinking that I may be subconscious. If I see that someone is a bit uncomfortable, I just go ahead and point them out and get the topic out of the way, then you can see the relief on their face.

Hey, I've got 2.5 years of this ahead of me and God knows what other appliances I may get thrown in there, so I have to get them used to it all now. I may have a bit problem, so a bite plate (whatever that is) may be in my future. No headgear, but that may change.

My blog about it all is at http://bracesafter40.blogspot.com

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