Metal Mouth Message Board

For the people that are getting it for mostly comestic reasons, isn't it sad how appearance matters?

You always here people say you should love yourself for what's on the inside and not the outside. Who cares if other people think you have bad teeth. You should just ignore negative comments.

As much as it pains me to say this, I would argue appearance does matter in life. And of course teeth makes up a large part of your appearance.

I haven't been happy about my smile since it was brutally brought to my attention in junior high. I didn't enjoy being made fun of, and my parents didn't really seem to care. I didn't see a dentist until I was 17 and had to go because I cracked my front teeth.
Which is one of the things that's always gotten to me about the situation. For some reason people seemed to think my crooked teeth were totally my fault when I was younger. As if I wanted to be ridiculed and wanted to be ugly. And people are still the same, even as adults. At work some girl made fun of me for my teeth. And although my friend stood up for me (and chewed her out somethin' fierce, from what I've heard), I just cannot deal with feeling bad for something that I now, finally, have the ability to take care of.
I'm not really looking forward to any part of it. But it's funny because I see people writing about getting expanders and having an embarassing gap in their teeth as a result, and somehow I just don't think it'll be that bad, considering the fact that I'm embarassed about my teeth without any sort of dental appliance.
I'm also bloody sick of getting fillings. I have lots of crowding, lots of hidden little spots that are apparently breeding grounds for all kinds of bacteria and cavities. After I went to the dentist at 17 I got four fillings. Then two more the next time I went after that. Then another one a few weeks ago. I only have three wisdom teeth, but none of them have fully grown out, so they're getting cavities. etc.
I know that braces won't solve all my problems. But I'm thinking it probably can't really make any of my problems worse.

asianflow wrote:For the people that are getting it for mostly comestic reasons, isn't it sad how appearance matters?

yes it is indeed very sad. I wish we could live in paradise where instead of humans you have angels around you with pure moral intentions that only look at your heart and never ever judge you by your looks, that always give you any job regardless how rotten you may look like and that never ever make a bad comment on your imperfections.

You always here people say you should love yourself for what's on the inside and not the outside.

It's ugly people who lie to themselves because they are too lazy or afraid to change whatever they don`t like about themselves.

Who cares if other people think you have bad teeth.

Everyone does. It just took me 20 years to admit it!! So here I am.

As much as it pains me to say this, I would argue appearance does matter in life. And of course teeth makes up a large part of your appearance.

In an ideal world we would not be judged by appearance but

in an ideal world - teachers would make as much money as models
everybody would have the same opportunities provided to them in life
the chances of winning the lottery would be greatly increased and
they'd hold Oscar ceremonies for nurses that would garner as many viewers as those for movie stars

it's not an ideal world and this country (the U.S.) is particularly harsh on those found wanting in the attraction department. I've lived in Ireland and the U.K before living here and find my self esteem lower here than in any other place - loads of upsides too but the appearance issue is exacerbated by living in America.

I did it because I have needed them since I was 10 but was too scared to get them, but now that I've done a lot of research and know what to expect somewhat, I feel much more comfortable about my decision, plus I just hate my teeth (lowers especially).

I went on vacation in mid June to Punta Cana. When I looked at my vacation photos, the fat hanging over my bikini didn' t bother me as much as my crooked teeth.......'nuf said.....

Pretty much what everyone else has been saying.

I hated, hated, hated my smile, since I can remember.

I think the last time, I had a photo taken in which my teeth were showing, was at a school photo shoot when I was about 13. Since then, I put into gear, some desperate avoidance techniques, so I wouldn't be captured on that Camera. Wouldn't been seen on that Camcorder video. With a smile, that was taking on the shape of a train wreck, with every passing year, I did my best to make sure it stayed hidden.

I can't honestly say what was the turning point, but it was probably a combination of events and situations which dawned the realisation that I simply had to take pro-active steps to sort the problem out.

With regards to looks and appearances are important, yes to a certain extent they are. However it's a desire to have something that doesn't look so out of place/unusual that became my immediate cause for concern.

My teeth weren't too bad at all - at least to the untrained eye.

I was in the bathroom one night a couple of months ago, and was shocked to see how crooked my front teeth were getting. It wasn't massively noticeable, but I realised it was progressing and would get worse and worse. I decided to get an upper brace that very second, I fixed a budget in my head (it's been way less, luckily) and waited until my next dental appointment.

At that appointment the hygienist said that I actually quite needed a brace on the lowers: while they don't show when I speak much, they are very, very "tight" and difficult for her to clean and de-tartar with her specialist equipment, let alone for me to clean with regular stuff. So that decided me on the lower brace.

And that was it. The uppers were on, and the lowers go on in a week.

I know this is an old post, but this topic really grabbed something in me. I have my consultation tomorrow, and I've just come to terms with the fact that regardless what the ortho says I need to do, I'm doing it. I realize that I am doing this purely for cosmetic reason, and some people cannot get over how shallow it is, but that's just how it is. My teeth are ruining my life, and I cannot just get over it as hard as I try.
My teeth have definitely been getting progressively worse, but they were already bad in high school. I've heard my whole life how pretty I am, how I should model, etc., and I kind of always just told myself that other people must not see them like I do. I was self conscious, but I thought that it must be my own low self esteem and vanity.
There were three specific events that prompted me to do this now:
1. On my 21st bday, I went to Vegas. My best friend and I had met two boys and were having a good time. They wanted to go out to a club, and I (who had a massive crush on a guy who had come to Vegas with us) said I wasn't interested. The boy said to me "You really shouldn't act like you're too good for me with teeth like yours. You're lucky I talked to you in the first place." Basically, I sat at a bar, cried, and drank until I forgot it.
2. Two years later, I've been dating the boy who I had a crush on in Vegas ever since. His dad was a dentist, and we go to his office one day. His partner, trying to be helpful, leaps into an immediate discussion of how I could fix my teeth. I run out sobbing. This is the first time in my life that I ever admited to anyone that I hated my smile.
3. Last month, at a party with boyfriend (now of over 3 years) we took a picture. We're both laughing, and it would be a great picture except it highlights all the problems with my teeth. Everything shows. It looks like I have teeth growing out at 90 degree angles (which I don't but it's a horrible picture). I realized I'm going to marry this boy, and I'm not going to be able to smile or laugh in any of our pictures. I cry everytime I look at the picture.
A couple weeks later, here I am doing something I've wanted for almost 10 years now. Did it take everyone else something to jolt them into doing this? Was anyone else hiding their smiles for years like I was? I know it's not their fault, but I can't help but be angry at my parents for not taking me to an orthodontist when I so obviously needed it as a child. Anyone else?

Absolutely, meep. I loathed my smile. I can't even put into words how much I hated it.

I never really noticed teeth (mine or anyone else's) until I was in 8th grade. In my social studies class, we had to give an oral report on camera about a period in history. Later, my teacher showed the class the video. As I watched myself talking on camera, I saw for the first time just how horribly crooked my teeth were. I was so embarassed. I sunk into my chair, red-faced. I had never noticed how bad they were before that day.... that was the beginning, and it all went downhill from there.

At first, I stopped smiling and laughing, or I'd put my hand over my mouth to cover it. I never smiled in pictures - in fact, I avoided even taking them when possible. I didn't want a permanent image of the thing I hated more than anything - my teeth.

In my late teens, as my self-conciousness grew and my self-esteem dropped, I stopped talking to people. I was afraid they'd see my teeth and ridicule me.

I became far too dependent on other people, namely my boyfriend (who is now my husband). I was afraid to drive by myself (what if I got pulled over and the cop spoke to me?), I was afraid to go to the store by myself (the cashier might ask me a question!), I was afraid to do anything that might require me to speak.

I would sit in the bathroom up on the counter, looking at my teeth and sobbing. It was a heart-wrenching experience. I was so very unhappy with myself.

As I entered my 20s, the dependency caused by my self-induced shyness/fear of people seeing my teeth started to affect my relationship with my boyfriend. I was too embarassed with myself to talk to him and explain just what was going on, and he couldn't stand to see this sort of "self-destruction" that I was imposing on myself. I was crippling myself by not living my life because I was so afraid of what people might think of me based on my appearance.

It caused a rift between us. We very nearly broke off our relationship. It was then that I decided there were some things more important in life than feeling sorry for yourself. It pains me that it took so much, and took so LONG, for me to see the light but I suppose sometimes you've got to learn the hard way.

I apologized to him. I poured my heart out. I told him how it all came to be, what was happening with me now, and what needed to be done (getting my teeth fixed). Once it all came out, he was very understanding and compassionate. (prior to this, I never really disclosed just how unhappy I was with my teeth. I always made up some stupid excuse as to why I couldn't do things for myself). We laughed, we cried, but we got through it. (and eventually, we married.)

We formed a plan.

I finally scheduled an appointment to get braces, and this time I followed through. The day I got them, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I was finally doing something about my teeth. I was finally living life as it should have been lived. It was the greatest feeling in the world.

I have been a "new me" ever since... and I love the new me.

Lexy, I am so sorry to hear that you went through this to, but so relieved that I am not the only one.
My boyfriend and I moved across the country to a new city about a year and a half ago. While I had tons of friends when we were in college, I haven't made a single friend since I got here b/c I'm too ashamed to talk to anyone. My bf tries to take me out with his friends, and I just sort of lurk in the background. I've become a complete recluse and I sit for hours crying, staring at them in the mirror. Although my boyfriend has been GREAT through this, it has caused major problems at times b/c I am not the fun, happy girl who he started dating. The fear of people seeing my teeth has take over my life. I can even identify about not driving or doing anything alone- I can hardly run errands or grocery shop.
I am so excited about getting my braces even though it means admitting to everyone that my teeth are crooked (which is really my biggest fear). We plan to get engaged in a year and a half, and I want to be able to smile as much as I want to when we do. I am so happy that I found this website bc I don't think that I could do it otherwise, but until I saw your email, I wondered if I was the only person who has been so miserable.
Thank you and good luck, Lexy!

Yes, meep, by getting braces you will be admitting that you don't have perfect teeth. But you know what? By getting braces, you're doing something about it. That is something to be very proud of. It takes guts to schedule that appointment and go in there and have the orthodontist give you a detailed list of things that need to be corrected. It hurts and it is beyond embarassing to have your teeth "center stage", so to speak. (at least, it was for me) But that's what it takes to get to that which we all desire - straight teeth.

We can live our lives ashamed, in fear - or we can take the plunge and make the change. I took the plunge, and I have not regretted it for even one second.

I can relate to every single thing you have said. I have experienced it all. It's a terrible way to live. I look forward to you getting braced and feeling that sense of freedom that I felt the moment my braces were put on. You will feel like you've been reborn. And in a sense, you will be.

If you ever get discouraged or just want to vent, we're here for you. We've all had pretty similar experiences, so we understand what you're going through and what you will go through once you get braced.

Best of luck to you!

I did it because of a dental crossbite i have. I originally wanted to get cosmetic/dental surgery to fix the crossbite but for some reason, my dentist convinced me to get braces. I don't have a lot of other problems...my midline is a bit off but otherwise it's just straightening a few teeth and thats about it

I'm doing this for mostly cosmetic reasons, though the dentist said my crooked teeth could have been a problem down the road.

When I had my baby teeth, they were perfectly straight. Perfect teeth in every way...except when it came time for them to fall out and the adult teeth to come in, they wouldn't go! I had 8 teeth that were really stubborn and just WOULDN'T come out, and ended up pulling two on my own but having the other six pulled by the dentist. And all the while, my adult teeth were growing in under the baby teeth. So that really affected how crowded my teeth are on sides of my mouth. Also, I sucked my left index finger as a habit until about 8 years of age, and my two front teeth grew in a bit gapped and crooked as a result.

I remember the ages of 11-15 every time I looked in the mirror I imagined that the gap was getting bigger (it wasn't, but young girls have imaginations when it comes to their looks!).

My dentist's assistant, had always recommended that I see an orthodonist, but my father always told her no. He insisted that if I got braces I would look like I had dentures, and he didn't want to pay for that.

So at age 14 I started saving up to do it myself.

I've had several people comment on my teeth, I hadn't let it bother me much, because anything they said couldn't be worse than what I thought when I looked in the mirror.

I was a little hesitant, too, because I look young for my age and in braces, I DEFINITELY would/do look younger than I am, and it's a sore point for me. But having straight teeth supercedes all of that.

The last time I saw the dentist, in September, I immediately told her 'Who can I go to to get these teeth looked at?!' and she recommended me to a name I'd heard from 4 other people, all highly recommending her. I called, and got the consultation, and at 20 years old I'm in braces for the first time in my life. They estimate a 20-26 month treatment and I'm really optimistic to how my teeth will look!

Like some here, went in for cosmetic but found-out I had a "World" of dental problems to be addressed........after putting 4 kids in braces and seeing those perfect smiles emerge, I knew it was MY TIME!.....my parents could not afford them back in the 70's (yes.. I,m old)....but I made sure my kids had this very important opportunity....one even went in 'kicking n screaming'....but he has thanked me not too long ago......

I'll be broke,$$$...but I will SMILE!!!!!!

Extraction on #23 Tomarrow!!!
Spacers next Tuesday
upper and lower braces the Tuesday after.....