Metal Mouth Message Board

I have been reading through this site and it is nice to read all your stories and experiences.

Im 31, my spacers go in tomorrow and then braces next week.

Im extremely anxious and nervous about this. I do not understand that why the night before I feel like this. I have been wanting braces since I was a teen. Now the time is here and Im a little scared.

The funny thing about this for me is...what Im nervous about is...what if my teeth look worse than now? and of course friends and family are like how can they look worse than they do? I know I will look a different...I guess until the nights before...Im realizing I was always happy with my smile and liked how I looked. Because I never had braces it was not a concern. Now Im about to get braces and Im sad about losing the memory of who I was.

I know I must sound like a whiner here but if anyone has felt this way prior to braces any postive comments would help. I honestly do not get why Im being like this.

I know in the end it will be better for my dental hygiene aswell as an improved smile all around. I guess Im at one of those moments where Im thinking maybe the grass isn't always greener. I dont know.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you all for sharing, finding this site has been a huge help.

I'd felt that way too the night before braces...like my life was going to change in a way I didn't know if I was prepared for.
I wouldn't say I've always wanted BRACES, but I do know that for years I wanted a better smile. Unfortunately, the only solution to that was spacers, extractions, brackets and wires...
I've always thought I had a good smile, and some of my friends even told me that my teeth gave my face character. I've been told I'm pretty a lot, and my teeth never held me back from socializing the way I wanted to or enjoying life.
But...at the same time, I'd cover my mouth when I laughed, and only smile with my lips closed in pictures. I don't like doing that... so why not do something temporary (albeit awkward and uncomfortable at times) to relieve myself of that self-consciousness?
And later down the road, if I DIDN'T do this now, would I put myself a risk for losing teeth or having major dental health problems? That's something that I really don't think about most of the time, but I'm sure it would make me miserable.

If you're truly happy with your smile and the state of your teeth, would you be getting braces next week? I assume you wouldn't be....and every day I literally have to remind myself why I'm doing this.

It's HARD doing this as an adult! And it's humbling in a way. For me, the worst part about deciding to get braces was the initial consultation. Facing my fears, feeling a little embarrassed to be sitting there in an office with 12-year olds, opening wide and having a stranger point out every single flaw in my mouth, all that stuff...forced me to confront what I may have already known, but on a different level. Despite my healthy sense of self-confidence and general comfort with who I am, I faced truths that I'd tried to ignore for years. Once I got going, I knew there was no turning back (especially after extractions!) and if there's one thing I know for sure....it'll all be worth it in the end. I'll still be me, but I'll be a better me.

I know this is long, but I hope it helps in some way. When I read your post, I related to what you wrote. I don't know if you're a woman or a man but I do know that at 31 I was just starting to shed some of that anxiety and stuff I'd felt through my teen years and 20's. There's something powerful about being in your 30's, especially as a woman. Suddenly, I feel like my braces have actually diminished that power, because I'm back at feeling like a self-conscious kid with them on, lol. I also realize now though...at 34, that THIS was the time that I was actually ready and mentally prepared to execute this challenge. In a way, I'm even MORE empowered because I'm doing this, if that makes sense.

Good luck to you, and congrats for having the courage to take this step.

I can relate also, I got my braces on in January, at age 31...I have wanted braces for so long, and to have it finally happen..I still can't believe it sometimes! The first week was the hardest, and I was miserable, in pain and feeling completely self concious. I am at 2 months now, had my first adjustement and I am doing much better. I still get aggravated about eating, I miss eating whatever, whenever. I brush after everything I eat, and when I can't brush, I just don't eat until I can! I have had no one make negative comments to me, my co workers are all very supportive, and my kids were so excited about it. I think I am changing in that I smile more now. I also am willing to talk about my teeth and think it's no big deal to talk about them...this is way different as I would hate it when people talked about teeth, as I felt concious that someone would look at mine. When I smile it is impossible to hide them and if you try to, it looks a million times worse. In the last 2 months, I have had teeth shift around, and most recently opened up a gap in between my 2 front teeth. (they overlapped in the beginning) ..I felt really dorky with the gap, but I would just keep telling myself...one day at a time, another day closer, that kind of thing. My gap has closed now with the help of an extremely tight band at my adjustment (OUCH). It closed within minutes. CRAZY! At this point, I am more proud of them, and even though I don't really like the way I look now. I know that in time, I will...and that keeps me going. The changes that you see motivate you and when you see them happen it reminds you of why you're doing this. I think about how many years it took for me to do this..I didn't always have $5,000 to spend on my mouth...I always had other things to worry about. This year I didn't want to waste another minute, and just did it!!! It will get better. Promise.

Good to see some other adults with braces on the forum. Im 21 and becuase of my braces I get IDed a lot when trying to buy alcohol.

Hey. I just wanted to say I totally know where you are coming from. I have wanted braces for as long as I can remember. I have always made sure to keep my mouth closed in photos and had a very time in business situations because I was always trying to hide my teeth.

I got my braces this Tuesday. I barely slept the week before I got them because I was so excited. And then the night before I got so nervous. I doubted if I was making the right choice... On the walk to the ortho that morning I felt like I was on the verge of something really big and about to change my life in a really big way. I was so nervous.

Now that they are on I know I made the right choice. When I first saw myself in braces I was like omg I look like a freak! But you know what? I realized this morning I kinda like my braces. And although my teeth are still very much crooked the braces Are on and its clear I am trying to change. I feel like its so much more exceptable for people to see my teeth now.

I am in a ton of pain and I am having a very hard time eating. I would love a gaint sandwich lol. But I am really happy with the choice I made and I am 100% percent confident you will be too!

Good luck!!! =)

Brace-you sound just like me!! I am the ultimate closed mouth smiler and camera avoider!!! Have to change that now! LOL, impossible to smile with your mouth closed when you have braces! It looks so bad on me! LOL
I missed out also, was pretty quiet in school and in my career. I have friends that I love dearly, but I was definitly the one to back out quietly, and to stand on the sidelines. All the times I wanted to BEAM, I held back and did my usual tight smile.....I was always so envious of big toothy grins...I love them, just didn't love mine.
Changing all that now, can't wait to be one of them!

I wish I would of caught the last two replies before I went to my appt.

I went in at 2pm. Sat down and cried and told them why my nerves were everywhere. not about the money, pain, or ortho. It was just me. My ortho came in and respected my feelings. They were great and patient.

Im rescheduled for the 19th. I dont know what is wrong with me? I cannot beleive I reacted this way. It is a huge change....and I guess Im sad to part with the part of me that I always accpeted. It really is part of who Iam. But aside from looks...this is the best move for my teeth and hygiene.

I appreciate all the responses. I hope more come in. I have another 2 weeks now before the next attempt. I feel so foolish for feeling like this.

awww, sorry you had such a hard time, it's nice that they are working with you. You won't have any regrets,...like I said, the beginning is the hardest part...but each day you have braces is one day closer to that beautiful smile! I was so bummed on Jan 2, when my braces went on, and my next appointment was not til FEB 26!!! It felt like forever, but like everyone says..the time flies by....and before I know it, it will be April 23 and time for another apointment....more progress!
You know inside if you can handle it, it's not easy by any means...but for me, it was the thought of living the only life I will ever have, without beaming big smiles at my kids, my hubby, at special events, holidays....gosh darn it..I am done missing out! I am doing this!!!!!!!!!!

oharabrat- I really think its great your ortho worked with you and gave you some extra time. I think its time for you to get excited about it though! This is a very long expensive slightly painful process so its really important to look on the bright side. this is all being done so one day you will have an amazing healthy smile!

This is how i look at it. I am forever trying to loose a little bit of weight. Have you ever gone on a diet and had the feeling of YES i am going to do this and loose weight and im gonna look awesome..but really you dont know whats gonna happen and if your actually gonna loose the weight or not. Well i kinda feel like with braces, now that they are on i know for sure that the end result is going to be good. they can't not work you know?.

Good luck and trust me if I can do it you can too!

and Candy....its funny how you said you can't close your mouth with braces now because i totally cant either. it looks like im trying to hold a mouth full of food in or something lol. But i dont know if its just me but i feel like the braces give the allusion that my teeth are a little straighter or something.

Soon we will one with the big beautiful smiles!!!!

The best part of the illusion of feeling like we have straighter teeth soon gives way to teeth that are actually moving...and very quickly!!! I can't believe that in just 2 months, that my stupid fangs are down so much, they are almost right next to my other teeth instead of being higher. That was probably the part of my smile that I hated the most. Also, one of my top front teeth turning onto my other tooth, now that is straight. What I dislike most now is my bite and how toothy I feel, but as I have learned, this is all part of the process of good times and bad times. Braces are amazing, Orthodontics are amazing...I wish I had done this sooner, but they should be off before I am 33.
LOL--they are a little achy today, I am wondering what gap is going to open up now...you just never know from from week to the next!

Hi ohara, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling that way! I felt similar the days before getting my braces. I was excited, but a little scared, too. I started thinking about people's reactions in the days before when I'd given them the heads up about my getting braces - a lot of "but your teeth are fine!" and "I never noticed they were crooked!" It made me wonder if maybe I was just fine and over-reacting. Maybe my teeth were fine and just part of what made me me!

I'm very glad I got the braces though. For me, it's turned out to not be the big deal I thought it would be. The first days were awkward, but now I don't know they are there. I also feel proud to smile and show off how couragous I've been to go ahead with braces at 27! And now that it's been 8 weeks and my bottom teeth are almost perfectly straight... I love my braces!!!

Stay positive ohara, you can do it! And we'll all be here for you along the way, don't forget!!!

Wow, I've been feeling exactly the same way! My braces and a scary thing called a nance appliance go on a week from Monday, and I'm starting to have all kinds of second thoughts. I'm 31 too, and after years of wanting to fix my extremely crooked teeth and open bite I finally got sick of hiding my smile I decided to just fix it already. My husband and friends are supportive, but all tell me how much they like my teeth... I go back and forth between being so excited about getting the braces on, to wondering if I'll actually miss my crooked teeth when they're fixed! (although I seriously doubt that'll happen...) After wanting braces since I was a teenager, I never thought I'd feel so emotional about actually getting them. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one feeling this way!

I always imagined that braces would be the worst thing I could ever be put through. I put it off for SO long bc I was too scared to face the inevitable.

I always thought fixing teeth was just for cosmetic reasons...and as that may be true it's also more then that.

Fixing your teeth not only builds self esteem and confidence but it also is a future investment for your health.

My dentist always tried to get me to get braces and I kept sayin I didn't want to and then it turned into I couldn't afford to.

When I went the other day to him for a cleaning I said, "you know Dr. B you always wanted me to get braces and I finally took your advice!" and he smiled and said and it will be the best money you could of ever put out for yourself.

Basically my teeth were not that bad to me or anyone else who saw them. But then I realized how much damage those crooked teeth could of done for me in the future I now know that he was right all along.

With a bad crossbite I was sure to have jaw problems the older I got. The teeth being crooked made it hard to clean therefore gingivitis was a huge concern and something I could of had issues with not to mention hidden cavities that were hard to see.

I was terrified to go through the process and thought in the beginning "why am I doing this to myself" but now I have no regrets what so ever and I know that this was probably the best thing I could of done for myself.

It was far easier then I have ever anticipated. So this whole time I spent fearing them I could of been doin somethin about it - and sooner!

The time will fly and the straighter the smile gets the more you'll realize that it's all going to work out in the end.

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you said it perfectly. that is how i feel. Im worried my tooth stuck behind my front one wont look good...it mor than likely will need a light veneer to maybe match it up. just so much that goes on with changing what you know.

i mean the health benefits are so important. my mom told me I will be so happy....but im not unhappy with my smile now...crooked or straight teeth..i still loved me smile. i was not that hard on myself..lol.

thank you all for your responses. they have helped. my appt is still set for he 19th....lol.

I wish I could say something profound to help you feel better, but like you already said, the problem is in you and how you feel. I can relate to your fear of the unknown you. I have fought for so long to find ME and to learn to be comfy with who I am that the thought of losing it all again is terrifying. I have always wanted braces, but that was never an option for me. So I adopted an I don't care attitude. "If you don't like the way I look, don't look at me", that was my motto I lived by.
Then my daughter at 9 got braces, and I saw what it did for her confidence in herself and knew I needed to do the same. My husband supported me fully, and so at the age of 29, I am now a lightning attracting, radio antenna metal mouth!
I am also very smiley and outgoing that hasn't changed with braces. I love them and the way I look in them. I have fun with colors and love shocking people when they see an adult with hot pink and lime green braces! I wouldn't hide my teeth before braces and I sure as hell won't be trying now that I have the opportunity to change them.
I hope you won't change your mind, or put your banding off anymore.