The embarrassment of the waiting room

Message

#1 Post by **stokie66** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 4:49 pm

i went for my consultation not so long ago and i hated it in the waiting room where there were about 3 or 4 adults with there little kids next to them i could see them looking as if to say whats that man doing here surely he carnt be getting braces at his age, felt really awkward oh well got go through it again when i actually get them on, any1 else feel embarrased the same way

#2 Post by **felicia** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:53 pm

I never felt embarrassed, not even for one second...and you shouldn't feel embarrassed either, no matter how old you are. I am 27 years old, but I would not feel embarrassed if I was 47 either. I look at my braces process, like it is the best thing I ever done for myself and I don't care what anybody says.

#3 Post by **Bellalalala** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 6:33 pm

Trust me, they don't care.

The last thing any parent is thinking of is the dental care of some random adult at the dental office.

Seriously, they're parents, they have a BAZILLION other things on their minds, like how they're going to afford to pay for their kid's orthodontics.

This seems to be a recurring theme on this board: people fixating on what other people are going to think about their braces.

hahaha
Simple truth: no one cares about your braces but you.
This is a good thing.

#4 Post by **evilnel** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 7:29 pm

Yeah, there were a lot of teens and middle school age kids (like 11-12) at my ortho when I was there, and after I got mine on I was drooling like crazy. She was in the next chair and I was like 'oh, gross, drool' and she gave me this sympathetic look like 'I totally know what you are feeling.' If anything the kids would be sympathetic and the parents probably either don't care or are like 'oh, cool, somebody getting braces when older.' Most people really aren't that interested in you.

#5 Post by **luxe383** » Fri Nov 27, 2009 6:03 pm

I don't really feel too self-conscious when I am at the ortho (if anything, its the only place I feel normal!)

When I feel embarassed is when countless people have seen my new braces, had this suprised look and said, "wow, why didn't you have braces when you were a kid?" and I have to say, well my family had no money when I was growing up and couldn't afford it.

Seriously, its hard sometimes when so many people take things like braces for granted. I can't believe how many people don't know what its like to not be able to afford something like that.

#6 Post by **evilnel** » Fri Nov 27, 2009 7:13 pm

I get that a lot too. The thing that makes it hard to understand for them is that my parents are doctors and affluent now, but when I was a kid they were raising four kids while both in medical school! We definitely just became comfortable in the last few years, and so people are like '... I still don't get it.' What does it matter? I have them now!

#7 Post by **sdawdy** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:06 pm

I had a situation last time I was at the ortho's office, There was a girl about 7-8 years old that was crying because she was not getting her braces yet. She is still in a headgear stage and apparently not wearing it like she should. She turned and asked her mom why there was an adult getting braces, her mom looked over at me and said I dont know why dont you ask her? I nodded and said it was ok, so she came over to me and asked. I told her in the way that a 7 year old could understand. She was lucky that her parents care enough to help her as a child to get her teeth fixed and to take it day by day and if she wears her headgear like she is told to she will get her braces on very soon. She ran back to her mom and said that she will start wearing her headgear to school and all day and night like she is supposed to do. Her mom pulled me aside later and thanked me as no one was able to get her to wear her headgear.

#8 Post by **evilnel** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:43 pm

It's remarkable how kids will sometimes listen to a stranger rather than their parents! Hehe.

#9 Post by **ANGELFLUTTER** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:49 am

Yup -sometimes I feel akward though not embarassed. I have yet to get my braces on. ( Hopefully by the end of January ) I am 53. The last time that I was in for my consult - there were two young girls getting passes to get out of school for the rest of the day after their visit. I meekly asked, " Can I get one of those to get off of work for the rest of the day?" Needless to say, everyone got a huge laugh. The girls' mother, the receptionist, the staff and even the ortho that just happened to be walking by. But - I guess since I actually didn't have braces it was to no avail. ( I'll try again after being braced faced. )

#10 Post by **vjammiez** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:26 pm

I too used to have a self consious feeling in the waiting room. It soon began to be funny to me though because every time I looked up, the teens would be sneaking looks at my mouth.

My turning point really came when one of my metal mouthed students, as I am a teacher, told me that I wasn't smiling anymore and, while she understood why, I should use more wax because the students missed my laugh.

Children are definitely more understanding than adults

Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:52 pm

Sometimes I feel like all eyes are on me too since parents are taking their teenage children to get adjustments and I always come alone. But you know what? I think about my former coworker's husband, who is sporting braces in his mid-60s and realize that if he can do it, then so can I

Some of those parents are enablers anyway--case in point, a former student of mine was braced, got them taken off in 7th grade, and he stopped wearing his retainer, so his bottom teeth went all over the place. Maybe if he had been made to wait to pay for them himself, he would've been more responsible. Something to think about

#12 Post by **Saysee** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:26 am

When I was a child, I did not need braces. I know my parents could have afforded it if needed. I have braces now (59 years old, braces are three weeks old) as the last hurdle to correct my bite after a TMJ treatment that has so far lasted two years. It's funny how many people assume because I did not have braces as a child that my parents couldn't afford it.

#13 Post by **theKurp** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:26 pm

Embarrassed? Jeez, it never occurred to me that I should be self-concious in the waiting area

#14 Post by **crazybeautiful** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:04 pm

My orthodontist is in a general Oral and Maxillofacial department in a hospital, and I find that the majority of patients aren't children. In fact, I rarely see anyone under the age of say, 15 or 16. I don't actively look, anyway; I tend to accept that anyone can need any type of treatment, and they're no different than me. I'm sure most people are more interested in how long they've been waiting/other stuff they are doing that day, etc, than to care about anyone else in the room.
Now that I'm at the end of my orthodontics pre-surgery though, I do tend to be nosy and see what kind of malocclusions people have who come in, and are about my age when I started treatment (17)...just to think 'been there done that, my friend- look at me now, bitter and twisted waiting for my surgery'

I also feel strangely liberated when I'm there- I always have the sense that yes, this is my underbite and this is why I'm here

I suppose it might be slightly different in America, though. I do get the feeling that perfectly straight and white teeth are seen as ideal, and so braces in childhood would be more commonplace. Here, your natural teeth are your natural teeth, and you don't treat them just so they're perfectly straight. But then I'm sure you all have your views on what British teeth are like, like I do American

#15 Post by **jjs34748** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 3:49 pm

crazybeatiful, you seem to have a misconception of Americans and their teeth, while yes their is pressure to have that butiful perfect smile, most of us do not put ourselves through this for that reason, and especially put our kids through it just so they fit in at school. I would not be paying for both of my children to be treated by an orthodontist if the did not need to correct their bites. There are many reasons to seek orthodontic treatment, and very few Americans do it spicifically for aesthetics.

That is not to say that it does not happen, then again I'm sure it also happens in pretty much every country that has the options available to them.

Yes there is also a view of British peoples teeth as not being good, but most of us chose to not buy into it as a whole, the fact is that the same thing can be said for many many Americans. Plus your teeth are genetic, if they are going to go bad for genetic reasons, then there is nothing any of can do about it.

Metal Mouth Message Board

The embarrassment of the waiting room

The embarrassment of the waiting room

I understand

Not everyone needs braces as a kid