I've been reading the posts on this site ever since I got my braces in Feb 08. It's been almost a year, and even though I'm not even halfway through my estimated treatment (nor halfway through paying the $5K), I am ABSOLUTELY convinced that this (extractions, a Nance appliance, and now *fun fun* elastics) is one of the best things I've ever done.
There are moments...hours, even...when I don't think about all this metal strapped to my teeth. But I definitely think about my braces every day, mostly to daydream about getting them off. I think about this ALL the time, actually, lol.
Funny, I USED to just WISH I had straight teeth, before I actually made the commitment to get braces. That daydream always ended in disappointment, mixed with depression...I was at one point petrified of extractions and what I'd look like with braces so for too long of a time I never made the steps to make the dream come true.
Now... I don't LIKE my braces.....ohhh noooo. I'm not one of the more positive people who think they look better in them, smile a lot more, get compliments on them, etc. I AM self-conscious about them and I do NOT like the way they look (or feel), BUT.....these suckers are WORKING and my teeth already look 100% better than they did less than a year ago.
I think I'm writing this for anyone who may have stumbled across this site and is either thinking about getting braces, or has just had them put on...I dunno, just felt like writing I guess.
The (almost) year really has flown by. I am a lover of instant gratification, and when I first had my braces put on, I thought the estimated 2.5 years seemed like an eternity. But....in the meantime, life has gone on just as it would have without braces. These have NOT affected my life in so big a way that I haven't had fun, met guys (I'm single), met new friends....had good days, bad days...all of the stuff that life does to us. Any effect that the process has had on my day-to-day life has been very minimal, and only at times (after extractions, initial banding and some adjustments). In other words, they're NOT really the big deal I'd worried they'd be...at ALL.
And even though I can guarantee that I'll be daydreaming again about getting them off on my drive to work, or any free, quiet moment when I have nothing else to think about.....I am SO glad that I'm not where I was 3, 2 or even 1 year ago....just daydreaming in vain, because I hadn't done anything to alleviate the self-image issues I was having because of my teeth. THIS is one of those daydreams that will come TRUE (unlike my lottery winnings, marrying Denzel Washington, having my own private island, etc., lol)
It takes courage, and humility to go through with this as an adult. The process isn't wonderful, no. It can be scary and frustrating. But I've learned that in the grand scheme of things, it's really minor...compared to how MAJOR the outcome will be, for so many reasons (aesthetics, health, confidence).
So if you're just at the "thinking about it" stage, wishing you'd done this years ago....think about where you want to be in 3 years. Still wishing you'd done it?
And if you're newly braced (this was tough for me)....chin up, you're on your way...congratulations...you're making your daydreams come true...
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts - I'm thinking and feeling much the same!! Although I do have to say I smile more with braces - I've always been embarrassed about my teeth and figure the braces "hide" them (LOL!), and the pink ligs make me so happy I smile all the time... haha! Like you, I daydream about straight teeth and getting them off, although I'm only a couple months in. Thanks again!
