Metal Mouth Message Board

Hello fellow bracefaces
I had an adjustment a week ago, and the ortho put this rectangular stainless steel wire on my upper brackets, it's my first time to have one like this. i used to get coated wires for my ceramic brackets. i think am starting to feel a bit self-conscious. the wire is kind of shiny!! this is not the only problem, *to me* when i smile to see my teeth in the mirror it looks like i have sparkling saliva or something does any of you guys have stainless steel wires .. do you think it looks weird to others

I don't think it looks that bad to others, but they really tend to "pop" in pictures taken with a flash. That really bugs me.

I have had silver wires from the beginning. I didn't get given a choice! People don't comment on my braces anyway. Even with a white wire people would have been able to notice your brackets unless at a distance.

I have ceramic uppers with stainless wires and stainless lowers. Braces aren't invisible. Ceramics are just less visible then stainless. In a crowded room; folks at 10 feet won't be able to tell I have braces. At 3 feet they will. That's what I wanted. I can't really control who I see at longer distances, but I can chose to talk to folks at 3 feet; that would actually see my teeth.

I don't need to scream "I HAVE BRACES!!!" But, I don't mind folks asking about it. Actually, I don't mind sharing my story with them; because at one point I thought "That's just how it is" instead of thinking there's something I can do about my jaw pain and headaches. I have no problems talking to folks about my TMJD, how my bite makes it worse, and how I making things better with braces. I wish I had done something about it 3 or 4 years ago.