Metal Mouth Message Board

I've posted once before, and find this site to be extremely useful. I'm a 24 y/o, currently in my last year in junior college, I will be transferring to university in january as a junior, and I need braces.
To top all this off, I also will need to wear a biteplate, full time for the duration of treatment.
I've gotten to the point in my life, where ever since I started having problems with my K-9 teeth being visibly behind (when i was around 19) I never smile. Now I'm a pretty well educated and smart guy, I know this isn't going to change or get any better unless I go ahead and change it. I also know since I work in real estate and property management how important it is to not only be confident in your appearance and smile, but how bad it is to live your life being self conscious and not doing anything about it. Since I have had these thoughts of getting braces for the last 5 years and never done anything about it. This year was the first time I really pursued it. So far everything has been done, the records,imprints, mouldings, and payment plan. All their waiting for is the spacers and then the braces to be fit.
When we were almost their, I thought of just getting them on the top as my behind K-9 teeth are what predominantly stops me from smiling and really hurts my self esteem.
The next thing i did was call the office and told them I figured it would be best to finish my final semester as in january i might have 6 months off school and i would have more time for appointments and to deal with the treatment (currently i am a full time college student and full time employee, i really have no time for anything). But now I've started to regret that decision. I did make it as the time will be a problem, but also the thought of me walking around community college with braces and a biteplate which really scares me, really threw me off. I live in south florida and everyone has a nice smile and their proud of it, everyone but me.
My main concern is how protrudent my face and mouth is going to become with wearing braces and a biteplate. I think it will intefere with my communication skills. But what I've come to realize is I'll probably have more confidence or a better attitude while im in braces because I'll know my teeth are "in progress" and every day I wear them i get closer to having that "perfect smile" I've always wanted. And at 26 I can really live my life.
What do you think???

Chris

I think I need to just stop talking about all of this and get on with it. I'm thinking of calling them tommorow and setting it up to be on within the next 2 weeks (one week for spacers). I have an oral presentation coming up at school that worries me, but this isn't going to get any better unless i do anything about it.
The faster i get started the faster i get them off.

Chris

Cbarrett wrote:I think I need to just stop talking about all of this and get on with it. I'm thinking of calling them tommorow and setting it up to be on within the next 2 weeks (one week for spacers). I have an oral presentation coming up at school that worries me, but this isn't going to get any better unless i do anything about it.
The faster i get started the faster i get them off.

Chris

That's right, just go and get them, you'll feel great that you're actually doing something about it and not thinking about it anymore! Everyday you'll be closer to the smile you want. Sooner the better.

Cbarrett wrote: The faster i get started the faster i get them off.

Exactly. Go for it, you won't regret it.

You guys are absolutely right. Although I've made some great progress on pursuing getting braces this year, I've been extremely busy with work and school, and those things seem to make me more nervous about getting them. Since I was scheduled to have them put on in august, I haven't lost much time. I'm so concerned about the cosmetic aspect of the treatment that it scares me.
The best thing is to get on with it, so as people say on this board, my teeth will be "in progress" every day.
Right now I've been looking at everyones smile and thinking to myslef. I'm such a freakin' idiot. I could have that and I'm sitting here crying about it.
Neway, thanks for your support, it made all the difference.
I'm going to post a few more questions. But I've made my mind up, within the next few weeks you should see me post about getting them on.
Chris

Gosh, so many things in your post I can relate to! I also had a smile I was hiding, while noticing every single person I knew already had great smiles and perfect teeth. I had the opposite problem of you - I had protruding canines in their own row, sticking out at 45 degree angles for the world to see! And severe crowding and way-off midline - ugh!

Please stick to your guns and get the braces now! A great smile is so important to succeed professionally. A mouthful of crooked teeth sends a bad message when you are trying to sell yourself, and can really hold you back. Others respond better to you when you look good. I know the biteplate as a serious "ewwww" factor, but I heard that people get somewhat used to it, like with most orthodontic appliances. I procrastinated seven years from my 1st adult orthodontic consultation to when I actually got braces - regret that now!

Now I have had braces for two and a half years, with at least six months to go (but it could be another year!) but the difference in my appearance is amazing. DO IT - you will only regret it later if you don't.