How do you think your life will change once you're done ?

[wearetheborg]

How do you think your life will change once you're done with braces ?
I'm a bit concerned with some of the posts on this board - people(and I assume I) seem to be blowing their imperfections out of proportion.
I see similar things on Dr90210 show.
So lets list. What do you think will change after you are done with braces ?

For me: I have gaps in front (I need two implants) - so I think I shall smile more, with a little bit more self confidence, but I am forced to admit I dont think things will change much.
I AM expecting my gum and teeth health to improve.

How about you ?

[dena]

i will smile more. also, the next time someone makes a rude comment about someone's teeth (a bad habit that even my closest friends have) I will point out why that may not be appropriate (i never had the guts before because it would bring attention to MY teeth). I think my teeth will be healthier. I think i will be a lot more confident.

i see your point about blowing flaws out of proportion. others have pointed that out, and on an academic level i agree. however i must admit that getting braces is still, maybe, the biggest good event of my life. It definitely makes top 5. my lack of confidence may be primarily internal...so no, the braces aren't going to fix stuff like that. but i think my life has changed significantly and i can't emphasize that enough.

[eoberhauser]

I sing, and I have always been selfconscious of my teeth. I think that this experience and result will bring me a confidence I've never had and hopefully that will show through in my singing.

[ingyandbert]

My life won't change at all except my teeth will be straighter and, most importantly, my bite will be corrected. Most people were surprised to see me get braced because they thought my teeth were already straight. There was only 1 tooth on the top that was noticeably out of line and it never showed in photos. The rest were on the bottom but you couldn't see them when I talked or smiled. So my teeth always looked straighter than they really were, which was lucky I guess.

[alexa]

People will stop telling me I look 15! grr!

[Flora2006]

I will show my teeth more that's for sure. For all the money I am paying, you can be sure I'll be having the biggest smile out there at all times...showing my teeth 24/7 for everyone to see lol!!

[Evelyn]

People will stop telling me I look 15! grr!

Same here! Hopefully at least! That's one of the biggest reasons why I want these OFF!!! I want to, for once in my life, look my age. I'm small as it is and so it's hard to pass off for 17 but then add braces and people automatically think 'pre-teen'....urg

When I get them off, I think I'll have a lot more confidence, especially when at work or dealing with older people. Now I think a lot of people pass me off for being young, and I kinda learned to accept that but once I get my braces off I'll have a lot more confidence in myself and the way I look and the way that I'll stand to be treated, i.e. I'm 17 don't call me sweetie and put on a kid-voice when you talk to me

I just feel like I've this 'handicap' for too long....at least it's almost over.

I think also I'll finally be able to concentrate on other areas of myself. For example now I spend so much time on my teeth, cleaning them and thinking about them that I just kind of let the rest of me go and I don't really have that much pride in my appearence, I've almost gotten into the thought-stream 'why bother, the braces are just going to ruin it anyways...' not good I know...but it will change when I get the braces off

Eve

[Evelyn]

Oh yea just one more thing, this is more of an aside but it's kind of funny and goes along with the looking young thing...

So I went to subway the other day and payed with my credit card. The lady takes one patronizing look at me and says 'Honey, you have to be at least 14 to use a credit card'....

I'm 17. I'm not even kidding. I know 4 years isn't that much but when you are 17 the last thing you want is to be mistaken for 13.....

Oh how I want the braces off!

[Avion19]

I think when I'm done, I'll be able to smile without covering my mouth, which would be a relief. I know that straight teeth wouldn't be a drastic change to one's life, but it's still a pretty great change. A smile is important in society, especially American society and even though it seems shallow, I think having nice teeth is important.

[alexa]

People will stop telling me I look 15! grr!

Same here! Hopefully at least! That's one of the biggest reasons why I want these OFF!!! I want to, for once in my life, look my age. I'm small as it is and so it's hard to pass off for 17 but then add braces and people automatically think 'pre-teen'....urg

I've got a new story about the age thing, while we're briefly on the subject. Today, I got harassed at the check out counter at Safeway for being too young to buy alcohol....WHEN I WASN'T BUYING ANY!

I stopped off at the store after work because I realized that there was nothing to eat in my apartment. I got just normal house stuff...cheese...tv dinners....bread...lunch meat....salad fixings....cereal...etc. When I got to the front of the line the guy looked at everything I had on the conveyer belt and I think he thought I was doing that thing that kids do sometimes, where they buy household items and at the last minute say, "Oh and gee, can I have that huge bottle of vodka behind you?" casually. The conversation went like this:

C=cashier

C: Did you find everything you needed? I mean do you have everything you're going to buy?
Me: Uh...yes.
C: Not going to be buying any beer, eh? heh heh heh
Me: Um...no.
C: *laughter*
Me: But I could if I wanted to. I'm 23.
C: You are not.
Me: Actually, yes, I am. I'll be 24 in May.
C: Hey, turn around for a second.
(I turn around and he calls the other cashier at the lane behind me)
C: Hey, how old do you think she is? She's saying she's 23...but with those braces and her face and everything, she can't be more than 15 or 16.
(The other cashier pauses in thought)
Other Cashier: 18...she looks 18.
(I then pull out my driver's license)
Me: 23. See? It says so right here.

Then he bagged up my stuff and I left. But jeez! Why were we even having this conversation?! I was just buying food. No alcohol, cigarettes, lighter fluid...nothing you need to be a certain age to buy. I was even buying things that someone younger than me would like, such as Nestle Quik and Honey Nut Cheerios....why did he start talking about beer??

I'll be happy to get these braces off and then maybe I might be treated like an adult eventually!

--alexa

[jaswi]

I'm already one of the youngest people working at my factory at 20, so I don't expect much will change..

[Way Too Old For This]

I don't think my life will change except when a camera comes out. Hopefully, I will feel like flashing a huge smile!

Alexa, it sounds like he was just trying to flirt. (Even though I admit that is a pretty lame come-on.) I remember looking younger than my age when I was 23. Enjoy it. There are lots and lots of years ahead of you to look your age, then you will wish people thought you looked younger than you are. I know I know, I sound like just another old person. My daughter is 26 and looks about 16 with her braces and I try to tell her the same thing.

[SueFromNJ]

People here have disagreed with me on this, but I see having straight teeth as a "class" issue. Mind you, this is my experience - I believe people with crooked teeth are generally seen as second-class, of lesser quality, and not as worthy as an attractive, straight-tooth person. I feel that crooked teeth are seen as a character flaw, like it's something wrong with you that is entirely your own fault. So when I get my braces off and show the world my new straight-tooth smile, I hope to be bumped up just a tad in status in this world.

But even so, I am realistic - I don't think people will view me as a thing of wonderous beauty or anything , but I would love to just be seen as average or normal. It would be great if the 1st thing through other people's mind isn't "Ewww! Why doesn't she get those teeth FIXED!!!".

The other thing I hope to accomplish as a member of the straight-tooth society is to land a better job. I truly believe my teeth always held me back and defined my "lower" status as compared to everyone else, and I hope to get rid of that once and for all!

[hannah164]

Once my braces come off, which won't be for a while, I will definitely smile a whole heck of a lot more with much more confidence! I won't be so self conscience about my yucky smile! YAY!

I'll also, like Eve, not have to worry so much about my smile, I can spend more time worrying about other things! Not constantly looking in the mirror at my teeth!

~Hannah




Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
Last Adjustment was 2/1/06 where they bonded a bracket to my cuspid, which was impacted!!!! OUCH!
Next Adjustment: February 28, 2006

[nimo]

I got carded for an R-rated movie when I was 22. I'm 25 now, and people still think I'm a little kid. A wedding ring didn't change that. Braces aren't really making any difference, either.

I expect that I'll stop hearing from people how they had to defend me when someone made fun of my teeth behind my back. That'll be different. I've had two people ask me about my braces, and neither of those questions were, "What did you do that for, you looked fine before!"