Does anyone here feel that... :(

If you have finished with your orthodontic treatment and are wearing retainers (or will be soon), this is a special place to connect with others in your (enviable) situation. Ask a question or make a comment about life post-braces.

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orangetammy
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:06 am

Does anyone here feel that... :(

#1 Post by orangetammy »

you look much better the second you have your braces off?

I have been wearing braces for a little more than one year, i still think my appearance at this moment is different, and in fact, worse than before.
I'm beginning to worry whether its the extra metal sticking on my teeth that alter the shape of my mouth and chin a bit... (in photos, etc.) or is it that the treatment has made me look worse as a whole...

anyone here feels the same? do you feel that u look much worse when you'r wearing braces? :(

johnnys_angel
Posts: 466
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:51 pm
Location: Utah,USA

#2 Post by johnnys_angel »

I truly think that people look completely different with their braces off. It may not seem like a few pieces of small metal make a huge difference, but they do!! I think people look especially attractive because their whole countenance is glowing, shining with happiness. :D
Damon 2's top and bottom, BRACED 02/22/04 and REMOVED 08/29/05. Now in bonded retainers (top and bottom) :4 wisdom teeth surgically removed on 12/22/05:

nearlyoffxox
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 12:39 am

#3 Post by nearlyoffxox »

i think it makes a huge difference, especially confidence wise!

biteowl
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 2:52 am
Location: Socal

#4 Post by biteowl »

To be completely honest, for a while I was really worried about what they were doing to my teeth. They were just straightening and rotating one tooth a bit, but put the braces on top and bottom teeth and I had rubber bands going all over the place and gaps were opening up in places and all sorts of mayhem! I think I fretted over and worried about the darn things every single day - okay let's be honest they were stressing me the heck out. But the Orthos do a lot of wacky stuff to get your teeth moving in the right direction - closing a little gap between two teeth might mean shifting allllll the teeth over or doing something else fruity that takes a long time and you think, "Oh crap, please don't leave my teeth like this!" =) But in the end you start seeing them all shifting into place. (Doesn't make the journey any less stressful - I mean, they ARE your teeth!) If, when you are nearing the end of your treatment, there is ANYthing you still don't feel comfortable with, just be firm in explaining what it is you still feel needs to be moved or fixed, and they will listen. After all, they are your teeth and you paid good money to make this committment to those braces! The ortho wants you to be happy and enjoy your smile!

(Oh, and yeah - I think the braces being on made my face look different - my chin even seemed different and I thought they had changed my profile via shifting teeth around which gave me a heart attack - but it was just the brackets being on and the new way I was smiling/talking/etc since I managed to hardly ever show my teeth while I had the braces on. When they came off, I looked better imo - I had almost forgotten I actually had teeth under those things :P)

orangetammy
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:06 am

#5 Post by orangetammy »

Thanks for replying, these have made me feel better :)

biteowl, i dont really feel too worried about them moving my teeth. but it just seems that i can never go back to the person I look before ortho treatment. maybe i'll hv the same experience as u did.. looking better after braces have been put off. in fact what u said at last is exactly how i feel. it doesnt seem to possible but i think the braces being on does my make chin a little different :?

Evelyn
Posts: 858
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2004 9:13 am
Location: Virginia
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#6 Post by Evelyn »

In my opinion it makes a huge difference. The second I got my braces off I finally looked my age (I'm only 18 and before I had always looked about 14) It really does make a huge difference, I have before and after pics, there really is no comparison

xoxo Eve
Braced September 9, 2002
Debanding: JULY 5!!!!!!!!

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butterfly
Posts: 346
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:15 am
Location: Middle East
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#7 Post by butterfly »

Do you know hotornot.com? I posted the same photo twice, once with braces on, the other one without them (digitally removed them in photoshop). It was the exact same photo. The non braces one hit 3 points more. :) So you DO look better!

On the other hand I aged about 10 years whith them being removed ;)
Image
Image
Nov 2 05 braced, 1/1/07 debanded & got positioner

SimInsomniac
Posts: 199
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:30 am
Location: England
Contact:

#8 Post by SimInsomniac »

I managed to digitally remove mine. Looks much much better. I still have the edited photo somewhere. I'll post it if I find it. :o
Damon 3 braces for 22.5 months.
30th August 2005 - 13th July 2007

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Tasha0313
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:21 pm
Location: Georgia

#9 Post by Tasha0313 »

I have photoshop 7.0, how are you digitally removing your braces?

19Braceface
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 1:41 am

#10 Post by 19Braceface »

ahh you posted a similiar post before me...when do you get yours off?

SimInsomniac
Posts: 199
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:30 am
Location: England
Contact:

#11 Post by SimInsomniac »

Tasha0313 wrote:I have photoshop 7.0, how are you digitally removing your braces?
I can't do it anymore. Before I had powerchains the braces were thin enough to use my method successfully. Basically I used the Clone Stamp tool to copy the texture of the naked areas of my teeth over where the brace is. Then touch it up a bit with blurring and...
Voila!
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Deband me now! :D

Sim
Damon 3 braces for 22.5 months.
30th August 2005 - 13th July 2007

Image

tokidoki
Posts: 47
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2005 12:31 pm

#12 Post by tokidoki »

Yeah, I had a friend tell me:

"You didn't look bad with braces, you just look MUCH better without them"

and

"Your entire face looks completely different"

(She's only known me in braces)

19Braceface
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 1:41 am

#13 Post by 19Braceface »

Biteowl, your story matches up with how i feel now... :lol: happy to know you love your results and that the face change was an illusion!

orangetammy
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:06 am

#14 Post by orangetammy »

hi 19braceface, you got your braces off already?

soulaghra
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:40 pm

#15 Post by soulaghra »

Gah! Orangetammy, I really don't want to sound weird here, but you have the most beautiful lips EVER! I know that sounds so creepy but seriously, I had to say something

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