How have braces made a difference to your life?

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#46 Post by **sjsarre** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:03 pm

I think we have cross wires..

To make things simple I personally would say my brace journey is 100% about confidence and cosmetics.. My confidence was knocked down consistently for years. This continual knock down made me hide away and become depressed and withdrawn. Eating for comfort and gaining weight. Feeling unattractive..

Maybe there are underlying causes and maybe I should look further than just having straight teeth, but personally this is making me completely happy and giving me my confidence back. Something that I haven't had for years!

Obviously I also know now that my teeth will be much easier to clean and should hopefully now last me a lifetime.. But thats only a by product of what my initial journey was all about!

#47 Post by **hippyhippo** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:37 pm

Wow, this thread has gone a bit haywire!

j3damon3, you said:

All I am saying is coming on this board and saying (and this is not a quote) "oh I would never make the mistake of having my confidence be about my looks" is kind of like going on a board for people to quit smoking and saying "oh, I would never smoke". "I am just on this board because I like the smell of cigarettes."

And that's absolutely fair enough - I agree! But I don't think anyone has even alluded anything similar to that in this thread.

What I did hear was (paraphrasing)

"Fixing your teeth if you're unhappy with them is great, and it may definitely boost your self esteem. Yay! But it's always good to remember that prefect teeth (or fake breasts, or botox filled lips, etc) are not some magic bullet to happiness and glory."

Which I agree with completely. And I'm pretty sure everyone else here does too, from the sounds of it. So I'm not sure why we are all arguing?!?

#48 Post by **sjsarre** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:53 am

I didn't think it was arguing in the proper sense? I posted because I wanted to say why I decided to go for braces.

Without changing the subject and going off at a tangent. In all fairness, I don't suffer from any deep ingrained issue where I should have counselling whereby I should accept who I am and love who I am. To be honest I love myself

.. I don't mean that in the self obsessed way.... BUT, if I felt the need to have cosmetic work done, then I probably would. Just like having my teeth done now is about 70% cosmetic 30% for health reasons.

#49 Post by **jcdamon3** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 9:16 am

If you go back carefully I am sure that you will find some posts on this thread (at least two) that pretty much sound like that, which I won't quote directly.

There is also some past history on this board also which is why I jumped in because whenever these kinds of conversations come up people are put down for being shallow.

Oh and there is the reference to BDD. Let's just not all assume because we want a nicer smile that we are going to go off into some kind of addiction to cosmetic surgery.

Yes, it is good to be careful with our excectations, absolutely! In fact I am worried that I won't like my teeth at all when I am done. I actually have the opposite problem, because my teeth were straight before I started and now that I am having them straightened for my bite -it could change my smile so much I might not like it.

BUT I want to support those on this board who are going down this journey and I hope very much that they love their smile, they have more confidence going forward and that good things come their way! Sometimes just the positive feelings that you are doing something great for yourself can be a new beginning and the start of better things to come!

Again, I don't disagree with the fact that we should be careful about our excpectations. It's just the way the message is delivered in some of the above posts that I don't like.
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#50 Post by **jzaboo** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 9:13 pm

I've just had the opportunity to get back on this thread and I see we are divided into two camps-nothing wrong with that. And, some people can't take a joke, too bad for them.

Again, back to the original thread. Will we go on TV, meet Mr. Right, make a million dollars after getting braces? No. Did anyone say that's what they expected? No. It was posed-has this experience changed you in any way? And we are to respond. A legitmate question that should not have been subject to ridicule or the accusations of shallowness. Considering 80% or more of you on this site already have braces, I think the fact that we want to look better has already been established-if you say it wasn't a factor in any way, 'cuz you're just so gosh darn beautiful inside-sorry, I don't believe you.

#51 Post by **fantasia** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 3:26 pm

I was always embarrassed about my crooked teeth and didn't like them but honestly it never stopped me from smiling or laughing or any such thing. I never covered up my mouth. I just wished I had straight teeth. I've always been pretty happy with my appearance, other than my teeth. My one real 'flaw' in my eyes. Now that I have them fixed I am definately a lot more confident. Even once they went on, just knowing I was being proactive in changing them made me feel more confident and happier.

#52 Post by **Iccle_Peanut** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:24 pm

I've wanted straight teeth for ages......whats decided it for me now is the horrible thought of my crooked smile on my graduation photo and my sister is getting married in two years (wedding photos)!

Having straight teeth WILL make me happy....yes about my teeth. I WONT be happy that i have to use fake tan...or.....that i wish i wasn't so tall....i'm not in denial.....

I can't believe people are arguing over this?????? I hope having braces won't turn me into an argumentative person will it???

I've not even got braces so i'm not even suppossed to be replying

#53 Post by **butterfly** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 12:02 pm

I would have gotten braces even if there weren't any health related benefits involved. My motive is purely cosmetic.

My life changed the day I sported a full set of teeth (still with braces on). Being with other people suddenly was a relaxed experience. I enjoyed laughing and chatting MUCH more.

I spent decades lying to myself that "appearance is not important" and "self esteem comes from the inside". What a BS! Come on be a bit more realistic.

#54 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 2:55 pm

This is such a different journey for everyone.

For me, I can tell you my life has changed. I am not kidding! It has changed more dramatically than I expected!! And I still have my braces ON. I am not even DONE yet.

I have asked myself, MANY times, if I am too vain. Is this obsession over my teeth unhealthy. How selfish am I, really? What if I used the money I am spending on my teeth to do good in the community, etc, etc. These are tough questions.

Everyone has a different experience with life. My experience is basically like this: Good things and bad things will come your way. Having straight teeth will not change any of that, of course. But, for me, I feel the different is in how I can FACE the world. I feel that now I can deal with the other things in front of me. Before, all I could see was my TEETH. Now, it is like a black cloud has lifted from over me. Life is definitely different.

Does this make any sense to any one else?

#55 Post by **true_jaat** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 6:08 am

Does this make any sense to any one else?

Yes most definitely and if you look at the replies you will notice that about 95% of the people who have posted pretty much feel the same way (including me) that braces will have a positive effect on your life.

All the people who havent been able to smile or laugh in public because people stared at their crooked teeth will finally be able to do so which will increase their confidence. And as you say, its like a black cloud that has been lifted.

Good luck with the rest of your journey.

#56 Post by **nico07** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:00 am

I got braces at 23. I never had the confidence when I was younger, I thought braces were really awful looking. Obviously I changed as I got older and I'm glad I waited because I took much better care of my teeth then some kids do in braces at 10, 11 or 12, for example.

However, braces didn't change my life. My motivation was cosmetic and because there wasn't much wrong to begin with, most people didn't notice.

If you're looking for this to be a life altering event, it's likely not going to happen.

In response to an early post on this thread, maybe it does have more or an effect as a teen, but now, 26, there are even more complications in my life than braces had little if any effect on.

Just don't have unrealistic goals