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Because of this website, I know for a fact that adults with braces exist out there but in person, I had never seen an adult with braces around here... until today! I went to one of the local shopping centers to return something to Claire's Accessories and the only girl working there today was the assistant manager. She must have been in her early 20's (like me!) and she had ceramic braces on her top teeth (like me!). We didn't make any small talk about braces but we both seemed to have made a point of flashing our braces to one another. It was so cool to finally see another adult with braces!
Have you seen any adults with braces in your area??
I swear, I haven't seen any adults with braces since I've had mine! I'm sure I may have overlooked someone or estimated their age incorrectly, but it makes me feel like the only early/mid-20's person in town with braces, heh.
Time spent in braces: 16 months
Retainers: Top/bottom bonded and top/bottom Essix at night
You know what!! My ortho has braces! Ceramics..he tried to get me to get them but I want the metals. He said the ceramics were less bulky than the metals.
1st consult: 4/28/2009
Top Brace: 6/03/09
Extractions: 06/15/09
bottom braces 1/13/2010
**FAST FORWARD**
March 16, 2011 Upper Jaw Surgery~Lefort I 2-piece, BSSO, Genioplasty ( UNC hospital~Dr. Timothy Turvey)
April 19, 2011~Removed splint!
April 20, 2011~1st ortho appt since surgery...back in ligatures and got elastics
There is one girl that works for the same company as me that has metal braces (like me) and one girl that has Invisilign. We are all in our early to mid 20s.
I am still yet to see another adult with braces. Ever since I got my braces I literally just look at someones teeth first - of course I do not stare at them but I just look.
Yesterday was the first time someone at work said something and they asked "when did you get braces? or have you had them this whole time?" i said its been 2 months or so and she said she never noticed..
hmmm I guess I did a good job at keeping it a secret but now that one person knows give it a day or so and everyone will know.. haha
Spacers: 8 - 4 top, 4 bottom on 04.04.09
Braced on: 04.09.09
Sentence: 18-24 Months
The check out girl in my fruit market who I have never seen before (or never noticed) has metal braces--she looks younger than me, I am 38, she looked maybe early 20's........But we compared smiles and braces, she had pink power chains on top......my 9 year old wants me to get pink colored ligs next adjustment (because "mom, you're a girl, get a girl color!!") I told her how good they looked, she said, "you should try them" I told her I thought I was too old for the colored ligs, and she was cute and said "you old, no way, you should get them, then come show them to me!!"
so, you know what, maybe I will do just that at my adjustment!!
I may actually be starting to like these braces, can you believe that!!
I've seen quite a few adults with braces. One woman in my agency with had braces before me, and she got them off several months ago. Another woman I work with just got them a week ago. She's in my office a few "cubes" down, so it's very cool to have a braces buddy at work! During the time I've had braces, I've probably encountered half a dozen or more adults with braces. And I've struck up a conversation with a few of them!
Click on WWW to see my braces story.
August 16, 2007 - Braced on top
January 3, 2008 - Braced on bottom
I run into adults wearing braces all the time. I used to give them an ArchWired business card, but that was really awkward and they always looked at me funny, as if I was trying to sell them something. So I stopped doing that.
I'm the owner/admin of this site. Had ceramic uppers, metal lowers ~3 years in my early 40's. Now in Hawley retainers at night!
I've seen many adults (in their early 20s) with braces at university, and quite a few of the people working at my orthodontist clinic have braces too lol (including a lady who's well into her 50s). To be honest, I didn't see a lot of people with braces at high school and nearly everyone I know who has had braces, got them after school finished. So yes I have seen adults with braces
Since I was braced i'm always on the lookout for other adults with hardware, but other than amongst teens they're a bit of a rarity here in London.
My only proper encounter was on the tube, I was sitting with my bag by my feet when two guys about my age came running and crashed aboard just as the doors were closing, sending my bag flying. I leant down to grab my bag and looked up with the intention of giving a filthy glare, when one of them gave me a big apologetic smile with a full set of ceramic braces on show!. Instantly gave a thrilled smile back, all forgiven. It felt like I was finally seeing another person from my own planet
Since I've been wired I also seem to notice people's teeth first, and mostly see adults who could use braces - maybe I've become a "tooth critic" I maybe see one other adult at the ortho office when I visit, but few out in the "real world".
I've only seen two braced adults (mid 40's- both women) out in the general public in the last year. And probably half a dozen more at my ortho's office. I know there are quite a few others out there though since he says 25% of his patients are adults.
Before I got braced, a client came to my manager's office for meetings and she had ceramic braces. Shortly after, I went to pick up some paper work at the city office and the clerk had braces.
Soon after I got braced, my cousin who's 9 years older decided to get back into braces are her permanent retainer broke last summer and her teeth started shifting. So we're braced together! Of course she's only going to be in braces 9 months versus my 2.5 years.