This is the place to post general questions and comments about all areas of orthodontic treatment. Before you post a question, use the forum's SEARCH tool to see if your question has already been answered!
New Members: YOU MUST MAKE A POST WITHIN 24 HOURS OF REGISTERING OR YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED. In other words, don't sign up unless you plan to actively participate in the message board immediately. This is necessary to keep out spammers and lurkers with bad intentions. Of course, you can read most forums on the board without registering.
DO NOT POST FULL-FACE PHOTOS or personal contact information on this website. We have had problems with people re-posting members' photos on fetish websites. Please only post photos of your teeth, not your whole face. Keep your email and your personal information private. Thank you.
How strange is it that I've been so afraid of my friends/family teasing me - which kept me from getting braces for so long (not main reason, of course, financial was) - and when I finally get braces NO ONE SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT THEM? Hello, I know you notice this metal train in my mouth! Like literally, they just talk to me as if I do not have braces on! I can see them looking with curiousity but do not ask me anything!! Perhaps they do not want to offend me? Geez louise, I don't know what is worse - friends/family ignoring the fact that I have braces now or if they were to ask me all of these questions about them and make me feel self-conscious?
Anyway, I love my braces. Thank God for their creation. I've had them on for about 1 month now. No movement whatsoever (at least none that I can see) but I feel "protected" or something - very odd, comforting feeling - Bring on the pain baby! Looking forward to the end result.
I don't think it's a matter of people not wanting to offend you. I just really think people don't care one way or another. They might be curious, but really what is there to say other than the obvious "I see you got braces".
I find that a lot of people worry about what other people will think - and then are surprised to find that no one really thinks anything about it.
Unless someone has braces, has had braces, is thinking about braces, they don't really care, at least not much.
They may look at them because they're new to your face, but they won't be thinking much when they look at them unless they knew you really wanted braces. Otherwise, they might try to picture what your teeth looked like before because they don't remember your teeth being "that bad."
Either way, they're not giving it too much thought, unless you have food stuck in them, then their debating whether or not to tell you.
Hmmm...this is kind of an interesting topic. I'm going on vacation to the in-laws 4 days after getting my braces on, and the only one who knows i'm getting them is my MIL. I decided not to tell anyone else because i want to see if how noticeable they are.
I don't know what i'm hoping for though. If they do notice and don't say anything that's just weird. I think the best would be an excited comment. Because even though we may hate these braces for a little while, we're still very excited to be on the journey.
29 years old
2-18-10 baby canine pulled
3-15-10 got braces
12-22-11 Moving-SO EXCITED!!
1-2-12 Meet new Ortho
1-5-12 Begin finishing treatment
3-5-12 Canine Implants...dun dun dunnnnn
4-9-12 Deband!
I had braces for Two Years and TwentyFive Days
I have lower ceramics only, but hardly anyone comments, most of those who have commented have been interested in having work done themselves and asked or recommendations, other than that I don't think people are interested - not in a bad way, just that they have their own lives and things they are self concious to think about.
My in laws are fascinated that I don't eat curry - due to staining, but I don't really like it anyway. 18 mths down the line they seem to be showing signs of getting over it!
ashesgap wrote:I think the best would be an excited comment. Because even though we may hate these braces for a little while, we're still very excited to be on the journey.
pray4nicesmile wrote:Like literally, they just talk to me as if I do not have braces on!
I love this line because it suggests regular people are supposed to talk to us different. Like, that guy over there has braces, make sure you talk to them this way. LOL.
When I first got mine the people who I felt most self-conscious were people who I'd known for a long time. Some people said, "You got braces!" which broke the ice totally. I totally agree the most awkward regular people are the ones who don't know anything. But it's not their fault, they don't know how to deal with people with braces. We aren't giving enough education to the regular people about how to interact with us. After about a week it won't matter any more.
I do believe this is a signal that all of us need to kick it up a notch. Now I'm trying to work on enabling my braces catch the attention they deserve - mainly achievable by putting in catchy colored ligatures and other fancy accessories. I think of it as a slap in the face to regular people who pretended they didn't notice when I started with gray ligatures, I want to see if they can keep their mouth shut when I'm wearing bright orange and fluorescent green?
34 y/o guy with full metal brackets and molar bands since 12/16/2009.
1st Adjustment + secondary molar bands 1/23/2010.
2nd Adjustment 3/27/2010.
3rd Adjustment 5/1/2010.
4th Adjustment 6/11/2010.
5th Adjustment 9/29/2010.
6th Adjustment 2/8/2011.
really, no one cares but us! its crazy but, even after 10months, I am embarrassed to see people who I haven't seen since having my braces on.....I know how stupid that is, but yet it still bothers me...I also cant stand to see myself in pictures, again, so dumb, but it still bothers me! At least I know how stupid I am being-and I am just living life, doing my thing, with my kids and family, and counting down the days until I have a great smile!
I'd been really defensive about getting braces most of my life when anyone suggested it. Most of it was fear of needing surgery or not having the money. Finally, I decided to just see an orthodontist myself and ask if it was possible to fix everything. When the ortho said it was fixable, and I told people I was getting braces, they clammed up not knowing what to say. Now that the suckers are on...some people (mainly the ones who've been through it) are totally happy for me. Everyone else could care less. Although one of my more flippant relatives commented that they "fixed my face" (I had a class III so the bite correction's brought my jaw in).
If nothing else, people may notice you smile more once the changes start kicking in.
acidcookie wrote:I'd been really defensive about getting braces most of my life when anyone suggested it. Most of it was fear of needing surgery or not having the money. Finally, I decided to just see an orthodontist myself and ask if it was possible to fix everything. When the ortho said it was fixable, and I told people I was getting braces, they clammed up not knowing what to say. Now that the suckers are on...some people (mainly the ones who've been through it) are totally happy for me. Everyone else could care less. Although one of my more flippant relatives commented that they "fixed my face" (I had a class III so the bite correction's brought my jaw in).
If nothing else, people may notice you smile more once the changes start kicking in.
Hey that's great and promising to hear. I have a "borderline" class III where my teeth pretty much touch tip to tip. 2 out of 3 orthos I spoke to told me that it can be fixed without surgery, so I am going for it. I wonder everyday how my jaw can be reduced with just braces and am waiting to be done with the leveling stage to start seeing results. I hope I get the same results as you.....
it's funny b/c the peopel who i DON'T expect to say something about my braces, end up asking about them. it's the people i'm closer to that don't really say anything!!! weird right? i have an aquaintance who i rarely see, and only just met really, and it was one of the first things we talked about.
I was surprised by the lack of comments as well, but it somehow made it easier for me to cope with my metal look at age 29...
However, the fact that now that I got them off and have a brand new, perfectly aligned smile almost anybody made any reference at all DOES bother me! Come on, I spent a lot of money and went through 20 months of self-consciousness, pain, canker sores, constant brushing in public restrooms, monthly adjustments, chewing difficulties, dietary restrictions, food getting caught in my braces... at least a couple of nice comments would have been welcome!
- Bring on the pain baby! Looking forward to the end result.
Come on, I spent a lot of money and went through 20 months of self-consciousness, pain, canker sores, constant brushing in public restrooms, monthly adjustments, chewing difficulties, dietary restrictions, food getting caught in my braces... at least a couple of nice comments would have been welcome! 
