Ugly Pictures

[KyVic]

At first I thought I was more comfortable smiling with my braces ,I was smiling more and everything ..they sort of hid my teeth imperfections....BUT, after looking at photos...It looks like I have rotten teeth.

Up close you can see that they are braces, but from a distance and in photos, I look like a yuk mouth.

I know it will all be worth it in the end....at least that is the hope that we all have.

Getting photo's taken next to the pretty ladies with straight white teeth......then when I smiled the lady taking the pic said that my mouth looked funny and had to do a retake . It was a little humilating.

Oh well.....got to hang in there........only 23 months to go....haha.

[felicia]

I did not smile too much before braces, I did not smile at all when I first got them because they looked like a train wreck, but since the wire got straight I am smiling more than I smiled through my whole life. About the pictures while in braces...well...for a long time I did not smile for the pictures but I noticed that I looked so weird trying to keep my mouth close when everybody in the picture around me was smiling....so, now I'm smiling too, I really don't care anymore that my mouth looks darker than everybody else.

[tsmurfenator]

@ KyVic

What type of brackets do you have (i.e. metal, ceramic, etc.)?

In some photos I get taken (in the dark, with flash), my brackets are strangely completely invisible.
Although in other circumstances unambiguously iron smile.

Ligature color also probably makes a difference with something like blue standing out a lot.

[I love my teeth]

KyVic-

I hear ya!! I really wanted ceramic, to hide them a bit, but my OD said no, he needed full metal, they were stronger and he needed the torque ( to pull my front teeth in. Now, after 10months, my front teeth are back, and he said he'd change the front 8 brackets to clear if I wanted.

I thought for sure after living with metal for 10months, I'd be just fine keeping them, but apparently, I am vainer than I thought, because, I still don't like the way I look in these metal braces I especially hate myself in pictures--We live in vancouver, bc and I went to the Today show during the Olympics, and had my picture taken with Matt Lauer--now for all eternity, I have me and Matt and I have metal braces So, in the interest of pictures and prosperity I have opted to take the OD up on his offer to change my braces to clear--maybe I won't dislike the pics of myself so much!

But, the thing is--you are doing this to fix your teeth, the reality is who really cares what you look like during, it's after that's going to be great!

good luck!

[amy]

At my work I often correct photos in photoshop. It really surprised me how many people are self conscious of their smiles. I have a pushed out canine that I feel like might as well have a flashing neon sign pointing to it in pictures. But usually people don't even notice.

People seem to look at themselves first and I spend a lot of time making people's teeth whiter. It makes me laugh but as soon as some company pictures come back, I have ten people at my desk demanding I whiten their teeth.

So I wouldn't even worry about it. Generally, we focus on what we think other people notice which is not necessarily always right.

[KyVic]

Thanks for all the replies... I have metal braces, and pink ligs the first time and pearl this time ( which I will never get again..they stain to easy)

I guess I should just think...this is who I am...this is what I look like right now....take it or turn your head...haha.

One of my teeth in the back has began to move and thrown my bite off...my mouth is really tired.

It is good to know I am not the only adult wanting to straighten my teeth. This forum is really full of great people Very encouraging.

[cosmo]

I wa actually going to post some pictures because I get my braces in two weeks but honestly after seen them I was so sad. I always though they were bad but not that bad. I feel so embarassed to be laughing and smiling and looking they way they do. Needless to say I did not post them. I am must have starred at them for a good while. I am so sad and wish they could just be straight, I felt like gosh in the forum mine are the worst.

[Bekah]

Cosmo- I love seeing the pictures from the beginning! When you are done they will look beautiful and it helps to have a "cheering section"!

[cosmo]

Cosmo- I love seeing the pictures from the beginning! When you are done they will look beautiful and it helps to have a "cheering section"!

I guess you're right, i guess i just get down because I never realized how bad they are and what if other people have? 9 more days to go till Brace DAY!