Could you watch someone with braces?

[magoogs]

Hey, all. First, the message board is a thing of wonder. I can imagine getting braces as a kid is a trying time, but facing it now as an adult feels even more agonizing. So just reading all this has been very comforting and helpful! I'll be posting more in the next few months (and years) on my journey.

I'm 32 and after 10 years of ortho appointments and not smiling, I finally have the financial means to afford braces. I'm looking at linguals on top, damons on bottom (sidenote - I'm undecided if clear will help things or not).

My problem? I do improv, which is live comedy like Whose Line Is It Anyways. And somehow, I've been able to do it this long (4-5 years) with my teeth as they are. I've actually gotten pretty good and am in a position to get more stage time and more shows. My secret? I intentionally forget how my teeth look before getting on-stage, and so it never makes me self-conscious.

My question to you is kind of tough, but I'll ask anyway. You all have braces or will soon - but could you watch someone else on a live stage with braces? Do you think it's distracting? And don't be afraid that your answers will make you sound hypocritical in some way - I feel like you all will be the most honest and practical, so I welcome your opinions!

I will get the braces. Looking in the mirror now is a source of great disappointment and embarrassment, so I have to do this. One option would be for me to stop performing for the 2 years but I will lose both the momentum I've built and my skill level. The other is to keep doing what I'm doing and try not to think about it even more.

I realize you will only see the bottom wire, with a slight lisp as I adjust to the lingual, and I'm probably overly freaking out, but I want honest opinions from those in the trenches.

Thank you all in advance and thanks again for making this place a reality.

[LeSourireMetallique]

I honestly doubt many would notice. If you had regular metal braces top and bottom maybe the first few rows would, but with the linguals on the top, other than a lisp at first, most people talking to you up close won't even notice, let alone people sitting in an audience farther away from you. I have clear on top, metal on the bottom, and sometimes I've mentioned my braces to casual acquaintances in my classes (I'm a student) and they will say "Oh, I hadn't even noticed" and then want to check them out. I think sometimes we tend to think things are more of a big deal than they really are.

As for trying to decide between ceramic and metal on the bottom, I suppose it depends on your mouth/lips. When I talk and smile you barely see my lower teeth, so it doesn't matter (and therefore saved me some money to go with metal), but that might not be the case for you.

[ashesgap]

I think with linguals you'll be fine. Just make sure you talk as much as possible the first week, and you'll get rid of that lisp really quick. I have regular braces and sang in the car all the time, my lips got used to every thing pretty quick.
Don't give up the important things in your life just cause of braces. Good luck!
I also want to add that i loved Whose Line...and miss it. Improv is great entertainment and I envy anyone who can do it well.

[Ellebraced]

I would watch someone with braces, why not. A lot of people will not notice from that distance and braces are quite funny so you will have some great material for your routine.

[badbite]

Use them in our comedy! I bet you could make lots of braces jokes!

[bedazzlemouth]

I think you'll be fine. I thought I was the only person in my workplace (it is departmental) with braces. I have metal upper and lower (not by preference) and never realized that there was actually someone else in my department with braces (because her braces are lingual). I was being described as the "40 something brunette with braces" but this actually describes my coworker as well. It was clear that it was me that was being described because nobody actually thinks of her as wearing braces, in fact most people don't even know. Her lingual braces don't make her stand out at all. Also, I think your profession would allow you more flexibility when it comes to being different and you could probably get on with regular braces as well. Good luck!

[24braceface]

It would be crazy for you to stop doing improv because you have braces. Life has to go on, and if you stop, once you get your braces off you'll realize how ridiculous you were being. I had braces a couple years ago and I continued on with my acting and my acting coach didn't hesitate to cast me even though I had braces. Good luck.

[sammywantstraightteeth]

I doubt many people will notice. If you are self conscious about them then do what most comedians do about anything remotely different about their physical appearance - make a joke about it straight away and then ignore it.

You are over-thinking it. Get your braces, keep living your life as you always do and everything will be fine

[seriousthinker]

In my experience seeing others with braces and having them myself I'd say yes ppl will spot them but then it will be yesterday's news.

Like someone said, bring them up in your act somehow but please don't think life as you live it has to stop for 2 years. Do everything you usually do.

[TumbleDryLow]

Honestly, I think you could have ceramic on top and they would be very discrete and hardly visible to anyone in an audience. With them on the bottom only, they will be practically invisible. I have seen people on TV with ceramic uppers and I've been amazed at how difficult they are to see.

[beautifulbraceface]

I don't think you should be worried at all. There is no way they will be able to even see them. I'm assuming comedy settings are dimly lit, and the audience isn't right in your face. Even if the place is heavily lit, I doubt anyone will even notice your bottom row because they will be so far away from you. And if for some reason they manage to catch a glimpse, I'm sure they won't judge you. They will probably just think it is nice that you are working towards improving you smile. That, or they won't care at all. I doubt anyone will judge you negatively. I mean, if so then that person has issues. I say get your braces and continue doing your comedy while you are in treatment. You shouldn't feel ashamed of yourself. Good luck :)

[pasr16]

I think you should intentionally forgret you are wearing braces when you're on stage

[Huon]

I would watch perfectly happily and I wouldn't be put off by regular braces. I would just think of you as someone who is doing a normal thing.
By all means make a joke of your braces at the start and then ignore them.
I wore all metal and it was a year before some regular contacts even noticed them. I appen to prefer metal brackets over ceramics, as people can see what you are wearing and are not puzzling over whether there are braces there, or not.
Huon

[belenov]

watching somebody with braces is fine. i think most people are fascinated and worried about teeth in general. everybody has some worry which provides such a curiosity with braces yet so many people seem to want braces but have not the courage.if you have them on the outside it would provide a great prop. im getting mine soon im 38, work in the media, a little nervous but far more exited.

[bbsadmin]

Braces have become such a universal thing in our society. Many people had them as kids, or their kids have them.

You should try to use it in your comedy when possible. I certainly would, if I were in your shoes.