More self conscience than I thought

[Lillypad]

I am 42 years old and before I had these braces put on I thought it wouldn't bother me. Here we are a week later an I am so self-conscience. When I smile I feel like I have fangs with barb-wire on them. Ugh, what have I done?

[furious george]

I'm really self conscious too, but I guarantee you're thinking about them more than anyone else. At least that's what people have been telling me, probably while they're really staring at food caught in them, and not telling me about it. Ha.

[zdenka]

I am 33 and I thought I would be just fine with braces. I am not doing all that great. It doesn't help that when I smile my upper lip usually gets stuck on the 3rd bracket on the right side only. Luckily I wear a mask at work a lot so I get a bit of a break that way. I am hoping that it will get easier as the weeks go by?

[furious george]

Yeah, my lip sticks on one of my brackets too (I wax it, which helps), and my lips stick out, I have a slight lisp, and I have a hard time closing my mouth. The only time I look cute is when I smile, because then at least you can see WHY I look goofy the rest of the time.

But everyone keeps telling me they don't notice, I just look like someone with braces. My bf seemed a little startled by them at first though...which, quite honestly, was a huge blow because he was one of my great motivators in doing this.

[smilehope]

Oh, Lillypad - it does get easier, I promise! I'm 42 as well and I've had them for over 3 months. The self-conscious feeling was the main thing I was worried about before I got the braces - that feeling of "they'll think I look stupid". In fact now with strangers I'm not bothered at all.
I had a bit of a recurrence a couple of weeks ago - a friend popped round with her husband - I hadn't seen her since before braces, and I didn't think I'd told her what I was going to do. I wanted to talk about them but was too ebarrassed which WAS stupid.
If people mention it (which is pretty rare in my experience) or if I bring it up before they do - all that happens is momentary interest for a couple of minutes.
As for those closest to us, my husband said after about a week that he didn't notice them any more. And that was when I was still lisping really badly from my bite plate.

[Ellebraced]

Awwww Hang in there guys. LILYPAD ohhhhhhh I had the ODGWHID feeling.... (Oh dear god have have I done) I was VERY self conscious in the beginning and did a lot of crying BUT it does get easier. Honestly it took me 5 months to stop over obsessing lol and not until over a year before I just stopped caring about them at all. Which is sooooo silly (but not really) because it is just braces and many people might notice but if you just act like yourself and not act so awkward like i did you will have a lot easier time. Find the humor in the process, remember it is a TEMPORARY process and the results are why we are doing this. I have printed pictures that I hold up to the mirror and compare from day 1 til now and that it motivation. Honestly I am a bit depressed from my braces but I know the last 18 months and 1 day have been worth it and I have only 65 days left and I felt in the beginning this would take forever but time did go quickly.

You can read my funny posts from the beginning if you follow the link below, now when I read them I think OMG what was I thinking but at the time the pain and feelings were there. Braces have taught me patience and that I am more than a awkward smile.

Good Luck !!! I wish you all the best

Elle

[Lillypad]

Thanks to you all! I hope it will get easier and I will feel less like a mid-life crisis in the making! LOL!

[thunderbolt]

Lillypad, it does get better!! You'll wonder what all the fuss was about in a few weeks :)

[JoanWarwick]

Dear Ms.Lilly.... I'm 44 and braced just over 4 weeks. My upper palatal expander was placed just over two weeks ago. It's ALOT of stuff to get used to in my mouth. I'm very ocd about my oral hygene so I was very very nervous but it's ok. I carry a small bag in my purse with floss, toothpaste, toothbrush, picks and scope. Somethings are even funny! I'm a professional and speak to patients and physicians all day so my lisp makes for some very funny misunderstandings! I even accidentally spit on my favorite client! I too feel self conscious, much much more than I thought I would but our dental health is worth the investment. When you're feeling self conscious just remind yourself this is an investment in you! And you're worth it. My treatment is 24-30 months and eventually will have a lower expander placed (they placed it simutaneously with the upper but I became so sick they had to remove it and change our plan of treatment.) I'll hang in there if you will!

[plugnickel69]

Hi Lillypad,

I'm a 65 year old almost 5 months into the process. I'm a professional who meets with individuals constantly and speaks publicly fairly often. Others have said something to me about my braces without my initiating the conversation exactly twice, and the discussion was no more than "oh, you have braces." One was an adult son. I spent three days and ate a number of meals with him before he eventually noticed. We obsess; others don't care and most don't even notice. I'm always aware of them, but it's had exactly no impact on my professional or personal life.

[Marktee]

Context always helps. Whenever I hurt myself I think well at least its not a gun shot to the face.

Same sort of thing really, you might be paranoid about it but in the grand scheme of things, its nothing.

[kreyFL]

I have my good days and bad days. As everyone else has said - I always know they are there and obsess about them more than I should. But, here I am, almost 2 year in and I still don't feel like me. Now that I am getting close to getting them off I am more antsy and hate them more than ever. My hubby says he can't wait to see my real smile and not the self conscious smile. I even try to hide them when I talk, which just makes them more noticeable. I don't even realize I am doing it...I guess they just bother me more than I realized. I am not a vain person, but they have affected the way I smile and interact with people - which sucks. Some days I don't care but looking back at the past 2 years - I have never really been "cool" with my braces. But, it IS worth it and I am willing to endure 2 years of awkward smiling for 40 years of big happy grins.

[furious george]

I'm a week in and now it totally depends on the package.

If I look otherwise normal, I'm finding myself forgetting about them or not caring and being totally comfortable. But if I've got otherwise unpretty things going on, I'm way harder on myself. Right now, I'm breaking out, and I just want to hide my head in a pillow case. How is it fair, that I'm breaking out and have braces like a teenager, but don't get the ACTUAL youth to go with it?

[kreyFL]

I'm a week in and now it totally depends on the package.

If I look otherwise normal, I'm finding myself forgetting about them or not caring and being totally comfortable. But if I've got otherwise unpretty things going on, I'm way harder on myself. Right now, I'm breaking out, and I just want to hide my head in a pillow case. How is it fair, that I'm breaking out and have braces like a teenager, but don't get the ACTUAL youth to go with it?

LOL Okay that was funny. I was pregnant with braces. Acne, pregnant, and braces. I seriously felt like a teen Mom. It was SO awkward. Hahaha, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I wanted to be this super cute smiley pregnant woman and that just did not happen. But your post definitely made me laugh, I know the feeling for sure.

[Angel269]

I got mine yesterday, clear fixed uppers. I felt I had done so well considering my previous extreme dental phobia. They are barely visible, especially as I have a tooth coloured wire too.

What I am worrying about are the questions about why I never did it as a teen (would have been free on NHS then for me) which would mean confessing about my dental phobia, which I am embarrassed about.

I spoke to my grandma last night (early 70's) and she said aren't you a bit old, which kind of dented my confidence about doing it

I'm dreading next week when my hubby is back at work and I take my son to baby & toddler groups as I worry it will be reason for people to gossip, or worse the kids ask questions or are freaked out I am also embarrased about eating with other people around, as food keeps getting stuck.