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MadSpinner wrote:At first there were a lot of fuzz about it especially in my workplace. Most of my co-teachers kept on teasing me because I'm on my early twenties and I have only got them now. Yes, it's a thing for teens here where I live. Then my students noticed it, especially the change in my pronunciation (the consonant sound /s/ ). For my students, they see it as amazing, and they changed their way of seeing braces. It isn't a fashion accessory, as what they have been thinking about all these years.
So many people said: why do you even need braces your teeth were straight. But it's not for the straightness of my teeth, rather than for my bite and jaw problems (and I'm getting jaw surgery down the road - one year away). SO it's so hard to explain to everyone why I'm having braces. The important people and people I reagurally see know, the others I don't knwo why are the medling in places that aren't their bussines.
I was surprised that almost no-one noticed my braces. Usually after talking to them for 10-15 minutes they would notice, and even then it was more of a question - "do you have braces"? Pretty good I think!
A handful of my close friends and colleagues knew beforehand so no reaction from them. For the rest, some of them simply asked, 'oh! is that braces?' followed by complaining how imperfect teeth their teeth was, or sharing their past braces stories. Otherwise, majority of them doesn't care.
I've gotten pretty good reactions. The majority of people who see my braces and have known me even before I had them on, tell me how great I am going to look when they are removed which helped me feel less awkward about having them on. I have the clear ones so it's not too noticeable unless you stare
The only reactions were people asking about them because they were considering getting adult braces themselves and people wanting to talk tooth progress with me because they also had adult braces. Total non issue.
MadSpinner wrote:At first there were a lot of fuzz about it especially in my workplace. Most of my co-teachers kept on teasing me because I'm on my early twenties and I have only got them now. Yes, it's a thing for teens here where I live. Then my students noticed it, especially the change in my pronunciation (the consonant sound /s/ ). For my students, they see it as amazing, and they changed their way of seeing braces. It isn't a fashion accessory, as what they have been thinking about all these years.
A fellow teacher? Can it be true?
I'm also a teacher ! I was so worried that having braces would make me seem even younger (I'm 24)... in fact my students have been really great and their reactions have been so encouraging. Most of them have braces so they are very keen to commiserate !
Most people are pretty polite; I've had a lot of questions like how long do I have to wear them and are they uncomfortable, exc. I even got told the other day that I'm rocking the adult braces! My fiancé calls them my "teeth jewelry" Lol
Before I got braces, people told me my teeth weren't that bad. I had to roll my eyes because I've had two jaw surgeries and 2.5 years of braces so far. My teeth WERE that bad.
Others were encouraging. Some said they had thought about getting braces, others warned me to wear my retainer when they're off. Lots just wanted to wax nostalgic about when they had braces.
Now that I've had braces, only once has a complete stranger mentioned them, and it was because she had braces as an adult, too.
I think most people just see them as a medical device (like glasses) and don't really care or pay attention.
SARPE: December 19, 2013
Expander out/TPA in: May 13th, 2014
Upper and lower braces: May 21, 2014
Lefort I + BSSO + sliding genioplasty: June 11, 2015
Braces off: November 28th, 2016!!!
Braces on again, upper and lower: September 3, 2024
I jokingly told a friend that I have the equivalent of the cost of a trip to Hawaii on my teeth and she said "I would have chosen Hawaii"...I have now decided not to tell anyone how much it is costing. (I also need gum grafting etc. so it will cost quite a bit once I'm done)
My friend had the six month smiles and I didn't notice them until she pointed them out. I had clear brackets with white elastics initially and found it actually drew more attention to them as people studied more to figure out what was going on in my mouth. Now I've got the clear brackets with blue elastics ,at least people can see straight away I have braces and move on. I've had no one mention them unless I bring it up ,even though I'm told I look younger with them now :)
[quote="guilder68"]I jokingly told a friend that I have the equivalent of the cost of a trip to Hawaii on my teeth and she said "I would have chosen Hawaii"...I have now decided not to tell anyone how much it is costing. (I also need gum grafting etc. so it will cost quite a bit once I'm done)[/quote]
I dread to think how much I've spent on my teeth the past few years (I've had a dental implant ,bone and gum graft and now braces) ,I've purposely not worked it out ,lol.
