What Happens When You Meet Other Adults in Braces?

Message

#1 Post by **ingyandbert** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:03 am

I got my braces 2 months ago. I donâ€™t know what your experience has been in meeting other adults in braces, but mine has not been what I expected. A couple of times now, Iâ€™ve encountered someone in braces and Iâ€™ve smiled and said something like, "Oh, another member of the club!" (with it being pretty obvious I was talking about the braces) and in each instance instead of smiling back and maybe saying something, the other person just looked at me and didnâ€™t say anything. And just for the record, my comments were not made in any sort of formal setting or sensitive social situation. Iâ€™m talking about things like ocean parties, where people are there to mingle and chat. And in each instance, these were not newly braced people. Their teeth appeared straight and looked really nice.

I donâ€™t get it. Am I an exception because I donâ€™t feel self-conscious about my braces? I smile just as much and just as big as before braces. Why not? I donâ€™t see what the big deal is. Do people think if they donâ€™t acknowledge it, others canâ€™t see theyâ€™re wearing braces? When someone makes a comment about me having braces, I just smile and say, "Yup, I sure do [have braces]!"

Whatâ€™s been your experience?

#2 Post by **ingyandbert** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:07 am

Okay, I have no idea why my post was changed to say "ocean parties." That is NOT what I wrote. I assume itâ€™s some sort of automatic censoring deal and no, I didnâ€™t use a bad word. I was talking about a ___tail party. Just so everyone is clear on what I was saying.

Website · #3 Post by **Kell** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:29 am

LOL, I wondered what an ocean party was

I have yet to meet another adult with braces. If I did I would be really happy and definitely engage in a conversation with them. I am not self conscious at all about my braces. Well, it did bother me the other day when I was whistling when I talked because of a new giant gap that has started. Mostly I just laughed at myself about that though.

#4 Post by **JumpTheDitch** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:31 am

I thought 'Ocean Parties' sounded a bit odd. I figured it was some sort of weird regional thing...

I can't say I've met with a reaction like that; I actually feel a little weird when I meet other people in braces. I feel like I've bumped into someone wearing the same T-shirt! Possibly that's cos my teeth don't actually look that bad (I feel a bit guilty for not being happy with my teeth when I see the tough draw some people got; my ortho told me nature had tried really hard to give my nice teeth). My ortho issues are overjet- and bite-related so people are generally surprised that I got braces; no one really noticed the wear, etc from the dodgy bite, it even took me a while!

Most people that have had braces themselves when they were younger are sympathetic though, I'm not sure why you've met with the reaction you have!

#5 Post by **gsx** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:27 am

As soon as I notice they have brackets, I'd like to start talking with him/her.
Nobody was worried for the moment, so we are adults and we wear them because we want it

nobody has to worry about it, only people who have deep complexes

Sorry, I'm a poor spanish and still don't know what is a ocean party. Maybe "mediterranean party? as well

?

#6 Post by **JoeMama** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:22 am

An ocean party sounds kind of swanky!

I have no idea why someone would react negatively to another braced adult wanting to share the experience. I've encountered a bunch of adults with braces since having mine put on, all of them are women. I've exchanged a warm knowing smile with these folks and have gotten the same in response. In fact the waitress at my favorite restaurant just got them and she got a huge smile when she saw me with mine. Sort of like a secret handshake. Maybe these people had had one too many ----tails and reacted poorly??

#7 Post by **Flora2006** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:28 am

I woudn't react negatively if someone mentioned my braces to me, but I would get uncomfortable. I am still very self-conscious of my braces so if someone would mention my braces to me...i would get even more uncomfortable....So maybe that person just isn't very comfy with the braces...

Whenever i see someone in braces, i would love to start talking to them about how it feels...how is their treatment going, etc...but i just wouldn't be able to do that because than i would have to explain why i have braces and such... I need more time to get used to them before i can talk about them face to face.

Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:41 pm

I have met a few adults with braces, and we discussed our treatments with each other. We were all quite proud of our experiences. I must admit I usually started the comments, but one waitress about my age with braces noticed mine and started the conversation.

I'm not self conscience at all about mine now. I'm less self conscience now then I was before with my icky teeth. I feel like instead of people seeing ugly teeth they see a work in progress.

#9 Post by **Aradia252** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:10 pm

Personally, I would rather people not talk to me about my braces. It is something that I don't really think about anymore, so it bothers me when people point them out, even if they have braces themselves. It really irritates me when people who don't have braces and don't know me will say something to me about my braces. And thinking about it, if someone had said something to me about being "in the club too," I'd probably pretend like I didn't hear them. It's not even that I'm self conscious about it, it's more that I just don't think it's appropriate for people who don't know me to say anything about it.

#10 Post by **Mark01GT** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:35 pm

it got censored because you can't say c-o-c-k on this forum, it's a bad word, even though it's another name for a rooster.

#11 Post by **mackenzie** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:14 pm

I feel sort of the same as Aradia252, and when I see other older people with braces, be it older teens like me or an adult I don't say anything to them because I don't want to offend them or make them uncomfortable.

#12 Post by **Teigyr** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:14 pm

Oddly enough, I've met some great people due to braces. When I first got them though, I was at an Ocean Party (that is so great!) and felt very subconscious. I felt that I was spitting on people when I talked and I felt generally icky. Now that I am comfortable with them, other people with braces have asked questions. I'm ok with it! It's a good way to compare notes and it is a bond that sets us apart from others sometimes. I think it's great that I talk to people I wouldn't ordinarily talk to and if this is what it takes, I'm good with it.

What's funny/awkward is that I get questions from people without braces, especially people from other countries. I work in an international type environment and there are people from places where dental care isn't as readily available. People tend to want to know how much they cost, etc. While it seems like a personal question, I generally will tell them. I think it's innocent enough.

#13 Post by **afrederick** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:30 pm

I've met a couple of other adults with braces and have gotten positive feedback. I think having braces has in fact improved my self esteem and I smile much more than I did before.

#14 Post by **nimo** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:56 pm

I would rather people pretend my braces aren't there. What's funny is I notice eople staring at my teeth a lot more now than I did before, which bugs me. I wouldn't just ignore someone who asked about them, especially if they aren't being rude. But if someone said, "Oh, you're a part of the club!" or something, i might not have any idea what they were talking about.

#15 Post by **brandee987** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:41 am

I have met only one other adult with braces and we had a great chit chat about them! LOL! She showed me her impacted canine and it was coming from the roof of her mouth... I thought it was cool! Overall I would rather someone ask me about my braces than stare at them! That is what drives me crazy..the people who stare and then ask my husband about why I got braces... ( Oh and my sister in law has braces and we talk about them all the time...she is getting debanded in a month! ::envy::)