Re: Being embarrassed about braces

[Guest guest]

I'm 37 and have had braces on since October. They're all metal, and I

choose brightly colored bands/chains, because I figure, hey, it's just

another way to accessorize. I don't care at all what other people

think of my braces. In fact, I feel a certain pride in having them on

-- finally, I can afford it! And I'm worth it! -- and find I often

flash people big smiles to show off my braces. Isn't that funny? But I

wanted braces as a kid and am thrilled to finally be going this.

The only time I feel self-conscious about them is when I suspect I

have food stuck in them. And I used to be real self-conscious about

using a toothpick, too (because Miss Manners said not to), but I'm

mostly over that. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Nobody has said anything negative to me, either, about my braces,

except for my boss's boss, who said, " Why didn't you get the clear

ones? " I thought that was mildly insulting, but I have my reasons and

I said so. (They're cheaper, smaller and less likely to break during

surgery.)

As far as being in the ortho's office with a bunch of kids --

sometimes they look at me a little sideways, but I just figure I'm a

good example and they should be grateful they're doing this while

they're young (and their parents are paying for it!)

So -- I think it's all about what YOU think about it, not what other

people think.

My 2 1/2 cents!

Luna

[Guest guest]

You said:

" my boss's boss, who said, " Why didn't you get the clear

ones? " I thought that was mildly insulting, but I have my reasons and

I said so. (They're cheaper, smaller and less likely to break during

surgery.)

He's a nincompoop. Tell him to wear each for six weeks or so, and

see which feel better in his mouth! (I had ceramic uppers, which I

came to loathe, and metal lowers, which I found much more

comfortable, not to mention the risks in surgery.)

I discovered after I was all done that apparently my boss had been

doing something like invisalign, or a bite plate. But he'd been

majorly sympathetic to my troubles, and even delivered to my desk a

Tootsie Roll, once the hardware was out! Sweet, bright fellow.

Kids never looked at me sideways; I felt a bit silly in their

company, though, and could never persuade even ONE to show me how to

use a video machine in the ortho's office! -- I think we had a kind

of instantaneous bond, though, especially when we showed up at the

same Formal Occasions, (like funerals of Important People --

happened to me the first day in braces) all decked out in wires and

brackets. One or two adults asked me questions, but usually followed

up with whether it was worthwhile addressing their own

circumstances...

C.

> I'm 37 and have had braces on since October. They're all metal,

and I

> choose brightly colored bands/chains, because I figure, hey, it's

just

> another way to accessorize. I don't care at all what other people

> think of my braces. In fact, I feel a certain pride in having them

on

> -- finally, I can afford it! And I'm worth it! -- and find I often

> flash people big smiles to show off my braces. Isn't that funny?

But I

> wanted braces as a kid and am thrilled to finally be going this.

>

> The only time I feel self-conscious about them is when I suspect I

> have food stuck in them. And I used to be real self-conscious about

> using a toothpick, too (because Miss Manners said not to), but I'm

> mostly over that. You gotta do what you gotta do.

>

> Nobody has said anything negative to me, either, about my braces,

> except for my boss's boss, who said, " Why didn't you get the clear

> ones? " I thought that was mildly insulting, but I have my reasons

and

> I said so. (They're cheaper, smaller and less likely to break

during

> surgery.)

>

> As far as being in the ortho's office with a bunch of kids --

> sometimes they look at me a little sideways, but I just figure I'm

a

> good example and they should be grateful they're doing this while

> they're young (and their parents are paying for it!)

>

> So -- I think it's all about what YOU think about it, not what

other

> people think.

>

> My 2 1/2 cents!

>

> Luna

[Guest guest]

And hey -- I generally give to those I know who are about to undergo

ortho treatment a little pack, often a cosmetics case, including a

traveling toothbrush, a few packages of Glide floss threaders, a

mirror, some mouthwash, maybe some ortho wax or Brace Relief --

whatever. For what it's worth, local jewelry stores here have a very

pretty little pocket purse-looking mirror, big on one side and small

on the other. That helps a lot. And of course some travelling

proxabrushes, too. A guy could modify it, I'd think, to fit in a

briefcase or fanny pack.

C.

> I'm 37 and have had braces on since October. They're all metal,

and I

> choose brightly colored bands/chains, because I figure, hey, it's

just

> another way to accessorize. I don't care at all what other people

> think of my braces. In fact, I feel a certain pride in having them

on

> -- finally, I can afford it! And I'm worth it! -- and find I often

> flash people big smiles to show off my braces. Isn't that funny?

But I

> wanted braces as a kid and am thrilled to finally be going this.

>

> The only time I feel self-conscious about them is when I suspect I

> have food stuck in them. And I used to be real self-conscious about

> using a toothpick, too (because Miss Manners said not to), but I'm

> mostly over that. You gotta do what you gotta do.

>

> Nobody has said anything negative to me, either, about my braces,

> except for my boss's boss, who said, " Why didn't you get the clear

> ones? " I thought that was mildly insulting, but I have my reasons

and

> I said so. (They're cheaper, smaller and less likely to break

during

> surgery.)

>

> As far as being in the ortho's office with a bunch of kids --

> sometimes they look at me a little sideways, but I just figure I'm

a

> good example and they should be grateful they're doing this while

> they're young (and their parents are paying for it!)

>

> So -- I think it's all about what YOU think about it, not what

other

> people think.

>

> My 2 1/2 cents!

>

> Luna

[Guest guest]

Cammie,

> " my boss's boss, who said, " Why didn't you get the clear

> ones? "

> He's a nincompoop.

Yes, well, that's been previously established. HA! I didn't take it

personally ....

> Tell him to wear each for six weeks or so, and

> see which feel better in his mouth! (I had ceramic uppers, which I

> came to loathe, and metal lowers, which I found much more

> comfortable, not to mention the risks in surgery.)

That's interesting. I made the choice to go with metal after asking

for advice on here. Someone -- maybe it was you? -- pointed out they

were lower profile and less likely to chip during surgery (with the

danger of aspiration), and that helped me decide pretty quick!

> brackets. One or two adults asked me questions, but usually followed

> up with whether it was worthwhile addressing their own

> circumstances...

Yeah, I've had a number of adults asking the same thing, and also

quite a few who have told me they had adult orthodontics. These days,

a majority of people have had braces, so it's really not that much of

a stigma, I think.

Luna