Braces or no braces.. that is the question.

[kathpt]

Okay so I'm having a little bit of dilemma, girls, please help me decide!
My teeth aren't terrible crooked. I have ONE tooth that grew inwards and sometimes it makes me look like I have a tooth missing. The rest are pretty much straight. But this DAMNED tooth hurts my self esteem. It took me a really long time to like myself, and now this tooth is the only thing that makes me a bit meh at times.

I have the opportunity now to wear braces (the metal kind, on the front. don't have the budget for the invisible ones), but I know I'm going to cry and hate myself for it even though I KNOW I'm not going to regret the results. I'm a pretty vulnerable person when it comes to my looks even though I seem to be ok now, I'm scared I'll regress to how I felt about myself before. Also, got out of a relationship last summer and I'm still pretty fucked about it and I keep thinking 'if he sees me he's gonna hate it and gonna turn right the other way again'. I KNOW I should think about me first, and I am, it's just that that also plays a part in the decision.
Ah, I'm 26 and the doc said if I go ahead it'll take two years to correct the bite fully... the teeth I'm assuming will be corrected pretty quickly. So... 28 with braces?

Please help me decide!! Share your experiences!

[Rage&Love]

I've had 7 years of orthodontics & braces twice.

My second time was from age 23-25 - honestly people are just like "I regret not having them out when I was younger, how much do yours cost, where do you get them done" etc.

No one gives a shit about someone else's teeth tbh. & if they do, they are an arsehole + you should just tell them to swivel.

[Guest]

i had braces fairly young - got them taken off after a year and four months when i was 14. luckily, this was when i was in high school and most people i knew had braces as well. just a background: if i hadn't gotten them, i would need to be getting jaw realignment surgery right about now. bad teeth run in my family so it was important to them (like my parents/grandparents) that i got the problem fixed as soon as possible.

i think they're worth it. what's worse to you: having braces, dealing with some insecurity for a couple of years, then having a smile you love for the rest of your life? or not getting them and feeling insecure anyways? seems to me the first option is the best bet.

i see where you're coming from - i feel the same about working out. i'm like, "what if he sees and thinks badly of me?" but if an ex does think that way, then they're a shitty person and we're both lucky to be away from them. fuck what he thinks! absolutely no shame in doing something for yourself.

bottom line is, braces aren't a big deal, and they're not on forever. what's a couple of years out of your life? you might even get them off sooner!

also, see if you can get the braces put on the back of your teeth if you're really concerned about it.

[Lorena]

I had braces for almost 2 years, got them off at 30, and no one cared!!! go for it!!! I love my teeth so much now

[Cantshutup]

Please choose the braces. It's 'only' 2 years out of the rest of your life. I had braces for 2 years and yes, it wasn't always the greatest, but I'm so happy I did it and it's worth it everytime I look at my teeth and don't cringe.

[Tea-and-Crumpets]

I got braces as a teenager because of one bad tooth like you, and I will forever be glad that I did!! Go for it! A few years wearing them for many more years having a nice smile and no more self-consciousness. It's not pain free, but you can just take painkillers when you need them. I ended up liking my braces anyway, as you get used to them being part of your look.

[kathpt]

Okay after debating on it for a really long time I decided to go ahead with it and got them put in on Tuesday!
I walked around with just the brackets on top for a week and a half because I had to have one tooth pulled out before putting the wire in, so on monday I got the brackets and the wire on the bottom and on tuesday got the tooth pulled out (which I kept... makes me sad looking at it I'm not sure why) and the wire on the top teeth.

So far all I've wanted to do is:
1. hit my face against the wall repeatedly until the pressure stops
2. bite a cold teething toy
3. chew on ice
4. pull the damn thing out with my own bare hands
5. cry

But I guess the amount of pressure is good? WILL IT EVER GO AWAY THOUGH???
Chewing hurts like a mofo and I can't even chew properly because of the tooth I pulled out since it's still an open hole basically. I've been on smoothies and yoghurts for the past two days.

[sitc87]

im reall happy i got braces, made me feel a lot better about myself . but everyones expereince is different and you should defanately do what you think is best for you

[Tea-and-Crumpets]

Congrats!!
Have you not taken painkillers? Sounds like you need to.
Yes, the pain and discomfort will fade! Every time you get them tightened the ache will come back, but it always gets better. Keep remembering the end goal, you won't even remember this phase in the future hehe

[MaddieWell]

Who cares? the only people I really hear about who make fun of that are of middle school age.No grown adult worth a darn would look into that.They would actually think it's a noble thing to try and straighten your teeth.
Go for it.

[idonteven]

My teeth were a damn mess growing up. I had a bunch of baby teeth pulled and even some adult teeth removed as well because my mouth was so small. I had a retainer for 1-2 years and then braces for 2 years in high school. Braces suck but it's 100% worth it IMO.

[Nicole89]

For sure this is nice option to improve your teeth health, i have a lot of friends which use braces and now satisfied with results.

[bluebadgers]

If fixing that one tooth can boost your self-esteem and make you happier, it might be worth the temporary discomfort of braces. Age is just a number, and if it means you'll be more confident in the long run, that's what matters most.