3 things I learnt as an adult with braces
I find it incredibly embarrassing to admit but I have had braces not once, not twice but THREE times. It was a series of unfortunate events that led me to being 26 years old with a jaw expansion that left me with a massive gap in my two front teeth before getting braces on my top and bottom teeth. I had so many thoughts and feelings going into this and it is safe to say that I did my research first. I currently have about 3-6 months of this journey left (I’ve passed the half-way mark – yay!) and so far, I have 3 major take-aways that we can all learn from – whether you are thinking of getting adult braces or not.
One – No one cares but you.
This is something that took me a little bit of time to learn. As an adult with braces, you think that other people are going to notice, judge you or treat you differently because of your appearance. While they may notice the braces, they typically won’t judge you or treat you any differently. That’s the good thing about being an adult, most people are mature enough to not care about any extra bling that may be attached to your teeth,
You are truly your worst critic. So if you are worried that other people are going to judge your braces, I can promise you that they are not going to judge you as much as you are judging yourself. If you take the focus and importance off the braces, no one else will be focused on it either. Being an adult with braces comes with more pain then it does for teenagers, so give yourself a little grace, take the focus off it and enjoy your life.
It’s easier said than done but with a little self-love, you’ll forget you even have them on.
Two – Do your research.
I have had braces 3 times in my life (and two of those times were as an adult with braces). Yes, not once, not twice but three times. In those 3 times, I have learnt that you want to be very careful about which orthodontist you choose. It was a bit of a stab in the guts to be an adult with braces after already having braces twice throughout high school and my early adult life. It can be difficult to find someone that will take into account your entire face and jaw, and not just your teeth. You don’t just want to come out of treatment with straight teeth. You want to ensure that your bite is correct, your jaw is wide and expanded AND your teeth are straight. I would almost say that the straight teeth are the least important out of the 3 goals of orthodontics. Your bite and your jaw size is what’s going to help improve your quality of life the most.
I suggest reading the book, The Dental Diet by Steven Lin. This is a fantastic book that will open your mind about your teeth, orthodontics and general dental health.
Three – Just do it.
I spent over 12 months “thinking” abut it. Part of that was due to lockdowns in 2021 leading to delayed appointments but part of it was due to my inability to make a decision. I was so nervous that I was making the wrong decisions as it was one that I would need to stick with for a full 12 months, and additionally, I felt like I needed to delay my life for the same duration. I thought I couldn’t live while I got this orthodontic work done because I was expecting to feel THAT self-conscious about it. I was so undecided on if this would be worth it, I had to first consult my psychic – along with every other family and friend in my life. I ended up realising that had I made the decision 12 months ago, the whole process would have already been finished. I would have been starting my 26th year of life with perfect teeth, instead of still being in the game all this time later. So the last lesson is simple. Just do it. No matter what ‘it’ is – if you start today, you will be so much closer to the finish line than if you keep putting it off.
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