It’s one thing to make the decision to have braces for adults put on your teeth. You know they will ultimately provide beautiful results. You’re okay making the investment in yourself because of the long-term rewards you know will follow after the treatment.
That may not keep you from feeling “too old for braces,” but you can make yourself push through that feeling. After all, one in every five orthodontic patients in this country is an adult, so there really shouldn’t be a stigma attached to it anymore.
It’s something else entirely to have to put up with the cute comments made by friends, family members, and co-workers in their efforts to be funny. They’re not likely trying to be intentionally mean or annoying, but after you hear them enough…well…you’ve heard them enough.
Here’s one comment adults with braces are REALLY tired of hearing:
“Hey, did you ever hear of Invisalign®?”
Really? Like anyone *hasn’t* heard of those clear aligners that are hardly noticeable. Don’t they realize if that was an option for you, you’d have chosen it?
What some people don’t understand is that as an adult, it’s often more difficult to convince the teeth they need to move and relocate into a new position in the mouth. In other cases, the severity of the malocclusion is such that Invisalign® treatments are not sufficient.
In these cases, traditional metal or clear ceramic braces may be the most logical choice, even if they’re not as aesthetically pleasing as clear aligners. Sometimes conventional braces are what’s needed to get the job done correctly.
Then there are the promises your orthodontist makes for when you can expect to have the braces removed. It’s hard to hear it once…but almost impossible to accept if you have to hear it more than once.
“They should be ready to come off at your next appointment.”
As your next appointment draws closer, you allow yourself to begin to get excited about seeing your new smile, and getting rid of the metal in your mouth…finally.
Until you get to that “next appointment” and are informed about some minor discrepancy that will require an extension of the time you were promised. The good news here is that you can rest assured…at some point they WILL actually be taken off. Try to take the news of an extension with all the grace and dignity of your adulthood. (Besides, throwing a tantrum just doesn’t help.)
Lastly, there’s a comment that people sometimes make that can make you feel so good, it’s kind of easy to forget the annoying comments you’ve endured.
“Wow, those braces make you look really young!”
Let’s face it, when that’s said sincerely, it’s hard to be annoyed that someone has noticed and commented on your braces. Who doesn’t enjoy being told they look younger than their actual age? That’s likely the one comment you’ll never really get tired of hearing.
If you’re wondering if braces would be necessary for straightening your teeth, contact our office and schedule a consultation to discuss your situation with the doctor. It’s never too late to create a beautiful smile!
