Never in my recent years would I think of getting braces again, let alone getting braces at the same time as my brothers! If you noticed something was different about me but couldn’t figure it out… Surprise – I got braces!
After trying to do Invisalign for nearly three years, it was time to put the clear trays away and put on the metal brackets. Deciding to switch over to braces was a very difficult choice, but one I knew I needed to make in order to get the smile of my dreams! I want to emphasize that Invisalign not being the right fit for me has nothing to do with Dr. Bowen or Great Big Smiles Orthodontics.
Why Invisalign was Not a Great Fit for Me
The reason why Invisalign did not work for me is that truthfully, I wasn’t as committed as I thought I was. It’s embarrassing for me to say that I didn’t have the dedication to wear the clear trays for 22 hours a day. In the beginning, I was so proud to show off my Invisalign and wore it all the time. Then instead of wearing them for over 20 hours a day, I was only wearing them going to bed.
Earlier this year, I had my wisdom tooth removed. During my recovery from my tooth extraction, I stopped wearing my Invisalign and fell out of routine from wearing them. Four months flew by and before I knew it, my Invisalign trays no longer fit. While I did keep all of my clear trays and could potentially work my way back to my current tray again, I knew that this might happen again.
It was time to commit to braces.
Dr. Bowen at Great Big Smiles Orthodontics was so patient with me throughout the whole process. They are truly great! I told Dr. Bowen that it was time for me to move forward with my smile and switch over to metal braces. The longer I held this off, the longer it will be until I get the smile of my dreams! I want to finally be confident in my smile and knowing that I’m one step closer is a good feeling.
Having Adult Braces
The first few days of having braces were rough. First, it was my identity crisis. Every time I looked in the mirror, I didn’t recognize myself! I was so self-conscious about my braces that whenever I was talking to someone, I would try to cover my mouth with my hand. Second, eating was slightly painful. I ate a lot of soup and a lot of soft food, including my favorite oysters – so delicious!
Treating myself to oysters three hours after getting braces.
When I was going through my identity crisis, my stepmom told me that there was nothing to be embarrassed about. She said that she too at her age would get adult braces if she could! Perhaps when all of my brothers have their braces off, she’ll reconsider getting braces.
My stepmom also says that having braces as an adult is a form of self-care and shows that I’m working on improving myself and my smile! She also told me to think of it as having a designer handbag, except on your teeth. Ha, I thought this was such a funny analogy. Instead of buying a Louis Vuitton bag for relatively the same price, I have braces that will give me a perfect smile for a lifetime (unless I don’t wear my retainer, of course, but since this is my second round of braces, I will definitely be wearing them!).
During my first week of having braces, I was getting my hair extensions reinstalled. I met a hairstylist in the salon with braces too! I was so excited to see another adult get braces, ha. Who knew that two adults would be bonding over braces?
Having Braces Bring People Closer
Bonding over braces is like women bonding over being pregnant. Since getting adult braces, I’ve been noticing other adults with braces as well. It makes me happy to see that I wasn’t alone. I’ve bonded with people from the hair salon, to nightclubs, to coffee shops. We would talk about floss threading, feeling young again, and so many other things!
Since getting braces as an adult, I wanted to share with you some of my most frequently asked questions.
Most Asked Questions as an Adult with Braces
Why did you get braces as an adult?
The same reason why you would get braces at any age: perfect teeth! Since losing my retainer, my teeth have been shifting little by little and while it’s not noticeable to many, it is noticeable to me! I figured, we only have one life, might as well do the things we want and for me, that’s having straight teeth.
Why did you choose braces over Invisalign?
Originally, I did Invisalign first, but after three years of trying Invisalign (my treatment was supposed to be 9 months), I decided it was time for braces. I, unfortunately, didn’t have the dedication for Invisalign, and it was hard for me to wear them 20 to 22 hours a day. Getting braces (where you’re unable to remove the brackets) was the only option for me and now I’m loving it!
How long do you have to wear braces?
Dr. Bowen gave a rough estimate of six to nine months! Fingers crossed that it’ll be a lot quicker, ha.
Why did you choose metal braces over clear or ceramic braces?
When I had my braces for the first time, I had clear/ceramic braces. I also chose crazy band colors, like orange and black for Halloween or red and green for Christmas. Obviously, with these colorful bands, my braces were noticeable, so it defeated the purpose of having ceramic braces.
Also, I ate curry, and it stained the ceramic braces. I figured this time, I’m not trying to hide my braces, so I chose the traditional metal braces.
How do you feel overall with adult braces?
I am loving it! One of my girlfriends who is a dentist recently had braces. She was telling me that having braces is very cute and how my having braces makes her miss having hers! The first week was rough, but now I am embracing it. It took some time to get used to, but it becomes part of your lifestyle.
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