Getting Braces as an Adult

Interview with a BraceFace
My friend -let's call him John because that's his real name - just got braces. This interview with John will hopefully give you some insight into the experience of getting, wearing, and caring for braces. This is the first in a series of posts that will follow John through his experience.

Me: How many teeth do you have?
John: A lot. Twenty-eight, if I’ve counted correctly. My orthodontist says one of my lower incisors has a 50/50 chance of needing to come out to make room, but he assures me that only my dentist would notice.

Me: Why braces and why now? Aren't you really old?
John: It’s something I’ve had in the back of my mind for years, but planned to put off indefinitely until some magical day in the future when I would finally feel like I had enough money to do this for myself. Then, I took my son for his first visit to the orthodontist, and I was instantly curious, even fascinated. That motivated me to stop putting off a trip to the dentist (for the first time in years). When the dentist made the point that it wasn’t just an aesthetic consideration, because of how worn down my lower incisors had gotten over the years (to the extent that they might need to be replaced in ten years or so if the wear continued), I think that sealed the deal for me. I would definitely prefer to keep my own teeth for as long as I can.

Me: So there are many reasons that straight teeth are beneficial. Now that you know all this, is this something you wish you'd done earlier in life?
John: Definitely! I’ve been fairly self-conscious about smiling for a long time, so I wish I had taken the plunge sooner. When I was younger, my dentist never mentioned the possibility until he thought I was going to med school, and he suggested that I see about getting a good deal from the orthodontics school. I guess he thought it was a safe to assume that my parents wouldn’t be able to afford braces for me. But after I was out on my own, the fear of the expense was certainly what held me back.

Me: Do your braces hurt?
John: No, they really don’t. They were uncomfortable for the first day or two, and the inside of my mouth felt a little tender for a few more days, but it wasn’t bad at all. I don’t think I even felt prompted to take anything for the pain more than once or twice.

Me: How long will you have to wear them?
John: Probably at least 18 months, although the orthodontist sounded like he was expecting closer to two years. Even if I need to wear them longer than that, I don’t think it will bother me.

More with John coming soon, including how his braces saved a man's life! (Well, not really, but I need a cliffhanger at the end to keep you coming back.)