[heartonmysleeve]

I was wondering what its like to have braces on because I am considering getting them. But I'm not sure if I need them. Its just that my upper set and lower set of teeth dont meet in the front and create a gap. I really feel self concious when I smile sometimes. I went to the orthodontist and he said that I need to pull out 4 teeth and wear braces for two years. However, there's really no physical problems with my gap. My question is, are braces worth it? Do they really hurt? Are they bothersome? Can you share your personal experiences with braces?

Hope yall can help me out thanks

EDIT: Thanks everyone for your responses! And another question, is 16 an okay age to get them? because I'm 16
EDIT 2: ahh another question! and does pulling your teeth out change your face shape or face in general? Like does your jaw get slimmer? Thanks everybodyy

[saranghaese7en]

i have braces right now =]... i have to say, I think it's worth it....... my teeth were REALLY crooked before but now, they are really straight! but if you have a biting problem, i'm not sure if you REALLY need braces.... and as for the pain, i don't think it hurts that much hehe..... but if you have to pull out 4 teeth... AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! anyway, good luck=]! i know we all want a beautiful smile and everyone deserves one too!

[xchuchanx]

If you feel uncomfortable with your current situation (which you do) the best thing to do is the fix it!
and braces are TOTALLY worth it!!!
For me, it hurt like crazy for the first MONTH. But then after that after each adjustment, it only hurt for a week.
it is worth it. They are bothersome, but with a mirror and a cleaning pick always on hand, it's no problem!
however.... i often have canker sores, and it SUCKS to have them with braces, because they are pretty much like, knives constantly stabbing at them. So use wax!

[oreoo]

Asian tend to have crowded teeth because we have small jaws =D
So that why a lot of our teeth are all kind of bunched up together.

But braces I saw are.. so-so. IF youre fine with your gap, then who cares?
The part that hurts most are the pulling out 4 teeth and everytime you tigthen your braces (so gay)
or when a wire pops out and stuff like that

[poli]

i had to get 4 teeth removed for braces, too.

they're well worth it -- when i got them on, i really detested them because i was too young to care about appearances. now, i'm really thankful my teeth are nice (:

tightening wires is pretty painful, though. and sometimes your braces might catch on the inside of your lip...

[Izzie]

If you`re not satisfied, definitely get them.
It's better to get them young, instead when you're in your 20s, and want braces.

You can deal with braces, the first... two months are annoying.
Then you'll get used to them.
& they don't hurt that much.. just the first couple months & every month when you get them tightened

[alligatortears]

it's worth it.
my teeth were jacked up but i had no problem eating..
i took out four and got some metal.
now i love to flash my whities.

[Daikirai]

It's probably worth it if you have a good orthodontist.
I hate mine. I've had braces for almost 7 years.

Yeah, they straighten your teeth, so if you need it, get it.
But the consequences of getting them.. your teeth get stained over time. <-- That usually goes away.
Your teeth get sore after they're tightened or you actually get them on.
Sometimes, it'll require you to get some teeth pulled.

[SOCKBUNNY]

it's worth it.
I used to hate to smile with my mouth open because of my teeth... but now I always smile with my mouth open

[makirollx3]

As dreadful as it is to have braces, it's completely worth it. I had to get 4 teeth pulled, too. Despite the pain of that, I understood it was so that my teeth would look nicer. Braces are annoying and they get in the way sometimes, but it's worth it if you want a nice smile. I've had them for about two years now, and I'm getting them off next week. I'm happy with the results because my teeth look way better than before. I suggest you get braces if you're not satisfied with your teeth.

[EenXsooN]

its worth it
they hurt sometimes
bothersome most of the time
but worth it

[J1NX3R x3]

my upper and lower sets of teeth didn't meet either and i had trouble when i would bite into a sandwich or something cause i wasn't able to chop off the whole sandwich. braces definitely helps and i believe that it is worth it because eatting became much easier. once you get use to it, it's almost just become part of your teeth. you'll get scratched from the wire cause your mouth is not used to the set of wires and such, it'll gradually adapt to the braces then you get excited and can't wait til you can take off the braces til see the changes. i'm going through that lol can't wait til make use of these expensive set of teeth lol i only part i really hated about the braces process were the spacers, they were a pain!

[--infatuated.]

i think mostly everyone who has had braces will say

"it's worth it"

because it really is. i used to have straight teeth, but after i broke a tooth things got ugly. so i had to get braces on my top teeth. i wasn't too hesistant to get them 'cause i thought they were pretty. hahaa, but once i got them i HATED them soo much. it stopped me from eating certain type of foods 'cause it would always get stuck in the back, but you get used to it. i didn't have to go through much trouble though, soo thank goodness, hahaha but i've seen people with worse conditions, they got braces and looked absolutely better with the results! if you're uncomfortable, and you have the money, i suggest you do it.

[SupaBayWitIt]

They huirt really bad, but you get used to the pain in 3-4 days or so. & They're really effective. The price is worth it!

[xl0v3juicy]

It's worth it. The pain only lasts for maximum 1 week when you first get them, and after that you'll pretty much forget its there. Your teeth make a pretty big impact on your appearance, although most people seem to overlook that.

[reset.love]

what's the pain like?
cos i was considering to put braces too
xD

[imuhhater]

what's the pain like?
cos i was considering to put braces too
xD

It's like being punched in the teeth many many times, and having that feeling that your teeth are loose and won't come out.

I just got mine done last weekend. SOOOOO much pain right now. I have this one huge canker sore on my inner bottom lip, and it's driving me crazy. Wax does wonders. It's my new best friend!

Is it worth it? Indeed! Just make sure you do it while you're young. I just got mine on before senior year.....great.

Good luck to you if you get it!

[<3 Kim]

The process may be long and painful, but in the end its worth it. I'm glad I had braces

[Lothringen]

I used to have braces
and I have to say

THEY ARE WORTH IT

but then again... it's painful (when it's newly adjusted xD), hard to clean...
But sacrifice is a must if you want nice teeth

Oh yeah~ wax was my best friend too... but they looked like saliva o_o;;;
Well... the first time you have your braces... it hurts alot! You can't even bite
But once you get used to it... it's alright xD

[oshirou]

its worth it.. i have an underbite before but after 7 months, my underbite was gone. i still have my braces though coz my dentist is avoiding an overbite and my teeth are not yet aligned properly. when i had my braces, the first week was the hardest.. i couldnt eat that much.. the first change of elastics was a bit troublesome, specially when the elastics are chained and i had trouble eating for 2-3 days. after that, you'll get used to it. sometimes i feel like there are no braces in my mouth! kekeke! my only problem is when im eating out. food easily get stuck in my braces and teeth so i have to check it every now and then. v