im 17 and i need braces?

Question

I need braces but I feel like at age 17 I would look sort of geeky, I really regret not getting them earlier but I was very vain back then. Am i just being immature? O.o

Might have helped to mention this, I cant really afford geting invisible ones.

Answer 1

Well....would you rather have a mouth full of crooked teeth or a flawless smile? You would look a whole lot more rediculous in your twenties than you would as a teenager. I would kill for braces.

Answer 2

Tom Cruise had invisible ones in a few years ago, and he's over 40 (I think?) now. He did not make it a big secret and people knew he had them.

Don't feel bad. Some people need braces AGAIN after having them as teenagers because the teeth become crooked again. I once went to school with a girl who had to get braces again to fix her teeth--or get surgery in which they'd have to literally crack the roof of her mouth open to create more space for her upper jaw. She went with the braces.

Personally I'd just go with the braces. I don't really like it when people have crooked teeth, although I suppose that's rather shallow of me. It all depends on what you want, what you can afford and how much your smile means to you. I've been told I smile a lot so sometimes my teeth make me self-conscious if I've had tea or soda or recently eaten.

Good luck!

Answer 3

No, you aren't being immature but, I can appreciate your problem. Steel braces can be a pain but, there are other alternatives other than the invisible ones and I found some of them on the internet. I listed them below:

1. Ceramic braces offer a less visible alternative. They blend in more with the natural color of the tooth and are arguably more visually appealing. Some ceramic brackets are not as strong as metal and may require longer treatment time. Some ceramic brackets are also slightly larger than metal ones and may be more difficult to adapt to.

2. Gold-plated stainless steel braces are for people allergic to nickel (a component of steel), but may be chosen because they blend better with teeth, and some people simply prefer the look of gold over the traditional silver-colored braces.

3. Lingual braces are fitted behind the teeth, and are not visible with casual interaction. Lingual braces can be more difficult to adjust to, since they can hinder tongue movement.

4. A novel concept under development are braces using so-called smart brackets. The smart bracket concept consists of a bracket containing microchip capable of measuring the forces applied to the bracket/tooth interface. The goal of this successfully demonstrated concept is to significantly reduce the duration of orthodontic therapy and to set the applied forces in non-harmful, optimal ranges.

5. There is also a type of brace called "twin block" which is removable. These are normally used before or after a fixed brace. They can also be tightened.

Check with your parents and/or your dentist before you get any one of these but these are the best I could come up with. Good luck and I hope these work out for you.

Answer 4

hey im 17 and have braces. i kno some other ppl at my school about the same age who still have braces. i wished i had got them when i was younger 2 but i didnt so it is better to have them now then when i am in my 20's or something i guess. they make me feel a bit self consious but i suppse it will b worth it in the end

Answer 5

Better get it now and not wait till your in your 30s, that would be much worse.

I got mine when I was 15 cause I didn't want it when I was younger. I opted for the transparent ones instead of the metal braces so it wouldn't look too bad in my prom pictures. I used to be quite vain too.

Answer 6

There are older people than you that have decided to have braces because their teeth are out of alignment because they have the money to do it now. It's very common to see people now a days with braces. Check out the girl in "Ugly Betty".

Answer 7

You know, you can get some spiffy colored ones. One girl I knew even had some that glowed under a blacklight.

Braces are more "In Style" now. Don't worry about being geeky, you'll have a killer smile!

Answer 8

You arent being immature! Its ok to be scared to make life-changing decisions, just remember they wont change who you are. Also, you will realise once you are older that it was the right choice to make, so do yourself a favor and get the braces! Good luck and keep smiling!

Answer 9

I really recommend that you go to a dentist.
There's no one who can tell you the correct answer without examining your teeth.

but I'm sure you're not late :)

Answer 10

i've seen people in their 30's with em. just get them now and get it over with. by th etime ur 20, you'll be feeling good about it. so go for it.