Braces at 18?

jiggaman7

Hi one of my best friends has one very crooked tooth, which has caused slight crowding in one of his front two teeth...it doesn't look bad at all but hes very self concious and wants a dazzling smile

however the problem only got to the way it is 2 years ago and in thinking about it hes just under 18 and so can still have them on the NHS if he hurries and decides...hes very mixed up about getting braces before his first university year....i've told him hel still make friends and stuff but he disagrees...hes starting to get obsessed about it now...and i wish i had answers to his doubts cos hes a very good friend
so i just wanted to know what you all think about it...would you have it done? and what would you think of someone who has braces at university?
thanks

ive got to get traintracks in august and im 18 (goin uni too)....i think its cool..it shows that u take pride in ur teeth and that u want to look good.

ive had AWFUL teeth for years and been through the whole operations/teeth out/retainers the lot. but now im finally at the braces stage im happy....it most definatly dosent affect relationships (i should know!)
He should go for it!

Reply 2

OP

Cazzi_Bear

ive got to get traintracks in august and im 18 (goin uni too)....i think its cool..it shows that u take pride in ur teeth and that u want to look good.

ive had AWFUL teeth for years and been through the whole operations/teeth out/retainers the lot. but now im finally at the braces stage im happy....it most definatly dosent affect relationships (i should know cuz im parcially deaf aswell!!)

He should go for it!

k il show him this...he said though that he may have his on for two years..what universty are you going...he thinks because hes going to leeds(student party capital) it will be even worse,
and he still has to go thorugh that stage of retainers, and teeth coming out

Reply 3

ryan750

2

im 19 and i got braces - only on top set. their fine. nothing to worry about.

Reply 4

jiggaman7

k il show him this...he said though that he may have his on for two years..what universty are you going...he thinks because hes going to leeds(student party capital) it will be even worse,
and he still has to go thorugh that stage of retainers, and teeth coming out

im going to newport which is a art media and design uni. if anything they will be more judgemental because arty people care about their looks alot (from what i know)

Its really worth doing... im about 3 years away from being finished with braces (have a rare condition) he should feel v lucky its only 2 years. (work on my teeth started in 2002!)

Ive got a mate whos going to leeds, he definatly wouldnt care about braces!

Reply 5

OP

lessthanthree

Why would people not do something that can totally change your smile/face/life? It's beyond me.

Braces are not the stigma they used to be - hell, they're even trendy. You can have "invisible" bands if your orthodontist has them too.

no but at 18 he's worried it will hinder him at univeristy in making friends going out relationships etc.

Reply 6

lessthanthree

Why would people not do something that can totally change your smile/face/life? It's beyond me.

Braces are not the stigma they used to be - hell, they're even trendy. You can have "invisible" bands if your orthodontist has them too.

totally!

im looking forward to getting mine! going to have purple ones to match my clothes (i only wear black and purple) its going to be cool. and im so thankful that one day im going to have straight teeth as all my life they have been messed up! yay

Reply 7

jiggaman7

no but at 18 he's worried it will hinder him at univeristy in making friends going out relationships etc.

its not going to effect his relationships! why would it? if anything it would make more people like him for being confident about having braces at uni!

Reply 8

OP

lessthanthree

so basically he's worried about losing the friendship of people who base their opinions on people's teeth?

no hes worried about making new friends at university with braces

Reply 9

lessthanthree

so basically he's worried about losing the friendship of people who base their opinions on people's teeth?

only complte idiots would do that anyway.

ive just been stressing this that ive had awful teeth my whole life, and im very happy with loadsa friends and a long term boyfriend!

please make it clear to him that its not going to affect ANYTHING! (at least to people who are worth being friends with)

Reply 10

OP

Cazzi_Bear

only complte idiots would do that anyway.

ive just been stressing this that ive had awful teeth my whole life, and im very happy with loadsa friends and a long term boyfriend!

please make it clear to him that its not going to affect ANYTHING! (at least to people who are worth being friends with)

thanks...he realises that he'l always be accepted in our group of friends that wasn;t even an issue obviously...the only thing he is worried about is meeting new people at university and maybe not being fully accepted by some.

and hes worried about clubbing life at uni with braces

Reply 11

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jiggaman7

thanks...he realises that he'l always be accepted in our group of friends that wasn;t even an issue obviously...the only thing he is worried about is meeting new people at university and maybe not being fully accepted by some.

and hes worried about clubbing life at uni with braces

tell him not to worry. it shoudnt be a problem. if anything tell him to get some UV braces so when he goes clubbing its going to look really cool! (or even get sum uv paint and use that!!) (im goin to do that at some point) lol

ive actually got two metal plates on my teeth already and it hasnt effected anything. my friendships/relationships or my looks!

im still cazzi! i dont look like ive got a retainer and two metal plates in this pic do i!?

Reply 12

rachaelmarie

1

I've been having orthodontic treatment for 5 years and have to wear a plastic retainer all the time on my top teeth because I have a massive gap. (They were supposed to be putting a dental implant in but I had to wait till I was 17 and they have stopped the procedure in my health authority.) Now I'm not too bad because you have to look really closely to notice when I have my retainer in, however I do have to take it out to eat, and I'm going to catered halls.

But its really not worth worrying about, having braces would never put me off anybody and while you really notice them, other people won't think twice about it.

Reply 13

rachaelmarie

I've been having orthodontic treatment for 5 years and have to wear a plastic retainer all the time on my top teeth because I have a massive gap. (They were supposed to be putting a dental implant in but I had to wait till I was 17 and they have stopped the procedure in my health authority.) Now I'm not too bad because you have to look really closely to notice when I have my retainer in, however I do have to take it out to eat, and I'm going to catered halls.

But its really not worth worrying about, having braces would never put me off anybody and while you really notice them, other people won't think twice about it.

i hate having to take my retainer out in public! lucky i wera hoodies alot and can just slip it in the hoodie pouch!

Reply 14

OP

Cazzi_Bear

tell him not to worry. it shoudnt be a problem. if anything tell him to get some UV braces so when he goes clubbing its going to look really cool! (or even get sum uv paint and use that!!) (im goin to do that at some point) lol

ive actually got two metal plates on my teeth already and it hasnt effected anything. my friendships/relationships or my looks!

im still cazzi! i dont look like ive got a retainer and two metal plates in this pic do i!?

yeah...very nice pic btw.....but i guess its normal to feel like this before braces?

anyway although im very appreciative of all of this help its been very good for me to be able to tell him all this.....but we havent had any views from people who have never had braces...so maybe if there is anyone......just to get another view

Reply 15

jiggaman7

yeah...very nice pic btw.....but i guess its normal to feel like this before braces?

anyway although im very appreciative of all of this help its been very good for me to be able to tell him all this.....but we havent had any views from people who have never had braces...so maybe if there is anyone......just to get another view

everyone hasnt had braces at some point! lol

and u cant really consider mine as braces as i dont get train tracks till august.

and im not worried. in fact im looking forward to it...

the ONLY thing im concerned about is kissing my boyfriend with braces, but i was concerned about kissing my boyfriend with a retainer and that just made me a better kisser apparently!

Reply 16

OP

how do you attach pics...i would like to show you his teeth because i dont even think braces are that necessary.

Reply 17

jiggaman7

how do you attach pics...i would like to show you his teeth because i dont even think braces are that necessary.

scroll down and u will see a manage attacthments button. (when u have a new message box to write in)

click that (the pic will have to be smallish tho!)

Reply 18

marychrist

9

I'm near enough 18(due to start university in September) and I've just had braces put on for a second time(I had an op under general anasthetic to have teeth out when I was 15, traintracks through y11/12, retainer for a period of y12) and yes, I do feel self conscious. I feel as though everyone looks at me for twice as long as they used to because they're trying to work out why the hell somebody in their late teens has traintracks. I've got a boyfriend who loves and cares about me, and doesn't care whether I have braces or not, but I do definitely feel less attractive.

Reply 19