My experience with Braces | I could finally smile

Tuesday 14 July 2015

I was one of those girls who lacked self-esteem and confidence...  Mine was due to my ugly teeth

But gone were those terrible days when I hated my crooked teeth after embracing braces

If you are one of those who are about to get braces (or planning to), you must be wondering how having braces feels like. 
So today, let me share with you guys on my experience with braces.

It's been almost a year since I had mine taken off, and the day when I genuinely felt good looking at my own smile was nonetheless, that very day when I finally had my braces taken off.

I had a very crooked set of teeth with a protruding bunny-like front tooth, and on top of that; according to my dentist - an overcrowding amount of teeth for the small mouth I have.

I was always very envious of others who had really nice teeth and they could smile confidently whenever they want. I was in fact, pretty mindful of how I looked with my crooked teeth when I was still in primary and secondary school. Because of this exact reason, I hated smiling with my teeth in photos, and I really disliked it when others watched me eat or tried to feed me some food. (I ended up eating very slowly too, for fear that my teeth was obvious to others' eyes. Therefore, I can never eat fast now.) I even hated it and got upset whenever I was shown a candid photo of myself smiling.

Yes, I was that mindful, I did not want anyone to notice my teeth at all - if possible. 

It was annoying when everyone asked when I was gonna get braces, it was even more irritating when you face difficulties chewing and biting down food like chicken wings. My crooked teeth gave me a lot of discomfort over the years, and I know - I've heard criticisms behind my back - how suckish it feels to have people comment on your "weakest point". 

You'll probably understand all these struggles if you have crooked teeth too. 

Some of these struggles are also found in one of my blog posts - click here to read.




Well well, all these struggles are finally over for me now!

I joined the waiting list at the Singapore's National Dental Centre (NDC) a few years ago and surprisingly, the wait was only approximately a year and a half short. I'd call it short - time flies by even before you know it. 
I was expecting at least 2 to 3 years, but nope.
I got my braces treatment started in January 2012, when I was just starting out life as a Secondary 4 student.  Mine was the traditional metal braces.




Is putting on braces painful?  

Dear girls and boys, braces are really not painful at all. It is normal for you to feel nervous on that day, but believe me, 
it doesn't hurt. 
(The only thing that hurt for me would be when the dentist cleaned my teeth and my weak gums ached... argh)
Okay, but this varies according to individuals. For mine, it definitely did not hurt when the braces was being put on. 


What does the dentist/orthodontist do on the day you put on your braces?





If I remembered it correctly, it takes about 20 - 30 minutes (this depends too).  He or she will most likely give your teeth a good clean before putting on your braces.

It'll feel weird to have your braces at first, but don't worry, you'll get used to it.  You may feel a little tightness at times and that's fine too.  (I ate normally on that day, but some people might find it difficult to.)

Don't expect your teeth to become straight over a night - braces are not instant miracles!

BUT! It is a sure thing that you'd see your teeth move into good alignment every month.  (Sometimes they'll look so straight that you'd actually think it's fine to take off your braces already!)

The next few days will be when the pain comes in.  Because your teeth are tightened with the braces and "moving" over the next few days, it might sting alittle at times - you'll probably not be able to bite down on any hard food either. (And hence the reason why people usually eat porridge for a few days at the start)


Such pains will be felt at least once a month after you have your braces tightened, but they are not excruciatingly painful (it is rare for that sort of experience). On certain days, you might have to endure the irritating discomfort from the wires poking inside your mouth - go to your dentist if it is too unbearable though!



All of these however, can never beat that excitement after you've gotten your braces anyway; The fun part - you get to play around with the colours every month!


The cons of braces?

Braces can be uncomfortable at times, and definitely troublesome. Why?

Don't be disheartened though. 

The pros are way more than the cons, and are for a lifetime. These cons will go away once you remove your braces. 

All you have to do is to get used to life with braces, and wait patiently for the day when your orthodontist will finally give the green light to have them removed!

I had my braces for around 2.5 years, and I would gladly say that I've never regretted having them. I miss how i looked with braces, but I love my teeth even more now!! I am finally able to smile and laugh confidently like never before! (Definitely happier now too!)
I CAN FINALLY BITE DOWN ON AN APPLE AND EAT CHICKEN WINGS WITH EASE TOO!!!

Does braces affect you in terms of appearance or speech?
Like I've said, your pronunciation may differ with clarity at times, and it is perfectly normal.  Some people don't have such encounters, so it depends. 
Appearance-wise, I personally find that people with braces look uniquely attractive (I had this mindset even before I had braces). There's just some sort of special feeling I get everytime I see them smile!

All in all, braces are really quite beneficial and in my opinion, it really helps in boosting your self-esteem and confidence too.

Find out what are the reasons why you should get braces and why they are worth your money




Here are some photos of me from the past till present:
I know I look so much thinner the past few years and gained alot of weight now, but hey I'm human and I do grow up too :( 

But... MY BODY SIZE IS NOT THE MAIN POINT HERE OKAY!!!!

These were when I was in secondary 3 - I started to tell myself to be less mindful and be confident. Hence I smiled with teeth sometimes. (It does not look as bad in photos at times)

This was when I just had my braces in sec 4  (doing you both justice here because we looked so awful here)

Approximately 2 months later in March 2012 (See the difference?! That's how fast your teeth might move)

2013 Chinese New Year - my teeth looked so much better by then!!!

September 2013

June to mid August 2014 

(You can see that my teeth are perfectly straight by this period of time - approx. 2.5 years ever since I put on my braces)



And that means....

Taken on the day I took my braces off!! 
Honestly I was a little sad because my gums did not look as nice as I expected them to be, and I felt like my teeth was still a little not up to "perfection". But after wearing the retainers and as months passed...

^

One of my biggest relief - no braces to hinder my pronunciation during my interview for internship!!!

^

I no longer hate candid shots anymore, because I think I look fine and really genuinely happy in the photos!




More recent photos...

I really think that my teeth looks so much better now as compared to when I first took off my braces!

The shape of my gums looks much "neater" too! (Probably thanks to the retainers)

I am so thankful for my dad who helped me get this beautiful set of teeth which I've always wanted.




But honestly, I feel that even if you have crooked teeth, don't ever give up on your confidence and self-esteem! 


Don't even think negatively of yourself, you are beautiful alright. 



As I grew older I came to realise that what others comment about you really shouldn't matter at all.


You are who you are, you are the one who shape yourself into who you want to be. 



Being confident is the best way one can ever truly love themselves, and everyone looks beautiful when they are confident.



Remember, don't let anyone pull you down!!! 

There will always be people who will love you for who you are and not what you look like.



Really, don't forget to put on a confident smile!

When you are confident, people will most likely shut up! (Lack of confidence makes you look weak!)



So are any of you actually one of those intending to get braces? Or are you guys currently wearing them? 


What are your thoughts on braces? 

Related posts: 6 Great reasons why you SHOULD get Braces and why braces are worth your money 13 Struggles only people with Crooked Teeth will understand