Metalmouth.

I had them a few years as a kid, and not even little children made jokes about them. That's about a passe as glasses insults, and seems to be a non-issue today.

Unfortunately, when you first get them installed, and each time you get them tightened (probably monthly), they will hurt and give you a sore mouth for 4 hrs-3 days. It shouldn't affect you during normal life, but it might make eating too painful. So each day you visit the dentist be prepared with soft, or even better liquid meals, because there's a chance you won't want to be using your teeth that day. Although each visit will be different, over time the average "aching time" should drop. If you have to eat while your teeth still hurt, break things up with your tongue and shift as much work as possible onto your molars, and onto the less aching side of your mouth.

There are a number of things you can't have with braces: nuts, gum, etc. don't mess around, don't eat these things, or a bracket might fall off and it's another pain-in-the-ass trip to the dentist.

Aside from the monthly crank of pain you really shouldn't notice them in daily life. Occasionally a block or wire will scrape the inside of your mouth a bit, which your mouth usually adapts to (gets gouged away?) in a day. They should give you a wax you can put over any painful spots, but I never found it worth the effort.


...in sum, a painful bitch once a month, and the rest of the time a negligible inconvenience that limits the food you can eat. Honestly, 27 days of the month will be about the same for you. And yeah, it should be worthwhile in the long run, fixing your teeth. Much preferable to a retainer or other methods.

As for getting colours on your braces, I think that's lame as hell, myself.

P.S. Congrats for finally making a post that didn't involve your bf!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by NES Oldskooler

I'm not sure what How Unfortunate meant about braces being an alternative to retainers, as usually the two go hand in hand. I had to wear a retainer for a few months after my braces came off to keep my teeth set, and even after that I had two permanent retainers installed on the back of my bottom and top front teeth, which I still have at age 22.

I meant I prefer the braces portion to the rest of it, as you don't really have to think about the braces as much, you don't forget them on trips, and it's not a breathing/sleeping interference when you're sick.

Originally Posted by Jpnezeshorty

rofl. I'm sorry, I'll try to lighten up in the future.

Just a trend I noticed...but only b/c your posts were standing out anyway.

How ya doing, buddy?