Dealing with awkward braces remarks: brush it off or address it?

When people make weird or kinda rude comments about my braces (like “oh, you’re a bit old for those”...)

I get this all the time. I’m in my 60s and finally got braces after decades of putting it off. Honestly, I usually just mumble something like “better late than never” and try to laugh it off, but sometimes I wish I could be more direct. The thing is, I worry about making it awkward or getting flustered. Once, I tried explaining why I needed them and ended up rambling about jaw pain and insurance for way too long. Not my finest moment. If you feel comfortable, a short, calm answer works - but if not, it’s okay to let it slide. People can be nosy, but it’s your teeth, your business.

I totally get where you're coming from. I started Invisalign at 48 and got a few raised eyebrows too - my sister even joked I was having a midlife crisis. Honestly, sometimes I just shrug it off, but other times I’ll say, “Hey, I want to chew steak when I’m 80.” People usually back off after that. Has anyone ever surprised you with a supportive comment instead? Every once in a while, someone tells me they wish they’d done it too, and that always makes me feel better about the whole thing.

That’s funny - my brother said something similar about a “midlife crisis” when I started clear aligners at 42. Honestly, I was more worried about the price tag than people’s comments. Did you find insurance helped at all, or was it all out of pocket for you?

Insurance barely touched mine - just a small discount, really. Most adults I see end up paying out of pocket. The “midlife crisis” jokes get old, but honestly, I just remind people that healthy teeth matter at any age. No shame in fixing your smile.

The “midlife crisis” jokes get old, but honestly, I just remind people that healthy teeth matter at any age.

Yeah, those jokes are tired. I get why people make them, but honestly, it’s just lazy humor. I had braces put on at 34 - my overbite was wrecking my jaw and giving me headaches. People made “metal mouth” cracks at work, but I just shrugged it off. If they really pushed it, I’d point out I spend more on streaming subscriptions than on my braces each month. Priorities, right?

It’s wild how insurance covers almost nothing for adults. I ran all the numbers, tried a few different plans, but the discount was barely worth the paperwork. At the end of the day, having a functional bite is way more important than looking “cool” to some random coworker. My advice? Brush off the remarks unless they’re seriously out of line. Most folks just don’t get it.

Got my first set of braces at 56 - talk about a conversation starter. Folks at bingo called me “teenager” for a while, but honestly, I just laughed along. My jaw feels better now and I can actually chew steak again, so I’ll take the ribbing. If someone gets nasty, I’ll just ask if they want to swap dental bills. That usually shuts ‘em up pretty quick.

If someone gets nasty, I’ll just ask if they want to swap dental bills. That usually shuts ‘em up pretty quick.

That’s a good one, I might have to borrow that line... I’m always worried I’ll freeze up if someone says something rude about my braces. Honestly, I keep second-guessing if it was the right move at my age, even though my dentist swears it’ll help my bite in the long run. Did you ever feel self-conscious at first, or did you just roll with it from day one?

Honestly, I keep second-guessing if it was the right move at my age

Totally get that. I was super self-conscious at first - felt like everyone was staring. But honestly, most people barely notice after a while. It’s worth it for your bite and future smile.