Imagine you just got braces as an adult, and you’re starting a new job next week. Would you try to hide them, or just own it and not care? I keep thinking about how I'd feel if my first impression was “that new person with braces.” I mean, people say it’s no big deal, but I always wonder if it would affect how coworkers treat me. Anyone else ever been in this boat, or am I overthinking it?
I’ve actually wondered about this myself, especially since I’m debating orthodontic work and my job involves meeting a lot of new people. There’s this weird tension between wanting to look “professional” and just being real about what’s going on. I sometimes worry people might see braces and make assumptions—like maybe I’m younger than I am, or less experienced? But then again, I’ve met coworkers with braces and honestly, after the first day it’s barely noticeable.
Did anyone here notice any shift in how colleagues interacted after getting braces? Like, did it ever feel like people treated you differently at meetings or socially? Or is it more of an internal thing we stress about than something others actually care about? I keep thinking back to when a friend got Invisalign and she mentioned nobody really commented... but metal braces are kind of a different story. Curious if the type of braces makes a difference in how comfortable you feel at work.
