That “metal smile” thing totally threw me off at first too. I kept thinking everyone was staring, but honestly, most people barely notice. I get the appeal of ceramics, but between the price and the staining (I drink way too much coffee to risk it), metal just made more sense for me. Plus, my ortho said they’re sturdier if you’ve got a tough bite. After a while, I just stopped caring and now it’s like—whatever, it’s just part of me for now. Totally worth it for a better bite in the long run.
My kid just got metal braces a few months ago and I was way more nervous than she was, honestly. I kept worrying she’d feel self-conscious, but after the first week, she barely mentioned it. She did get a few comments at school at first, but nothing mean—just curiosity. I was leaning toward ceramics too, but our ortho said metal would hold up better since she grinds her teeth at night. I still find myself overthinking it, but she’s just rolling with it. I guess kids adapt faster than we do...
I was way more nervous than she was, honestly. I kept worrying she’d feel self-conscious, but after the first week, she barely mentioned it.
This is so relatable. When my son got his braces, I swear I spent more time googling “braces bullying” and “will my kid hate me for this” than actually talking to him about it. Meanwhile, he was mostly just annoyed about not being able to eat popcorn for movie night. Kids really do have a way of just... getting on with things.
I get what you mean about overthinking. I went through the same debate between metal and ceramic. The ortho said ceramics looked nicer but weren’t as tough, especially for kids who clench or grind at night. At first, I thought, “How bad could it be?” Then I saw how quickly my nephew’s ceramic brackets chipped (he’s a nighttime grinder too), and suddenly metal didn’t seem so bad.
Honestly, after a few weeks, the braces just became part of the routine. My son even started picking out different colored bands for fun—he went through a phase where he matched them to his favorite soccer team. There’s something kind of cool about how they make it their own.
As for feeling self-conscious, I think we worry more than they do. Maybe it’s because we remember our own awkward middle school years? But these days, braces are so common that nobody seems to care. My son had a couple of questions from classmates, mostly like, “Does it hurt?” or “Can you eat pizza?” but nothing mean-spirited. He actually liked explaining how the brackets worked.
I totally get wanting to pick the “least noticeable” option, but durability matters more than I realized. Especially if your kid’s active or has any habits like grinding. It’s weirdly comforting seeing how fast they adapt—makes me wish I could borrow some of that resilience for my own dental stuff.
If it helps, my own bite correction as an adult was way more dramatic (and awkward) than what my kid’s going through. But looking back, I’m glad I went through with it. The process felt long at times, but the payoff was worth it—no more jaw pain and my teeth finally line up right.
Anyway, hang in there. If your daughter’s already rolling with it, you’re doing something right. Kids are tougher than we give them credit for.
It’s wild how much we end up projecting our own insecurities onto our kids, isn’t it? I remember being convinced my daughter would be mortified by her braces, especially since I had such a rough time with mine growing up. Turns out, she was more interested in swapping brace colors with her friends and comparing who could eat the weirdest “brace-friendly” snacks. Meanwhile, I was the one stressing over every ortho appointment.
I totally agree that durability trumps aesthetics for kids (and honestly, for adults too). I went ceramic as a teen because I thought they’d be less noticeable, but they stained and chipped so fast—plus, the maintenance was a pain. When I finally bit the bullet and did metal for my bite as an adult, I dreaded it at first, but it was way less hassle. I also noticed that, after a few weeks, nobody even commented anymore. If anything, it became a conversation starter at work, which surprised me.
Funny thing—my jaw pain actually disappeared after treatment, which I didn’t expect. The process was awkward sometimes (elastics are the worst), but I’d do it again in a heartbeat. That said, I know a few people who swear by Invisalign, but I just wasn’t disciplined enough to keep the trays in 22 hours a day. Metal felt like less mental load.
Did anyone else find that eating out was the hardest part? I felt like everything got stuck in the brackets, and I was paranoid about spinach or pepper flakes showing up in every meeting. My daughter thinks it’s hilarious that I still carry those little dental brushes everywhere.
Curious if anyone here tried alternatives before going with braces—like those bite plates or clear aligners? Or did you just go straight for the metal?
I totally get what you mean about the mental load with Invisalign. I tried it for a few months and honestly, keeping track of the trays just became another thing to stress about. I’d forget to put them back in after coffee or a snack, and then feel guilty for “ruining” my progress. Metal was so much more straightforward—it’s there, you deal with it, and life moves on.
Eating out was definitely the trickiest part for me too. I swear I got paranoid about lettuce or herbs stuck in my brackets every time we went out for lunch at work. Those little brushes became my best friend...I still have one stashed in every bag.
I did try a bite plate years before braces, but it didn’t really make much difference for my jaw pain or bite. Looking back, I wish I’d just gone straight for metal sooner instead of trying to avoid it. Did anyone else actually have success with bite plates or other appliances before committing to full braces? Sometimes I wonder if they work better for certain issues than others.
