Totally get the spinach thing, braces or not—it's like a universal magnet for awkwardness. But hey, quick question, have you noticed if your kiddo's confidence boost is mostly from the teeth straightening itself or more from just getting through the awkward braces phase? Asking because I've been considering clear aligners myself (adult braces anxiety, anyone?), but I'm not sure if the confidence boost people talk about comes from finally having straight teeth or just surviving the process without too many spinach disasters...
Honestly, I'm a little nervous about jumping into it. I mean, what if I go through all that hassle and my teeth still aren't quite perfect afterward? I know perfection isn't realistic, but still... Did your kiddo express any doubts along the way? Or was it smooth sailing after the initial adjustment?
Also curious—was there a noticeable change in how quickly your kid got comfortable smiling openly? Like, did it happen gradually or was there a specific moment when you thought, "Wow, he's really owning it now"? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to mentally prep myself before diving into this whole orthodontics thing.
"Honestly, I'm a little nervous about jumping into it. I mean, what if I go through all that hassle and my teeth still aren't quite perfect afterward?"
Totally relatable worry—I had the same anxiety before starting clear aligners myself. Honestly, the confidence boost for me wasn't just about finally having straighter teeth, but more about feeling proactive and taking control of something that had bugged me forever. Sure, my teeth aren't Hollywood-perfect now, but they're noticeably better, and that's enough to make me smile more openly.
About your kiddo's experience, from what I've seen with my niece, the confidence came gradually. She was pretty self-conscious at first, but somewhere along the line, she just stopped caring about how noticeable her braces were. By the time they came off, she was already smiling big in photos without even thinking about it. So maybe it's a bit of both—the teeth straightening helps, but there's definitely something empowering about getting through the awkwardness and coming out the other side. Either way, I'd say it's worth giving it a shot if it's bothering you this much...
I totally get that hesitation. When I first got braces, I was convinced I'd end up with teeth that were still wonky, just slightly less wonky than before, lol. Honestly though, even though they're not 100% perfect now, the improvement was enough to stop me obsessing over them. Plus, weirdly enough, going through the process made me care less about perfection overall—like, good enough really became good enough. Might be worth it just for that peace of mind alone...
I totally relate to that feeling of uncertainty. I've seen a lot of people go through braces or aligners, and honestly, the journey itself can shift your perspective quite a bit. I remember one patient who was super fixated on getting that Hollywood-perfect smile. She'd come in every appointment with a mirror, checking every tiny detail, convinced it wasn't working fast enough or well enough. But as the months went by, she gradually started relaxing about it. By the end, her teeth weren't textbook perfect—there was still this tiny overlap—but she was genuinely happy. She told me something similar to what you mentioned: that going through the process made her realize perfection wasn't really the goal anymore.
It's interesting how often that happens. People start out wanting absolute perfection, but somewhere along the way, they find themselves satisfied with just noticeable improvement. Maybe it's because when you're actively doing something about an insecurity, it stops feeling so overwhelming? Or maybe it's just realizing that no one else notices those tiny imperfections as much as we do ourselves.
I do think there's value in addressing something that's bothering you, even if the outcome isn't exactly flawless. Sometimes just taking action can ease your mind more than you'd expect.
Did anyone else here notice their mindset shifting like this after getting braces or aligners? Curious if this is a common experience or just something I've noticed in my own practice...
Yeah, I definitely noticed my mindset shifting after getting braces. At first, I was obsessed with every tiny gap and overlap, constantly checking progress in the mirror. But honestly, after a few months, I started caring less about perfection and more about the overall improvement. It's funny how once you start seeing changes, those little imperfections don't bug you as much. Now my teeth aren't perfectly straight, but they're way better than before, and I'm totally okay with that...
