braces in college

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>im going to college in the fall, and i recently found out that i need braces. my teeth are grinding and when i eat i only bite with my front teeth which is not good. i know there's a couple threads on cc about having braces etc etc. but although i know it should not make a difference whether i have braces or not, i feel that freshman year is a time where people don't know who they are and thus are perhaps less accepting, which makes the issue even more complex. all my essays for college were centered around dealing with people, interacting with others, learning from them; i believe i got into college because of my interests in meeting others. i am very bummed thinking that i might not be able to do everything i want to socially with braces. </p>

<p>so i feel i have 3 options: get them now until next summer, delay until after college (but risk further grinding down my teeth), take a gap year (i feel that college will be some of the best years of my life but with braces i would not enjoy it as much)... is the idea of skipping school for something like braces absolutely stupid - it very well might be?</p>

<p>if you have any experience with having braces in college and would like to share advice, thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>I had braces in middle school, so I don’t really know what that’ll be like. I can say that if I was looking to meet friends, I couldn’t care less if they have braces, glasses, or anything else of the such. It may be an issue looking for a boy/girlfriend, but I wouldn’t think many normal friends would care.</p>

<p>Have you looked into the clear braces? Or the “invisalign” braces?</p>

3

<p>If people don’t like you because of braces, what can you do? People in college aren’t as judgmental as those in hs. You need braces to correct your bite and prevent tooth loss in the future. Your dental health is more important than how pretty you appear. Your self confidence is not contingent on wearing braces.</p>

4

<p>i had this same fear, but mine came off 20 days before i left to college. however, once i got to college, i saw a lot of people with braces. it’s not a huge deal, AT ALL. your teeth are very important. I had to get mine on because my bite was off like yours. get the braces and go to college. it’s really not that huge of an issue. the only thing you have to worry about is transportation monthly to the ortho! i promise you man…if there was a truly placed worry, i would confirm it, but you are fine!</p>

5

<p>I wouldn’t worry about it, though if you really are worried about it look into clear braces.</p>

6

<p>I actually got braces a couple months ago, nobody seemed to care.(I’m a junior in college btw)</p>

7

<p>Two of your options make no sense. You cannot delay after college and you cannot take a gap year.
The reason for this is you’re no longer covered by your parent’s health insurance, and they have no obligation to pay for them. You’ll be paying for them out of your own pocket which is damn expensive, and pretty close to impossible if you’re just out of school and all your meager income is going towards food and rent.</p>

<p>I don’t see the big deal about having braces. I wore them throughout high school and just got them off two weeks ago. (I’m a high school senior)</p>

<p>The idea of taking a gap year for braces is stupid in my opinion.</p>

8

<p>braces are not a big deal at all. socially no one will care</p>

<p>i just think it’d be a hassle money wise, and if you went out of state you’d have to deal with a new dentist and all that.</p>

9

<p>Braces are nothing to worry about. I know a handful of people who had their braces through junior year of college and they still led active lives.</p>

10

<p>Ahh chill man. Braces in college are fine. I had braces in high school and most of my freshman year and I was perferctly fine. No one’s going to avoid you and slither away if you have braces and half the time people hardly take notice. I remember when I finally got my braces off and told all my friends and professor’s, half of them were like “you had braces?”. Trust me, you’ll be fine. And better to get them now then later. Let the lovely smile you’ll get in the end be your motivation. :D</p>

11

<p>Do you really want to be friends with people who will avoid you because you have braces? o.O</p>

12

<p>^lol for a second I thought you posted twice.</p>

13

<p>I thought braces were kind of in right now.</p>

14

<p>I have the same problem in a way, I don’t need braces that bad, but I barely have an overbite anymore. I just have a night guard, so my teeth won’t grind. Freshman year is important and people are still judgmental. Making friends will not be troublesome, but relationships might be a problem. Waiting one year will not worsen your teeth that much.</p>

15

<p>I got my braces put on this January, and I’ll be a senior in college in the fall. None of my close friends have treated me any differently. I haven’t had a lot of success with girls, but then again I didn’t have much success before I got them on either. My teeth were my worst feature before I got braces anyway, so Im just looking forward to getting them off in 2010, and having a nice smile finally.</p>

16

<p>I have several friends with braces, actually…and I’ve never even thought of this.</p>

17

<p>I second post 11</p>

18

<p>at least you won’t have to be getting a jaw surgery (me) when you turn 18 and then have to wear braces for 2 years after that!!</p>

19

<p>If you’re that worried, have you considered getting Invisalign or those invisible braces?</p>

20

<p>powerbomb, me too. and i’ve already had braces.</p>