Wearing braces to align crooked teeth is an automatic thing in today’s cosmetic era. People put their children through the procedure to wear braces as a routine without giving any thought whatsoever. We assume that people will tease our kids for having crooked teeth, which may affect their self-confidence. But in reality it’s not so. Research has confirmed that not wearing braces does not make life any less happy.
Looking right and good has become so important that we have moved beyond aligning teeth. After teeth are aligned, people are seeking help of cosmetic and dental professionals to get their smiles repaired! There are procedures to fix smiles also. What life has come to!
Coming back to braces, people will find it very hard to believe that fixing braces to align teeth has no impact on a person’s mental and emotional well being or psychological health any time in future. People are not likely to suffer traumas because of crooked teeth in professional or personal life.
The researchers in UK conducted a study for around 20 years suggests that fixing braces to repair crooked teeth do not improve mental well being or quality of life of a person at any stage in future. It’s nothing more than a widespread belief that people with crooked teeth are low on self-esteem or that it will affect them adversely in future.
A study was conducted on 1000 school children. It went on from 1981 till 2001. While some of these students had gone through the procedure to fix braces to straighten the crooked teeth, some decided to do nothing about their crooked teeth. The children who wore braces got well-aligned teeth and were happy with the results. But the children or students who did not get braces fixed and continued to live with crooked teeth were not less happy because of it. Thus the researchers observed in their report that braces had absolutely no positive impact on future psychological health of the individual.
According to the study published in British Journal of Health Psychology, the widespread belief amongst the dental professionals that orthodontics (braces) impacted self-esteem and psychology of an individual positively lacked any evidence to verify or confirm the same.
Another study also observed that if crooked teeth were not straightened it did not lead to any medical dental complication later. Crooked teeth are perfectly healthy and normal as long as they are taken care of, in terms of, brushing and flossing.
Before a child starts with the treatment or dental procedure there should be a sensible discussion whether there’s going to be any real benefit from the ordeal. At the same time we should accept the fact that times have changed; attitudes & definition of beauty has also gone through a change. But from psychological and emotional well being point of view, let’s stick to the fact that braces do not impact them in any way.
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I totally disagree!!! I have a friend who has absolutely crooked and disarranged teeth. Even though he is successful in his career, he has no friends and his colleagues don’t really accept him in their social circle. He never relates this with his dental problems, but I believe this has a huge impact on his personal life. When he smiles, the first thing that shows are his teeth. Having crooked teeth is unattractive and people may associate it with bad hygiene. He is not dirty by any means, but since he has hat physical imperfection people just tend to avoid him. Basically, crooked teeth difinitely cause social inhibitions and low self-esteem.
Dear Nads.
I strongly believe that your friend should forget about all his colleagues and friends who judge him by his physical appearance. In my opinion the now days tendency of improving our bodies by implanting variety artificial things just shows the low self-esteem of people who are allowed to do that for them. The smart intelligent people accept themselves as they are. They have much more to offer for society than artificial pearl smile on artificial head with artificial brain washed by the same artificial people from commercials. They do not care even a little bit about your self-esteem. Their goals are simple: to make a money on you.
Dear Nads,
Thank you for writing to us. While researching and writing this article, I was
focusing on people who wore dentures for minor and absolutely avoidable reasons.
I was not referring to exceptional cases. But I wish I had. Because now
I remember a thought like this did strike me also – Because one friend of
mine suffers from a same complex, albeit because of other reason.
I agree that absolutely crooked teeth may have bad social consequences and
can result in a low self esteem. But that’s exactly the reason dentistry might
have come into being! And as time passed people starting visiting the dentist
for a denture allignment that is not even necesary.
Don’t you yourself see people wearing braces who you think did not even need it?
So while I completely agree with what you say, I stick to the fact that little perfections
that denture brings in terms of alligning teeth don’t add much value to their confidence.
But your friend’s case is really different.
Allow me to shift a bit from the basic topic and suggest – why don’t you politely and
positively try to explain this friend about the way people react and suggest him to
visit a dentist? May be your friend will take it in the right spirit and dentists
can serve the basic purpose of being there.
I thank you again for writing. Do keep visiting our weblog for information and again even if you
disagree with any of what we say, feel most free to let us know. You sound the
kind of person who speaks his mind and we would value these visitors very much.
Dear Nads,
Thank you for writing to us. While researching and writing this article, I was focusing on people who wore dentures for minor and absolutely avoidable reasons.I was not referring to exceptional cases. But I wish I had. Because now
I remember a thought like this did strike me also – Because one friend of mine suffers from a same complex, albeit because of other reason.
I agree that absolutely crooked teeth may have bad social consequences and can result in a low self esteem. But that’s exactly the reason dentistry might have come into being! And as time passed people starting visiting the dentist for a denture allignment that is not even necesary.
Don’t you yourself see people wearing braces who you think did not even need it? So while I completely agree with what you say, I stick to the fact that little perfections that denture brings in terms of alligning teeth don’t add much value to their confidence. But your friend’s case is really different.
Allow me to shift a bit from the basic topic and suggest – why don’t you politely and positively try to explain this friend about the way people react and suggest him to visit a dentist? May be your friend will take it in the right spirit and dentists can serve the basic purpose of being there.
I thank you again for writing. Do keep visiting our weblog for information and again even if you
disagree with any of what we say, feel most free to let us know. You sound the kind of person who speaks his mind and we value these visitors very much.
i have same thoughts as nads…i came across this site and decided to read because i feel a connection to it. i have been living with crooked teeth for the past 21 years. most of the people who know me have told mi that i will look better if i got braces to aligned my teeth. some keep asking why i hadn’t gone on to do it because they see it affecting my social life and even career. i wish i had it too. but since it’s cosmetic, and every other people without crooked teeth have gone on and get it, the charges became high. it has since become a fashion trend. and dentists are increasing their prices because they are sure that parents can afford to let their children have it having the mindset that their self- esteem would be affected. i hate this…they are just taking away opportunities from us. and it is unfair because they don’t even have low self-esteem. i think that is why there the research is not showing the expected results.
sigh… i can totally relate. i had braces for 2 years and never really wore my retainers, and now one of my bottom teeth is crooked. like, it’s higher up and potruding inwards my tongue. i hate it. i remember 2 years ago i would look at myself in the mirror and say wow i have such beautiful teeth, but now whenever i look at the mirror all i see is my on crooked tooth. it seriously lowers my self-esteem, and believe it or not, i’m not social as i used to be. i guess its because i fear people judging my teeth. also, whenever i talk to people, more new people i’ve just meet, the first thing they look at is my one bottom crooked tooth. it makes me feel really bad… sigh….
I agree on both sides. I have braces and I got them because the way my teeth were aligned was going to cause more damage than just my social life. If I had left my teeth the way they were several of my back teeth would have eventually just fallen out due to lack of space. I now have braces for going on one year and I love seeing the improvement and knowing that my teeth will be healthier. My problem is my ortho stopped scheduling appointments due to my parents not paying. I have gone atleast 6 months with out an appointment. I now live alone and will be attending my first year of college but I’m a waitress and don’t make near enough money to pay my regular bills and my ortho. I would have rather kept my old unique smile than go through the pain that braces put me through. I don’t regret getting braces but they are not helping me anymore now then the way my teeth were before. Even now my tongue and cheeks get sores from my teeth adjusting and it becomes so bad that I get to the point where I can’t talk or eat. Braces for good reasons such as potentially wrecking a social image that one needs in a professional setting are worth the money and some of the pain, but getting them to fix on harmless gap that makes you unique is just purely vain. I’m 18 I’ve needed braces since I was 12 and didn’t get them until I was 17. If you’re going to get braces get them, pay for them, and care for them because if you don’t they won’t help you. Soon I will be needing to remove mine before time because they are going to begin decalcifying my teeth if they don’t get fixed. Just make sure if you’re going to get them for yourself or your children that you know how important they are and you only get them for serious cases.
Thank you for reading
If you’d like to reply please email me
readyaimsmile@yahoo.com and title the subject braces.
I tottaly agree with perva mewar! I have had misaligned teeth for about 15 years now. Though its not as bad as others, certain family members of mine have commented on them and thought I should get braces.
A sister of mine also had missaligned teeth and got braces a years ago. I still remember the awful procedure she had to go through. She had four of her healthy teeth pulled out, had dental appointments almost every day, and was not allowed to have many of the foods she enjoyed. after five years of this suffering, she finally had the braces removed, which only added to her suffering. Every time she took a bight of something hard, she had a shattering effect that spread from her mouth to her head, which lasted for about five minutes, and this was years after she already had them removed. This was only one problem among others.
After seeing her suffer, I vowed to leave with my teeth as they were, I even grew to be comftorable with them ovet the years. even though i felt a little self conscious about them at the begining, I now have a great social life. I hve many friends, I go out frequently and I laugh A LOT!!!!!! I’m proud to say that I am one of the happiest people there are, including my sister who had those braces.
I just wish that people would stop having the image of that perfect smile thats plasted in every ad you look at in todays day. I also wih that parents would stop pressuing their kids to get braces and ask for their OPINION in the matter.
Having healthy teeth is one thing, but if your smile is perfectly alligned and you have cavities in every other tooth, doesn’t the whole having a healthy smile (which is the whole purpose of braces) backfire?
I totaly agree with perva mewar! I have had misaligned teeth for about 15 years now. Though its not as bad as others, certain family members of mine have commented on them and thought I should get braces.
A sister of mine also had missaligned teeth and got braces a years ago. I still remember the awful procedure she had to go through. She had four of her healthy teeth pulled out, had dental appointments almost every day, and was not allowed to have many of the foods she enjoyed. after five years of this suffering, she finally had the braces removed, which only added to her suffering. Every time she took a bight of something hard, she had a shattering effect that spread from her mouth to her head, which lasted for about five minutes, and this was years after she already had them removed. This was only one problem among others.
After seeing her suffer, I vowed to leave with my teeth as they were, I even grew to be comftorable with them over the years. even though i felt a little self conscious about them at the begining, I now have a great social life. I hve many friends, I go out frequently and I laugh A LOT!!!!!! I’m proud to say that I am one of the happiest people there are, including my sister who had those braces.
I just wish that people would stop having the image of that perfect smile thats plasted in every ad you look at in todays day. I also wish that parents would stop pressuing their kids to get braces and ask for their OPINION in the matter.
Having healthy teeth is one thing, but if your smile is perfectly alligned and you have cavities in every other tooth, doesn’t the whole idea of having a healthy smile (which is the whole purpose of braces) backfire?
i soo frikken agree!! Ive had braces for like the past whole year nd its bin rilli very hard.
i talso affected my social life to a great extent.but the thing is tht if u got crooked teeth,sometimes you really suffer bcos of tht.but once u got braces u atleast just kind of like get tht self satisfaction deep down in yur heart evn if its jus the very first day..so really its better to be smiling a crooked and painful smile with braces on(with the assurance that ull be able to laugh out loud as much as u want one day) than living the rest of yur life with crooked teeth tht u knw u can do nothing abt.
i think a lot of you guys pay too much attention to your slightly crooked teeth. ever see those really ugly people who think they are the most beautiful thing on the planet? everything is about self confidence and being comftorable with yourself. if you stop paying such close attention to your one crooked tooth, maybe you will realize how many things you do have that is positive! when someone really likes a person for who they are, theyre not constantly thinking about their teeth but their personality. ive had sort of crooked teeth and i never got braces even though my mom kept nudging me to. i have to say, im social and find myself quite attracive and i have confidence in myself. and if some idiot would tell me i need to fix my teeth, id tell them they could get lost because everyone has something that needs to be fixed, including him.
ive seen ppl with perfect teeth who are downright ugly and ive seen ppl with mishapen teeth whos faces glow with beauty. happiness comes from within
I’m 17 years old and I’m in need of braces…I’ve been wanting to get them but, my parents never got them for me and it is now my last year of High School and I’m pretty bummed…My sister who had crooked teeth got her braces….but I never got mine. My teeth aren’t bad at all….the front just comes out more then the bottom and the do not touch with the bottom. As for the article above…Braces=More Confidence…NOT TURE!!!…I’m going to have to disagree…I think braces would give me more confidence because I am pretty, but I would be beautiful with straight, prefect teeth. Other then the outside…Having crooked teeth made me not express what’s in the inside…If I had something to say, I would think twice because of my teeth….That was b4…and I TRY not to worry what people think of me and try to have more confidence in myself…But sometimes it just dosen’t work…and i find myself thinking about my teeth & how they are not straight & perfect they are. That’s just the society we live in today….
I have to disagree !! i have crooked teeth..and i mean seriously crooked teeth…every time i talk to my friends and we make a joke…i still laugh but with my mouth close…everyone knows i have crooked teeth..so they never tells jokes that relate to teeth..knowing they dont want to hurt my feelings…and i need braces…i look in the mirror every day looking at my teeth..and telling myself how ugly i look..sometimes my teeth are so crooked i just want to quit school and hide from the world…if i had straight teeth i wouldnt be in this position…i never go out and meet new people..afraid that they might look at my teeth…im actually a “ok” looking guy,but when i talk i feel so like i want to run and scream…i dont know what else to talk about..but i hope my comments help people…i hope my comment help others who is in the same position as i am…My teeth is crooked and im not proud of it…
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE!! ! ! I am forty five and began orthodontic treatment with metal braces two years ago. Many of the orthodontists that initially diagnosed my case recommended the removal of perfectly healthy teeth and complex surgery that involved the destruction of healthy tissue, nerves and skeletal structures of my lower face. Eventually, I located a Dr. willing to provide a mild less invasive and destructive treatment without extractions and I began treatment. I spent my entire life with crooked teeth and lived and loved almost the same as most and eventually decided to improve the appearance of my teeth. My decision to get braces I told myself was solely for cosmetic reasons implying that my improved appearance would some how benefit others. But, through more soul searching I’ve since discovered it was for emotional reasons. I desired to have braces, they were appealing to me, I liked the way both women and men smiled confidently with their mouths filled with sparkling metal. They seemed approachable and friendly and submissive. There was an air of vulnerability as they reluctantly revealed their orthodontic appliances to measure the reaction of others. I was given the choice of nearly clear ceramic or traditional metal braces. I decided to get metal braces because I’ve always considered them attractive. I remember seeing the braces on my teeth for the first time and being filled with excitement to show them off. I discovered that they were nothing new to others and they haven’t changed my life at all except for perhaps my eating habits.
In my opinion, orthodontic treatment is mostly just another medical business sometimes ripping off the uneducated and uninformed consumer, and sometimes the doctors are providing a much needed service that is other than orthodontic in its nature. Sometimes, people get braces just because their lives are boring and they want attention, the orthodontic office can be thought of as just another expensive spa/salon specializing in pampering
With the above said, I must say, I believe the decision to pursue or not pursue orthodontic treatment is mostly an emotional decision with little or no real other benefit. I recommend that anyone considering such a medical procedure that is not absolutely necessary for emotional reasons should consider this statement; “For proper emotional and psychological development of the personality one must first love thy self” I love myself more with braces than without them for the most curious reasons.
I discovered my metal braces are sometimes a slight distraction, especially when I’m meeting someone for the first time. Occasionally, someone’s gaze will become fixated on just my teeth and appliances. This is the reaction I most often desire. The attention is simply divine. The braces exert a mild amount of constant pressure on my teeth which I find pleasurable. My arch forms are level and symmetrical and my teeth are very straight with greatly improved occlusion. But most I enjoy the attention, occasional discomfort and humiliation I receive from appliances, sometimes I’m so embarrassed by a comment from someone it can be so gratifying. Or a close friend or relative wanting me to smile for them so they can take my picture. Sometimes, others are either so visibly shocked or mesmerized by them it can be so entertaining to anticipate their reaction.
So there you have it, I haven’t said anything that anyone doesn’t already know. An intelligent choice is one from which we derive a fulfilling benefit. I have braces semi-permanently bonded to all my teeth for emotional reasons, I love them and adore them, they’re nearly the most exciting accessory to wear and look cute.
Braces are cute, that’s why I got them.
This is craziness to allow somebody who calls him/herself a doctor to injure your own body. The activity like that should be prosecuted by law. I wonder how soon mankind will begin to cut its legs or arms of in order to replace them super technological advanced Japanese prosthesis. What do you think people? Twenty years? Less? More?
Thank you for posting this article. I was greatly opposed to braces – I liked my old smile. However, no one listened to me and I ended getting them anyway, after many attempts to try and not. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made.
I no longer have braces, just a retainer now. Before, I loved my smile, even though it was crooked. Too me, it felt like braces didn’t just take away my smile; they took away a part of me. Plus, while I had braces, and now that they’re gone, it’s harder to think of myself as pretty. I don’t feel right with this new set of teeth.
It’s very hard for me, since no one really understands my point of view, and I can not find others who are like me. I read your posts, and understand your point of views, and although it does bother me a little, I accept it. However, I love crooked teeth. There is a girl in my grade who has them and she looks beautiful. There is nothing wrong with them; they’re perfectly natural.
Many of you are saying that crooked teeth has had a negative effect on your self esteem. Straight teeth has had a negative effect on mine.
Thank you again for posting this.