I'm 34 and hate my teeth so I'm planning on getting a brace.

I've been for a consultation and am now trying to choose between a fixed ceramic brace and a lingual brace. Whichever I choose I need to wear it for 2 years. The ceramic is lot cheaper (though still expensive) than the lingual but as the lingual sits inside your teeth you can't see it. Anyone had either of these as an adult?

The lingual one is gonna make you talk funny. I dated a guy with the lingual kind and talking to him was like holding conversations with Sylvester J. Pussycat, Sr.
Oh, and I got braces on at 18 a few weeks before my Senior Prom and wore them for two years of college. Never regreted it. I don't think it's that big a deal for adults now. However, be prepared to wear a retainer for the rest of your life or your teeth will shift right back.
[Edited 8/30/09 9:03am]

I agree with SCNDLS. You'll speak strangely because your tongue will have much less room.

I'm 33 and three months ago I had ceramics put on. They're very discreet but you have to lay off any food with a lot of colouring (ie no curry) or they will stain and yellow ain't a good look.

I'm very happy with them. My teeth are quite terrible too (adult canines never grew out etc) but it's been well worth the small amount of discomfort.

Yes, you will be able to see the wire but only from up close. Some people didn't even realise I had them until we were sitting next to each other.

Go the ceramics.

SCNDLS said:

Ha ha, I'd read that the lingual ones affect your speech. Apparently most people get used to them in a week or so but I doubt this really is the case.

I'm just not keen on wearing the ceramics for 2 yrs. Adults in braces are pretty unusual here in UK.

missminky100 said:

What are they gonna do, point and laugh???

Girl, get your ceramics and before you know it, you'll forget they're even there and so will everyone else. Then in two years you'll have a beautiful smile to show for it.

Thanks both. I think that's pretty much decision made. Ceramics it is.

Right...thought I'd mad my decision but kept waking up during the night thinking about it. I'm still undecided.

Anyone have experience of linguals?

missminky100 said:

Not personally. I did have dinner with some friends and at the table was a guy who had one, so we had a braces bonding moment.

He was very happy with them, of course I couldn't see a thing yet he did have a tendency to mince his 's' a little, especially when saying words like 'fixes' or any hard-palate pronounced words.

That said, it really was fairly impossible to tell and at the most you might have thought he had a very very very very weak lisp, if you could tell at all.

It's personal choice. Are you a self-conscious person? I myself am slightly self-conscious but the ceramics are fine. If you are very self-conscious, get the linguals.

Good luck!