From the age of 10 or 11, I began to feel my interest for braces stuff but at this time, there was no way for me to become a metallic smile wearer (although a lot of my classmates began to wear braces at this time). Although the teeth of my lower jaw were crooked, those of my upper jaw were quite fine, so I did not really need a treatment.
In France, the treatment is financially supported by social health insurance til the age of 16, so before I was mature enough to start a treatment, so the time was over and I gave up this idea, believing it was for good.
It came back when I was around 18-20, when I discovered there was adult braces wearers and I began to think about it again at this time but still not enough ready and not financially able to start a treatment.
After that, during years, although I thought about the idea of a real treatment, I could not imagine to start a real treatment consider to the cost and the social disavantages.
What it makes me think seriously is when my wife got a new job, the new private health insurance for all the family cover almost the entire cost of a treatment.
So, at age 35, for the first time, I made some appointments with several orthodontists.
Still 2 years after, in 2019, at age 37, I finally took the plunge and started a real fixed braces treatment.
Sorry for the little story but I wanted to show how long and complicated it was for me to convince myself to start a treatment : arround 17 years as an adult wondering if, when and how I could start an orthodontic treatment and wear braces.
This day has finally happened and I am glad of it. I just regret I did not choose metal braces for upper jaw. I hated the yellowing of the elastics of the ceramic braces.
