My braces career started, when I was 7.
My second upper right molar (which was still one of my primary teeth) had to be extracted because of an infection.
The dentist installed me a spacer, which consisted of a molar band and a bent piece of wire. This I was supposed to wear until the second tooth started growing.
About one year later, this thing fell off for the second time, when the dentist said to my parents, that an orthodontic treatment will be necessary anyway, and so he left it off...
Some weeks later, I got my first braces installed. Plastic ones, just on the upper teeth from 1 to 3 on each side.
And molar bands, for my headgear, I head to wear for 12-14 hours a day, with high pull, and cervical strap.
Than, after about two years, the orthodontist took off my braces and I got a bionator to wear for 18 hours a day.
Two or three visits later, my molar bands were still installed, the ortho surprised me with my headgear again, which I head to wear again. With the headgear installed, I was unable to remove my bionator, which gave me some - today I would say - ballgag feeling, which I started to like...
I think, that was the time, my braces-fetish started ;-)
Before my parents always had to tell me - wear your braces!!! - but then I started to wear them automatically whenever possible.
After about one year with my bionator-headgear treatment, I got fixed braces again. Now the full program, uppers and lowers and still my - beloved - headgear. But - what a surprise, with some grinding on my bionator, the orthodontist managed this thing still to fit in my mouth, with all the braces installed.
I didn´t show to anybody, but I loved to wear my "instruments of torture"
The only thing, that I got afraid of, was the facemask, the orthodontist asked me once, if I would wear, which I denied (what was I stupid ;-) So I got elastics to wear instead.
Than, after all, I got the braces off. Happy on the one hand (first girlfriend...) but also a bit sad and missing some part of me.