I have to get braces at 22.

Your orthodontist should be able to show you different styles from which you could choose, much like when selecting eyeglasses.

ISneezeFunny, there are physical traits you like. That's not shallow.

My wife has a few "likes" in men that I'm not a perfect match to. Doesn't stop her from liking me well enough, it seems.

It isn't like you are obsessed about many physical "imperfections"... That might be shallow, or a self esteem issue... That's not what you said, at least by my read.

I think by "styles" you might be thinking of "clear" ligature braces, metal ligature braces, self-ligating "clear" braces, and self-ligating metal braces. Some orthos also offer metal shapes, like hearts, footballs and stars. Sometimes they even offer gold braces.

Now that I've throw all those words out, here's what they mean!

"Clear" ligature braces are ceramic and sort of tooth-colored so they blend in with your teeth. On some people, from a distance, you can't even tell they have braces. But, if they have ligatures (those are the tiny little "o" rings that come in all sorts of colors), you see the colors, not the brackets. You will also see the wire, unless you have a super fancy ortho who has tooth colored wires!

Metal ligature braces are the traditional metal braces with the colored ligature. These are very, very common.

Self-ligating braces don't have the ligature; the bracket works differently so it's not required. This means no colors, but in a way, that can be good. Ligatures stain when you eat certain things, and some colors stain worse than others. You also don't have bright colors which some people think adds to a "juvenile" look. There is a brand of self-ligating ceramics out now, but your ortho might not carry them. I had self-ligating metal.

Not all orthos offer all these kinds, and depending on your case, it may not be recommended you use one type over the other. I really, really wanted ceramic, but my ortho strongly pushed me to metal, so I listened. There is some "evidence" that indicates self-ligating brackets move your teeth faster because there is less friction, and that metal are stronger than ceramic and should be used in more aggressive cases.

My teeth aren't that bad....just kind of outward than they should be. I will ask the orthodontist about all the different types that they offer. I wouldn't want colored ones, as I am a freak about matching colors. And to be honest, I want them as invisble as possible. I have already been told that I can't have invisilign. It's okay, I wouldn't want them anyways, as I was told they don't correct an overbite, which I do have.

Thanks for all the information!

If it makes you feel any better my mom had braces when she was a teenager and now when she's 47. Her and I both wear retainers now.=)

So, you have to wear a retainer your whole life?

Yep...that's why I suggested permanent ones. Most often, after taking the braces off...you should wear them all the time...then it gradually dies down to just at night while you sleep.

LAME! The permanent ones are the ones behind the teeth, right?

Sure is....it is a metal bar that is cemented behind your teeth.....you can't see it at all....this is what my brother got after his. His teeth are still pretty as can be....like he just got his braces off (it's actually been about 15 years).

It's important to remember the permanent retainers aren't always really permanent. Most of the time they fall off after several years (your brother must be lucky, rpg). Traditional retainers really aren't that bad; most orthos require you to wear them all the time for six months to a year (take them out for eating, brushing and flossing), then nights only, then just a few nights a week. My ortho requires night only wear from the beginning, so it's really no big deal.