Y’all. I had braces when I was 16 to until I was almost 18. At the time of getting braces I still had my deciduous(baby)teeth so they had to pull a tooth next to my two front teeth at the top. One on the left and one on the right of the main two. Hope that makes sense. Anyway the plan was for me to get implants after I was done with my braces. Well that didn’t happen because I went to the Air Force.

So when my braces came off they made me a retainer with two teeth attached(and a wire obvs)

So when I got to my duty station they made me another without the wire so just the teeth( they called it a flipper, some call it a partial).

So for the past Idk 10 years, I’m 28 now, I have been wearing this thing. I gotta take it out to brush my teeth but pretty much leave it in all the time. I hate it. I honestly am so self conscious about it.

I have went to a couple orthodontist and they said I would need braces again to fix the roots because they are crooked and a implant will not fit in the space. But I’m broke af. Can’t afford to pay for braces outta pocket.

My boyfriend “says” he doesn’t care about them but i will forever feel like he does. Like I can’t brush my teeth around him, I’m scared to eat certain things around him because sometimes it comes out a little. I’m scared that one of the teeth will break on it( it has happened like 5 times so far and I have to try and talk without moving my mouth)

I’m hoping that somebody deals with or has dealt with having false teeth and can give me some advice on how to just not be so self conscious about them. Or maybe I just needed to vent.

I tried looking into programs that can help with the cost but to not avail.