I got braces on at 35 and got them off just shy of 37. I had some fillings, but mostly I had pronounced crowding at the bottom and gaps on top. I was always supremely self-conscious. I dropped a couple of tax returns and monthly payments on adult braces, but I haven’t thought twice about my smile since. It’s definitely tough in our culture to have an imperfect smile, and I’m glad I did a thing that made me feel better. I wish we could fix the culture though. My daughter has many caps, thanks to a sitter who liberally poured Hershey’s syrup in her bottles despite my frequent protestations. It’s already been pointed out to her that her smile is different, but I try to balance that where I can. Thank you for sharing your story.