Hey , I ' m new here too , but I know it ' s going to be a good place for me . The main pathway through which I feel content and happy is after or while helping someone , surprising them with a gift or service , listening to their trials , offering support and guidance if requested . It just warms my heart to remind people they are beautiful and worthwhile . So without further ado , you are beautifulor handsome , if you prefer , haha and worthwhile ! Being serious now , you would be surprised how deeply your post resonated with me . I had nice teeth as a child , and besides the occasional cavity 1 or 2 a year , had no issues . When I was 13 and in seventh grade , I got braces on . No big deal , half or more of kids at that age have them , so other than the monthly day of pain from the orthodontist ' s tightening , things weren ' t so bad . Looking back , I ' m not sure that I needed braces in the first place , or that they did anything beneficial that me . From pictures and personal memory , I had all my adult teeth fully grown in , and they were all straight and aligned properly . However , I was still expected to arrive at my appointments , and I genuinely think I got them on just because everyone likes extra business , I had dental insurance through my parents , and it ' s just what kids at that age do , like a rite of passage . After 3 years of managing the braces as best I could , and brushing them maybe even more regularly than before , because the braces catch so much stuff you need to get out everyday . Fast forward to 10 th grade , I ' m 16 now and more confident in making my own life choices , I go to the orthodontist and say , I appreciate all the work you ' ve done over the past three years , but I simply have not noticed any real improvement , because they were nearly perfect already at the time we started . I am ready to have them removed . I obviously said it in a nicer , more respectful way , but he was pleasant and agreed . He removed the bottom braces first , and all seemed well . Then he started removing the top braces , and after removing all the metal , I felt him scraping at something kind of vigorously , with a perplexed look on his face . To make a very long story short The assistant who was training with him at the time they were put on had used a type of cement glue that is not intended for braces . It corroded the absolute shit out of my enamel , and left all of my teeth on top looking fairly white , but with a ' banana yellow ' square of ugliness on each tooth , which made my whole smile look bad or awkward . Over time , brushing and cleaning eventually allowed the color to come back slightly , and fade together . A couple years later I dealt with some bad depression and anxiety , and sometimes went days without brushing , because I just said who cares , it doesn ' t matter anymore . That time has passed , but I am still conscious of my teeth during every conversation . I have to control and modulate even spontaneous laughter so as to not show my full smile . In conclusion , I know I can ' t offer much , but I hope my story shows you that you are not alone in this . The past two months I have been researching local orthodontists , and am considering having veneers put in , or at least caps that cover the fronts and look natural . I honestly believe that if I had the freedom to smile without feeling self conscious , it would majorly change my life for the better . I don ' t know if you have insurance after losing your job , which I am so sorry about , and hell , even with insurance I don ' t think the procedure will be fully covered for me , either . I just know that it ' s one thing in my life that I can guarantee will improve . Stay strong , keep fighting the good fight , make sure to exhibit your qualities that make you fun to be around and unique . You sound like a good person , surrounded by others without much empathy for you . Maybe telling them outright that the issue is a cause of major anxiety and depression for you , and it may finally click for them that you don ' t find it funny , and they are being hurtful . I wish you the very best , and I hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving . It ' s the perfect time for you to reflect on all the things in life that make you happy , and forget about the parts you don ' t like for a while . I apologize for the post length , it kinda took on a mind of its own . Take care friend !