Friday, March 24, 2017

Survey Results: LIKED Wearing Braces/DISLIKED Wearing Braces

My most recent set of surveys investigated the extent people liked or disliked wearing braces, and why they felt that way.  I did two surveys, one which was titled LIKED WEARING BRACES, and another titled DISLIKED WEARING BRACES.  Both surveys had essentially the same questions, with some minor word changes to deal with the differences of each survey's orientation (i.e. liking vs. disliking).

One of the interesting things about this two-survey format is that we can compare, side by side, how people who LIKED wearing braces compared with those who DISLIKED.  In fact, variety seems to be case in both of these surveys.

There were 4 people who took the LIKED WEARING BRACES survey, and 6 who took the DISLIKED WEARING BRACES survey. There were males and females who took both surveys, with more males than females in both cases.
(LIKED) Male or female?
75% (3)Male.
25% (1)Female.
4 voters have answered this question. 
(DISLIKED) Male or female?
66% (4)Male.
33% (2)Female.
6 voters have answered this question.
There was a good amount of variation as to how long each survey taker had worn braces, from a year to over three years.
(LIKED) How long did you have to wear fixed braces? (i.e. brackets or bands, not removable appliances.) Give the closest answer.
0% (0)Less than a year
50% (2)A year
25% (1)A year and a half
25% (1)Two years
0% (0)Two and a half years.
0% (0)Three years.
0% (0)Over three years (How long?)
4 voters have answered this question. 
(DISLIKED) How long did you have to wear fixed braces? (i.e. brackets or bands, not removable appliances.) Give the closest answer.
0% (0)Less than a year
0% (0)A year
33% (2)A year and a half
0% (0)Two years
16% (1)Two and a half years
33% (2)Three years
16% (1)Over three years (how long?)
6 voters have answered this question.

All of the survey takers had fixed braces, and most had them on both upper and lower fixed braces. Most also had retainers. Other than that, there were a variety of other appliances worn, with a little more appliances seeming to be present on the DISLIKE side.
(LIKED) Which of the following ortho appliances did you have? (Pick as many of the following as you had. You can make more than one choice.)
100% (4)Fixed Braces (Upper teeth)
75% (3)Fixed Braces (Lower teeth)
50% (2)Elastics
0% (0)Headgear
0% (0)Facemask
25% (1)Bite plate
0% (0)Sagittal Appliance
0% (0)Lip Bumper
0% (0)Tongue crib or rake
0% (0)Expander
0% (0)Herbst Appliance
0% (0)Frankel Appliance
0% (0)Bionator
0% (0)Nightguard
0% (0)Coil springs
50% (2)Retainer
25% (1)Anything else?
4 voters have answered this question. 
(DISLIKED) Which of the following ortho appliances did you have? (Pick as many of the following as you had. You can make more than one choice.)
100% (6)Fixed Braces (Upper teeth)
100% (6)Fixed Braces (Lower teeth)
83% (5)Elastics
0% (0)Headgear
0% (0)Facemask
0% (0)Bite plate
0% (0)Sagittal Appliance
0% (0)Lip Bumper
16% (1)Tongue crib or rake
33% (2)Expander
16% (1)Herbst Appliance
0% (0)Frankel Appliance
0% (0)Bionator
0% (0)Nightguard
16% (1)Coil springs
66% (4)Retainer
0% (0)Anything else?
6 voters have answered this question.
And now, the point of the survey: LIKING or DISLIKING wearing braces. Here the surveys show some variation, but also some strong feelings especially among those who really love or really hated wearing braces. There seem to be some strong feelings, both positive or negative, about the experiences people had in braces.
(LIKED) You picked a survey about how you liked wearing braces. How much did you like wearing braces? Answer on a scale from 1 to 5.
0% (0)1 (I liked wearing braces a little.)
25% (1)2
0% (0)3
0% (0)4
75% (3)5 (I loved wearing braces very much.)
4 voters have answered this question. 
(DISLIKED) You picked a survey about how you disliked wearing braces. How much did you dislike wearing braces? Answer on a scale from 1 to 5.
16% (1)1 (I disliked wearing braces a little.)
0% (0)2
16% (1)3
33% (2)4
33% (2)5 (I totally hated wearing braces.)
6 voters have answered this question.
The people taking the LIKED WEARING BRACES survey were asked the questions: "Why did you like wearing braces as much as you did?" and "What did you like most about wearing braces?" Those taking the DISLIKED WEARING BRACES survey were asked the similar questions: "Why did you dislike wearing braces as much as you did?" and "What did you dislike most about wearing braces?" So both sides got to tell why they felt the way they did.


One survey taker who DISLIKED WEARING BRACES noted the pain of braces.
She said that "They were painful and a hassle-the brackets would break and then I would have to schedule an appointment and spend a long time at the orthodontist office..."  As to the thing she disliked most about braces this reviewer specified that she wore a "Herbst appliance. Ouch."

The self-consiousness and stigma of braces was mentioned by other survey takers who DISLIKED braces. One responded that he disliked braces because they "Made me feel self-conscious at times, but more than anything they were just an annoyance."

Another DISLIKE survey taker wrote that "while I knew I needed them I was one of a few kids that had them. Braces wearers were routinely made fun of. I was mad that my big sister only had to wear removables and I needed both fixed upper & lower braces." This same reviewer said that what he disliked most about braces was "Looking different. Getting made fun of. Pain."

One reviewer on the DISLIKE side admitted that "I actually liked how they looked - didn't make me feel any less self-conscious though!

On the LIKED side, one survey taker said that "I loved the look and feel of braces on my teeth. Also the psychology of being made to get braces. Before I had braces, I envied others who had them. I wish I was made to get them earlier."  About the thing he liked most about braces, this same reviewer responded that he liked "The feel of having them in my mouth, and the brace-mouthed look I got."

Another who LIKED braces said that he liked braces because "It was something I always wanted to do for myself and my orthodontist and staff made it a great experience," and that his the thing he liked most about wearing braces was "Seeing how fast my teeth straightened."

Survey takers of both LIKED and DISLIKED surveys were asked about how they felt about being seen with braces, and here, again, the responses were varied, although the differences between surveys takers who "always tried to hide" their braces, and those who smiled and showed them off was notably different for both surveys.
(LIKED) How did you feel about people seeing your braces?
0% (0)I always tried to hide my braces.
0% (0)Although I disliked people seeing my braces, I "grinned and bared" them.
50% (2)It was no bother to me whether people saw my braces or not.
25% (1)I smiled my tingrin, but tried not to be too obvious.
25% (1)I loved to show off my braces whenever I could.
4 voters have answered this question.  
(DISLIKED) How did you feel about people seeing your braces?
50% (3)I always tried to hide my braces.
0% (0)Although I disliked people seeing my braces, I "grinned and bared" them.
33% (2)It was no bother to me whether people saw my braces or not.
16% (1)I smiled my tingrin, but tried not to be too obvious.
0% (0)I loved to show off my braces whenever I could.
6 voters have answered this question.


One thing that survey takers who LIKED WEARING BRACES and who DISLIKED WEARING BRACES had in common was that most said they would get braces again, regardless of whether they liked it or not, because of the benefits that orthodontic treatment provided.

(LIKED) Regardless of whether you liked or disliked wearing braces, if you had to do it again, would you have chosen to have braces anyway? (For example, to fix a dental problem?)
100% (4)Yes. (Mention why.)
0% (0)No. (Mention why.)
4 voters have answered this question.
(DISLIKED) Regardless of whether you liked or disliked wearing braces, if you had to do it again, would you have chosen to have braces anyway? (For example, to fix a dental problem?)
83% (5)Yes. (Mention why.)
16% (1)No. (Mention why.)
6 voters have answered this question.
I recommend checking out the actual survey results for the LIKED WEARING BRACES SURVEY and the DISLIKED WEARING BRACES SURVEY, by clicking on the links. Interesting variety, and some contrasts.

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