Brace wearers share their before and after pictures

From the endless  ‘Metal Mickey’ jibes to the amount of food that would collect between the ‘spokes’ every day, wearing braces would have left these individuals filled with horror.

But as this online gallery of images from around the world reveals, those who were once left self-conscious by the shape of their teeth, now all have smiles to be proud of.

Inspirational examples include a girl suffering canine protrusion and a man whose face is a picture of inter-dental tension.

These before and after pictures show the joyful outcomes that a brace can evoke.

Mind the gap? This woman did and happily bridged the confidence barrier to a beautiful smile

Crowded front teeth make it harder to close the jaw properly, which tenses the facial muscles

This girl’s canines were brought into line and now she’s ready to shine

There was once a time when this woman’s teeth were a crowded mess now her smile can light up a room

Before the brace, this man’s teeth protruded in an unsightly manner, now they’re as handsome as he is

With teeth transformed, this woman is now less ghoulish and more girlish

Before braces worked their magic, this man was a high risk under biter

A brace helped this woman to blossom into a beauty

A happy smile radiates confidence to the eyes — once her smile barely made it to her mouth

Once this man’s teeth jealously jostled for position  — now they are all stars in perfect alignment

This mouthful of ‘train tracks’ is nowhere near as beautiful as her new radiance

Before, misaligned teeth caused jaw muscle tension — after, the relief shows in this youth’s face

This woman’s smile was a study in reticence (left) but those self doubt symptoms are banished

Before her teeth were like a constellation but now her stars are in a harmonious alignment

The morale bosting transformation of a brace has a multiplier effect as this boy’s style makeover shows

If the smile is a window on the soul, this woman’s smile is now as pretty as she is