Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane

Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane is a humorous memoir and personal essay collection by Sandra Tsing Loh that chronicles the author’s experience of getting orthodontic braces as an adult. With her trademark wit, self-deprecating humor, and sharp observations, Loh explores the awkwardness, frustrations, and unexpected emotional challenges of undergoing a treatment often associated with adolescence.

The book uses the seemingly ordinary experience of wearing braces as a starting point for broader reflections on aging, appearance, identity, relationships, self-image, and the pressures of modern life. Loh blends comedy with personal storytelling, examining how a small physical change can become a source of anxiety, vulnerability, and personal transformation.

Through candid anecdotes and humorous commentary, the book captures the contradictions of adulthood: wanting to reinvent oneself while confronting the realities of getting older. It is both a lighthearted account of orthodontic treatment and a larger meditation on confidence, acceptance, and the pursuit of self-improvement.