DR. WALLACE: I'm going to be a sophomore in high school and I just got braces over this summer. I know I needed them, but now I fear that maybe I made a mistake agreeing to get them put in.

I'm afraid that nobody will want to talk to me or interact with me this school year since I'll have a mouthful of support structures for quite a while now. — A Worried Sophomore, via email

A WORRIED SOPHOMORE: Many teens are afraid to look different than others do, but this short-term inconvenience will make you look better for your entire life! You should also know that there are many teenagers who have had orthodontic treatments in your area, perhaps even over this past summer. Be on the lookout as some of them might be attending your school. When you see someone who also has braces, stop and say hello to the person to compare notes. You'll feel a kinship with that person as it's helpful to know that some others are going through the same exact experience that you are.

Also, ask all your friends and acquaintances if they have had braces in the past. Perhaps some of your friends have already had them off, and they may be able to provide your insights and encouragement as well.

In the meantime, don't forget that you can potentially personalize your braces a bit. Some braces can be used with colored bands and even brackets. This may make wearing braces seem a bit less mundane. I suggest you mention this to your orthodontist if this is something you would like to try.

I FEAR MY YOUNGER BROTHER MIGHT TAKE OFF

DR. WALLACE: I'm worried for some inexplicable reason that my youngest brother is going to possibly run away from home. I don't know specifically why I feel this way, but I just have an uneasy gut feeling that something is going on with him.

Should I say anything to him, or should I just keep a close eye on him? — His Worried Older Sister, via email

HIS WORRIED OLDER SISTER: Absolutely speak directly to him, and perhaps, more importantly, to your parents as well.

Do your best to articulate why you feel this way, and take some time to sit down and think carefully about any clues or instances you can recall that may have you feeling this way.

Communication within families, and with all individuals within a family, is a key to harmony and cohesiveness. Staying silent or simply watching him from afar does not get at the root of why you feel the way you do. If something truly is wrong in his life, perhaps a helpful, open discussion can be arranged to review the issues, and hopefully provide some good remedies.

And if there's nothing truly wrong with him at all, and you subsequently realize that maybe your feelings were simply a false alarm, you can give him a big hug and let him know how much you truly care about him. Tell him that you're very happy nothing was wrong, but you're not ashamed of looking out for him, and you never will be in the future either.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Lukas Rychvalsky at Unsplash