Wearing Braces

• Sunday February 5, 2006 in: Dental Care Tag(s):

  Ah, those darn braces.

  Long considered a sign of dorkiness along with eyeglasses among boys and girls, the braces have suffered an unfair rep when it shouldn't have one in the first place.

  Then again it couldn't be helped. Braces, along with eyeglasses (again) and cooties have kept countless downhearted boys and girls at least at arms's length away from their peers.

  The discomfort is especially felt during adolescence with the pressure on being good-looking at its heaviest. To be a looker means having more chances of getting dates and being popular.

  For high profile teenagers that could prove burdensome. Take former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton who had to endure snickers from a critical public for wearing braces that made her look like a nerd.

  And even adults have to wear braces to correct teeth formation and jaw alignment. However social hang-ups faced by adults wearing braces are cushioned by the fact that they usually have a lot more going for them than looks.

  And if given a choice, not a few teenagers would rather forego wearing braces than end up looking like "Jaws" on two feet. Which is said since braces help cure a dental condition called "malocclusion" or "bad bite."

  According to the American Dental Association (ADA) some causes of bad bite are crowded teeth, extra teeth, missing teeth or jaws that are out of alignment.

  Still, braces are still seen as an impediment to socializing. Little wonder then that boys and girls who once got saddled with these hang-ups somehow went on to become glamorous men and women later in their lives.

  Megastar Tom Cruise once wore braces as shown in "Born on the Fourth of July." Rock star Gwen Stefani also wore braces from time to time, claiming it made her feel young.

  Tennis star Martina Hingis is said to have worn braces during competitions and Hanson guitarist Isaac Hanson once wore braces and a ponytail.

  So when it comes to numbers, braces-wearing people are definitely not on the minority. In fact in other countries youths wear braces as a status symbol of sorts to denote the impression that they're rich.

  On the other hand, wearing tongue jewelry is another matter altogether.

Braces make you look like a nerd
I should know I used to wear one during the fifth grade. Some of my classmates who didn't know any better said it made them look so hip.
I beg to disagree. They make you look like a two-legged version of Jaws.
Simpson at 5:57am on Feb 22, 2006