Essay/Term paper: Braces: a pain in the ass

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Essays

Braces: A Pain In The Ass


One out of three children or teenagers will have to live through their
"rites of passage years" as a prisoner of their own orthodonist. Puberty is
burdened enough by zit and acne battles, awkward growth spurts, and raging evil
hormones. Braces add additional torture to this already hellish time to both
parent and child. A life with braces is far more humilating, painful, and
expensive than living with buck teeth, gaps, or a snarled tooth.
Mental scars remain long after cuts and bloody sores in the mouth have
healed. These platinum-colored shackles come with a factory full of degrading
insults and nicknames. All through school one can expect to be called brace-face,
tractor teeth, and metal mouth. The orthadontically challenged are always the
butt of electricity and lip-locking jokes. The orthodontist's office is also a
source of embarrassment. Most offices are open-air, filled with other patients.
This means an audience as the nurse stretches and pulls patient's mouths in Jim
Carrey-like expressions. If one should forget to brush their teeth before their
visit, they will regrettably become immortal as the doctor announces the left-
over remains of Taco Bell in-between molars.Braces become a constant source of
embarrassment.
Braces are three years of physical torture beginning with the very first
office visit. The application of the brackets itself is long, tedious, and
uncomfortable. First, cold, polydent flavored clay is thrust into the crevices
of the mouth, forcing imprints. Jagged metal squares are glued to the enamel,
forcing hot, burning, glue to drip down the pink of the gums. Braces also cause
everyday aches and pains in the mouth. Metal spokes, guiding teeth to a new
shape, stab the inside of the mouth causing cuts, sores,and tearing each time a
person's mouth opens. Rubber bands placed on top of brackets pull and stretch
teeth until gums are tender and sore. Being born with unperfect teeth can be
painful!
Braces hurt parents' wallets well after the metal is scraped and
chiseled off. Payments while braces are being worn are very overwhelming. The
average cost of braces today is around 3,000 dollars, more for specialty kinds.
Patients must also pay for damages they ininflic ii inflict upon their
orthodontic work. There are also other expenses after the metal inflict upon
their orthodontic work. Molar bands that are pryed off can cost as much as
fifteen dollars apiece. There are also other expenses after the matal has been
removed. Hated retainers often have to be bought and worn at night. Expensive
details such as teeth cleaning and bleaching are nessacery to remove stains and
stubborn glue. These additional expenses added to the original costs can mean a
huge debt to parents.
Braces can be both a parents' and child's worst nightmare. One can only
hope that modern medical techniques will spread to the orthodontic world where
appearance, pain, and cost are a problem.