A Pain In The Mouth Essay, Research Paper
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
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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.