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I'm an American with $10k or so into Orthodontia to make my teeth straight (I had gaps that were a big self-confidence issue for me) but no, seeing someone with
by swozey 11y ago
I'm an American with $10k or so into Orthodontia to make my teeth straight (I had gaps that were a big self-confidence issue for me) but no, seeing someone with insanely bleached white teeth definitely stands out in my head and always looks strange to me. I think there is a pretty big line between Hollywood White and Smoker Yellow.
To give a perspective, if it's needed, when I was in middle school (6th-8th) just about every single one of my friends at that point had either had, or was currently wearing braces of some sort.
I've now had braces 3 times (Invisalign actually) because my teeth won't stop moving. If I go a few days without wearing a retainer (I wear it nightly) they look different. A month or two without (I've lost the retainer before) and I'm going for round 4. Not sure if this is a genetic thing, or what, my cousins and sister have had the same thing happen, but I know plenty of other people who have never worn their retainers and barely had any movement.
- ahoy 11y ago"Braces" culture is interesting. I grew up in the rural southeast of the US, and while braces weren't unheard of they were uncommon. I have friends from new england who reported the opposite - most children, even those from poorer families, had braces.
- swozey 11y agoDriving to the orthodontist was a major pain for my parents, so maybe that had something to do with it. They had to take off work early, pick me up at school, take me to the Ortho and wait around for an hour while the braces were aligned - EVERY month. I'd imagine it's even more of a pain for those in rural areas who have less options. The orthos next to schools made out like bandits. But my parents were also Military, so maybe that's just my experience.