Braces cause issues for teens
Rachael Martin, Reporter
February 11, 2010
Filed under Opinion
Many teenagers have or have had braces at some point in their lives. Braces help to straighten and adjust teeth so they look good. The braces are made of metal and can be quite painful. There are some alternatives to braces, such as Invisalign, which are plastic and removable.
Although in the long run, braces are very helpful and fix people’s teeth, the process is very long and can be painful in many different ways. Most students that do wear braces usually have to wear them for at least two years to completely fix their teeth. The metal that makes up the braces scrapes the inside of the student’s mouth and causes blisters. They also sometimes hook onto the inside of the patient’s cheeks. They make the inside of their mouth bleed and they can cause pain and much frustration.
Braces can also be hard to clean out after eating. Food gets stuck between the wires and around the back teeth. Students with braces have to learn to take care of their teeth and may need to change the way they brush their teeth to have them be clean. It can also make it hard to eat and students have to eat with their braces in mind.
Along with the braces themselves, some students have to go through oral surgery or have teeth removed to help the braces to do the best that they can do. Also, before the braces are put on, students have to go through preparations for them. X-rays, molds and expanders are just some of the things that students have to deal with before and while they get their braces.
Getting out of school for Orthodontist appointments can also be a problem for students. Students can usually get an appointment scheduled for after school or for the last half hour or so of school if they make the appointment in time, but sometimes students are forced to get an appointment during school. Missing school for about an hour each month is not good for student’s who want to do well in school.
Although they can hurt and easily get on the nerves of anyone that has them, braces also help a lot. Without braces, many students’ teeth would not be very nice looking. The pain, time and energy is worth it to have nice looking teeth that are not crooked. There are, however, situations that braces cannot fix. So many students have braces in their lives and it is just part of being a teenager.
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