Some of my less pleasant memories of growing up are my years of wearing braces. I was glad that I had them. I understood at the time just how critically necessary they were. I was, in fact, thankful for the privilege, even though I had to have four teeth extracted to make room for the rearranged teeth. Nevertheless, getting and having braces was not much fun.

Modern orthodontia has largely eliminated the need to removing teeth. So when my children got braces, their experience was much less painful and much less traumatic than mine. And while I had problems, early on, with my lips turning sore and hamburger-like from the drool, my daughters were spared that painful embarrassment as well. Nevertheless, my children would never call having braces a good time.

I have three daughters. And all three of them needed braces. This seems remarkable to me when I calculate the odds. Yes, I needed braces growing up, and my mom before me needed them. But all three of my daughters are adopted. All three of them came from different biological families. I would have bet that at least one of them would have been born with straight, well-fitting teeth. And I would have lost the bet.

So I have three daughters. The oldest got braces when she was in elementary school; the middle daughter got them about the same age, and finally the youngest, likewise, got braces as soon as the orthodontist said that she must.

We have excellent medical, dental and eye care insurance. It covers just about anything one can imagine. We pay nothing out of pocket for eye exams or glasses. We pay nothing for ordinary dental care, and we pay but a twenty dollar copay each time we visit a doctor.

But when it comes to orthodontic work, our insurance paid nothing. Thus, for the three years each of our three daughters needed braces, we had to fork over the money out of our own bank account.

My oldest got her braces off when she went to high school. The same happened to the middle daughter. And when my youngest finished eighth grade, the orthodontist removed her braces at last.

She was overjoyed. I was ecstatic. Not only was the financial burden of the braces finally at an end, so were the endless trips to see the orthodontist. I was so very tired of making the monthly trek to his office—and for a period of time, when all three were in braces, sometimes three treks per month.

Still, it was worth it. Not only do the braces make their smiles look better, there is a practical reason for the orthodontia: their teeth and gums will be healthier over the remainder of their lives. Not only did the wearing of braces force them to get into the habit of rigorous care of their teeth, it also pretty much eliminated any fear of the dentist for them. They’ve endured about as much discomfort over the years that anyone can experience from someone working on their teeth. Besides that, with their teeth straight and properly arranged, it will be easier for them to keep their teeth clean and healthy. Teeth that are misaligned and overlapping are simply harder to care for.

Although the time spent wearing braces may have some negative impact on self-esteem, it is relatively short lived. In contrast, having perfectly aligned teeth and beautiful smiles in high school and beyond should have a rather positive impact on them.

And frankly, braces are very common on children now. A sizable percentage of their classmates in middle school were similarly ensconced in braces. And unlike the braces I endured, modern braces are almost cool. For one thing, they are no longer just silver metal; now they are often plastic, and come in a range of bright and cheerful colors. I was constantly amazed at their smiles after a visit, when their mouths would glow pink, sometimes blue, and occasionally green or red. They seemed to like it.

But they like being free of their braces better.

Of course, for a time after the braces came off, my children had to wear retainers. For the first month after the braces came off, they had to wear them all the time, twenty-four hours a day. After that, it was only at night, while they slept.

I remember a similar routine after I had completed my suffering. I didn’t much like my retainer: it resembled a pink crustacean with metal legs. But I dutifully wore it every day and night through high school and even through my years at college. I stopped wearing it sometime after I left college and have not missed it in the slightest.

Modern retainers no longer look like a monster that might appear in a J.J. Abrams feature film. Instead, they are simple, clear plastic. They remain remarkably easy to lose or break, but at least they no longer inspire nightmares. And the fact that my youngest will not have to wear it at school means that she is less likely to lose it, since she won’t be removing it and hiding it in a napkin while she eats—and potentially dumping it in the trash afterwards. I remember coming close to that on more than one occasion over the years.

So, for now, at last, my lifelong interaction with braces is over, both for me and my children. It has been a long time coming. I hope to never see the inside of an orthodontist’s office ever again.

Send to Kindle