If you ever wore braces, you'd probably rather forget that time forever and destroy all traces of those metal-encrusted teeth. Braces, often required to straighten teeth or repair thumb damage, weren't exactly a glamorous accessory during your middle school years. Yet today, young people no longer hide their metallic smiles; they even boast about them online.
Braces: From a dreaded accessory to a firmly established trend
It's practically part of the puberty starter pack. Braces have traumatized several generations. We've all been through the orthotist's gloved hands. Wearing braces, sometimes with an elastic band, was practically an unavoidable aesthetic rite of passage during adolescence. Just look at old class photos to see for yourself.
How many of us deprived ourselves of smiling during our braces? How many of us dreaded kisses in the schoolyard because of those cumbersome metal brackets? Far too many. It has to be said that pop culture hasn't exactly done us any favors in terms of self-esteem . Between the terrifying Darla from "Finding Nemo," Ugly Betty, and Charlotte Spitz, the aptly named "Devil Smile," portrayals of braces weren't exactly flattering.
Braces, once considered a passion killer and charm-breaker, are now enjoying their moment of glory in modern selfies. "Metal braces have never been cooler," declares the American Dental Association. What was once considered an instrument of torture is gaining in style and becoming a piece of jewelry in its own right. Braces are even rivaling rhinestones and other toothy embellishments.
@serawithane Replying to @Don't know teal & aqua but not sure which one is which 🙈 #bracescolors #adultswithbraces ♬ original sound - Sera✨ | Mommy with Braces 🫶🏽
The credo? The more visible the device, the better.
Braces are no longer meant to be discreet. Gone are the days of transparent models that blended seamlessly with enamel. Today's youth, more confident than ever, aren't trying to hide this reality or minimize the presence of these braces. On social media, they proudly display their colorful "steel smiles" and reveal elastic ligatures in vibrant, electric shades. Braces have become a new style statement, complementing the hair color or skin tone of their wearers.
Once considered outdated, even off-putting, braces are no longer just for "geeks." They no longer cause a drop in popularity for the wearer. On the contrary, they're a symbol of belonging, a sign of "coolness." In the age of star-shaped acne patches and fake freckles, the rise of braces makes sense. They're no longer simply a "medical" device; they're a marker of personality, a beauty enhancer. In fact, 25% of adults request braces of their own volition.
Restoring the reputation of braces is a necessity
Once a source of shame, braces now shine brightly on the lips of trendy TikTokers. This accessory, designed to straighten our "vampire teeth" and perfect our smiles, is no longer the source of sorrow we once knew. It's no longer a mesh we try to hide behind our hands; it's an ornament we flaunt at every opportunity. Beyond normalizing braces, young people are turning them into a statement. They've even taken to transforming all the outdated items of the past into iconic pieces. They've managed to find potential in low-rise jeans, elevate Crocs to the status of must-have shoes, and bring thin eyebrows back into fashion.
However, wearing braces shouldn't become a new beauty imperative. At a time when celebrities file and whiten their teeth to achieve a "Hollywood smile," it's easy to dislike your natural teeth . But if your mouth doesn't need any work done, there's no need to get braces just to follow the trend.
Whether you have a gap between your front teeth or protruding incisors, overlapping teeth or bloodthirsty canines, or even visible gums, your smile is unique. Accepting braces with serenity is good, but accepting nature's handiwork is better.
