Jenny Pierce’s grill cost $3,200. This is because her “grill” (more commonly known as braces) is specifically designed to straighten her crooked teeth. Braces are a common sight in today’s generation. According to a Call survey 66% (176/268) of KHS students have, or have had braces at one time.
“I’ve had them for six months,” Pierce said. “I think I’m supposed to have them on for a total of one year or one and a half years, so it should be sometime within the next six months or so when I get them off.”
According to Dr. Rebecca Siscel, dentist, two years is the average time frame for braces.
“Some people have them for a shorter time some have them for longer,” Siscel said. “It depends on the patient.”
Pierce hardly notices her mouth full of metal, unless she has just come from the orthodontist.
“After I get them tightened, it’s hard to eat because my teeth are really sore and they hurt really bad,” Pierce said. “It’s really not that different [than not having braces] though, unless you just got them tightened.”
According to Siscel, people with braces have to endure this tightening pain every month.
“It’s not necessarily tightening,” Siscel said. “I would call it adjusting. Between the wires and rubber bands you are slowly moving things.”
The classic metal braces so commonly used are not the only option for people in need of some straightening. Although the metal kind are the cheapest, the other options offered are less obvious.
“Porcelain braces are more expensive but show no silver,” Siscel said. “Lingual braces are braces that attach to the inside of your teeth, so no one can see them.”
The clear plastic trays, most commonly referred to as Invisalign are only offered to certain people.
“Invisalign can only be used in certain situations, because it is very dependent on patient compliance. They have to wear it all the time,” Siscel said. “We only offer them to mature patients.”
Besides making your mouth shiny, patients with braces are prohibited from eating foods that could break their brackets like chips or caramel.
“When the bracket comes unattached, it is useless,” Siscel said. “The reattaching comes as a part of the whole braces package, so they are easy to get fixed.”
Not only do brackets break, but also things can get caught in them.
“I can’t bite into apples,” Pierce said. “I can pretty much eat anything, it just gets caught in my braces. Sometimes if I just ate something and somebody comes to talk to me, I get really self-conscious because I think there is something in my teeth, so I don’t want to talk to them.”
According to Tom O’Malley, junior, braces are worth the wait and hassle.
“I had them for three years,” O’Malley said. “They were painful, but they worked very accurately. My teeth are super straight now.”
So Pierce will just have to endure the teasing from her family while her teeth straighten out.
“My family calls me ‘brace face’ and they say I’m ‘wearing a grill’ and ‘blinding them,’” Pierce said. “But they’re kidding.”