When you think of braces, you probably think of awkward teens and nerdy adults. This is largely because of the way braces have been portrayed in pop culture. Unfortunately, this stereotype discourages people from getting braces even when they need treatment. As a result, they sacrifice their oral health for their social image.
However, braces don’t have to be something to look down on. It’s admirable to care about your health and well-being, and to make the necessary changes to improve those things.
Patients should feel confident in their decision to pursue braces at any age, and this confidence is aided by positive media representation. Let’s look at some examples from pop culture that are making braces cool again.
Smile for the camera!
Not all examples of people wearing braces in movies, tv shows, or music videos portray characters undergoing treatment positively. For example, Drew Barrymore’s Jodie Geller in Never Been Kissed is portrayed as an awkward 80’s girl with a mouthful of brackets. Even more overt is Ugly Betty, in which America Ferrera’s titular character dons braces, glasses and wacky outfits.
However, there are other pop culture moments that normalize wearing braces. You may remember Katy Perry wearing braces in the music video for her song “Last Friday Night”, where the nerdy girl is shown to be the life of the party. Or perhaps you tuned in for the Simpsons episode “Lisa Needs Braces” where Homer organizes a union strike to retain his dental insurance and, in turn, pay for Lisa’s braces. And we can’t forget about Cindy Crawford’s Pepsi commercials where she proudly flashes a winning smile, complete with metal wires.
Seeing characters on the big and small screen happily getting braces goes a long way in shifting our cultural attitude towards braces as a whole. Instead of showing characters with braces as socially awkward or unattractive, we should showcase characters who have close friends and family with braces, feel attractive with braces on, and are confident in their smile.
Open wide for the dentist
People are no longer required to show off teeth with traditional braces over them. Today the choices include Smart wire Lingual braces, clear aligners, and more. Often called “Invisible Braces,” these newer options are contributing to making braces cool. And media depicting characters kissing with Invisalign have made people feel better about pursuing orthodontic treatment.
Orthodontics is always evolving, and we not only keep up with the latest proven technology, but Dr. Mario Paz also contributed to their innovations. Our Cutting-edge smile solutions treat a wide range of orthodontic concerns more comfortably and efficiently, making braces cool.