Some teens are uncomfortable about showing their teeth and, those with braces, are even more humiliated about showing their shiny metal smile or getting it caught on their lip.

“One of my most embarrassing moments is when I was fighting with my brother and things got a little vicious,” Johanna Iest, ’05, said. “Then all of a sudden I fell and my braces got caught on my lip and it really hurt.”

Life with braces has a couple downfalls such as getting food stuck between the wires and not being able to brush thoroughly.

“I hate braces because I can’t eat some foods I really like,” Maury Turner, ’04, said. “Before I had my braces I used to always chew gum, eat popcorn and eat hard candies. But now that I have my braces I am restricted to what kinds of foods I can eat so I don’t break my wires.”

Students often wait anxiously at the orthodontics office to have their teeth free of metal and be able to eat anything they want.

“Patients usually have their braces on for up to two and a half years if any longer they will have bone loss,” Toni Reichman, a Fresno area dental hygienist, said. “The cons of having braces are if we leave them on to long the patient will have bone loss, and they need to brush well because they will get gum disease. The braces cost up to $6000 with surgery. Other than that, braces are $4000- 5000.”

Often students will have fresh white teeth after two years of treatment.

“After two years of having my braces on, I finally got my braces off last July 11,” Rosie Walker, ’06, said. “I was so happy because I could eat anything I wanted and not worry about what’s going to be stuck in my braces.”

Insecurity adds to the ?joy’ of having braces. After getting braces often students stop smiling with their teeth because they are embarrassed and even ashamed.

“I hate my braces so much; I didn’t show my teeth in my class pictures,” Molly Carlin, ’06, said. “Ever since I got my braces on I have never wanted to smile but I know my teeth will look good later.”

Often students have about two or three years to get through their braces treatment, but some students have had their braces on for their entire high school career. Some seniors have taken their graduation pictures with their braces.

“I’ve had my braces on for all of high school and I’m so used to them they don’t bother me anymore,” Sarah Damm, ’03, said. “Just like any other senior, I had to take my pictures and of course I had my braces; they’re a part of me.”