Hmm....

[shanmonster]

Most people I know of are down on the idea of cosmetic surgery. However, I don't think any of these people think poorly of those who wear braces or get their teeth polished or capped. Why is this?

Comments

Re: another perspective

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I know I'm missing something obvious here. What is BDD?

Re: another perspective

[(Anonymous)]

BDD - Body dysmorphic disorder: when one has a very distorted and negative view of how one looks.

As for the original thread, I think people don't get down on one another for "cosmetic" dentistry because good dental care has a significant impact on our overall health. Orthodontics can help prevent future dental caries, and periodontal disease because teeth that are misaligned may be harder to clean. Also there is an unexpected correlation between dental disease and systemic disease. People who had periodontal disease have a significantly higher incidence of heart disease, stroke and premature death.

Braces also aid people with TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorders), which is a disorder concerning the jaw joint. My mother suffered from this, but it wasn't diagnosed until she was in her mid-30's and so advanced she suffered migraine headaches for days at a time. She had to have corrective surgery and wear a splint in her mouth for a year. They caught my TMD early enough that I was able to wear braces, which corrected my overbite and thus prevented many of the problems brought on by TMD.

I live in Los Angeles, cosmetic surgery capitol of the world. I don't know how acceptable such surgeries are in other places around the world, but around here people are quick to point out when someone has had work done on their bodies. It's accepted, though I think possibly looked upon with some scorn. Almost as if people resent being fooled. Perhaps it's because cosmetic surgery is so prevalent that people around here prize and admire the natural beauty over the silicone one.

Princess_of_Poppycock