Should Parents Invest in Braces if Not Medically Necessary

There are certain expenses for which parents are absolutely responsible. These are things like food, healthcare, clothing, and other essentials. But providing clothes doesn’t mean spending hundreds of dollars on the latest fashion trends.

Similarly, some parents may find it hard to decide whether or not to invest in braces for their kids. Braces would normally fall under the category of healthcare, but if braces are not medically necessary, is it a wise choice to purchase them for your children?

Why Parents Might want to Consider the Effects of Peer Pressure Before they Invest in Braces

This time, I need some of your parenting advice. Recently, a dear friend told me he noticed a couple of his kids showing a reluctance to display their broad smiles in public, and he was burdened about the high cost of getting them braces. My advice was to allow his kids to take on jobs to pay for the braces themselves since braces are not a life or death issue, and their teeth did not seem that bad to me.

My greater concern was that peer pressure, alone, should not keep his kids from smiling. Being ok with our smiles—at least until we can position ourselves to change them—just might be an exercise in character. Maybe I’m too callous, so I would be interested in hearing your thought on the issue.

Picture Provided by: Steven Depolo