explaining modern dental braces

[RebeccaMI]

At the reenactment we attended last weekend, there was a dance. When I went up at the end of the night to thank the caller for coming, I noticed that she was wearing braces. It's one of those modern things that many of us go through at some point in our lives (I know I did as a teen) and unless you're lucky enough to have the Invisalign kind, it's not something that can be taken off. And it certainly doesn't make any sense to tell your dentist that you can't wear braces because you're a reenactor and it's not authentic to the 1860s. So the rest of the weekend I was thinking in the back of my mind how someone who was trying to be very authentic might explain braces?

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

At the reenactment we attended last weekend, there was a dance. When I went up at the end of the night to thank the caller for coming, I noticed that she was wearing braces. It's one of those modern things that many of us go through at some point in our lives (I know I did as a teen) and unless you're lucky enough to have the Invisalign kind, it's not something that can be taken off. And it certainly doesn't make any sense to tell your dentist that you can't wear braces because you're a reenactor and it's not authentic to the 1860s. So the rest of the weekend I was thinking in the back of my mind how someone who was trying to be very authentic might explain braces?

RebeccaMI,

I don't believe you could find a "period" explanation...the best way to explain it is probably just to be honest, that this modern intrussion is for a modern health/cosmetic purpose.

Paul~who also suffered through this as a teen

[NoahBriggs]

It requires planning ahead, but there could always be the option to have "inside braces", ie, applied on the inside of the teeth.

I had braces while reenacting. As they said above, there is no way around it, and if I saw it at an immersion event I'd ignore it. There is nothing which could be done about it.

Stainless Steel Sex Appeal,

[ElizabethClark]

If interior braces aren't an option for whatever reason, orthodontics aren't something I'd even bother to discuss or explain. They fall into "willing suspension of disbelief in service of a greater goal" for me, even at history-heavy events. I wouldn't remark upon someone using an insulin pump under their petticoats, either (modern health trumps most things!) Braces are a modern medical thing that's fairly discreet, and not worth fussing over.

[RebeccaMI]

They fall into "willing suspension of disbelief in service of a greater goal" for me, even at history-heavy events. I wouldn't remark upon someone using an insulin pump under their petticoats, either (modern health trumps most things!) Braces are a modern medical thing that's fairly discreet, and not worth fussing over.

I guess I was just wondering if anyone had ever gotten really, really creative and come up with an explanation, or if modern braces fall into one of those "it's for the greater good and I can't do anything about it" categories that we just ignore.

[NoahBriggs]

if modern braces fall into one of those "it's for the greater good and I can't do anything about it" categories that we just ignore.

Judging by the responses you got, the latter.

As they say in the commercial, "that was easy."

[sbl]

Then again, the young Marie Antoinette had her teeth straightened by a French dentist "with wires."

[eric marten]

Regarding wearing braces at historical re-enactments:
I was performing at a living history museum with one of my students - both of us on actual period fiddles, with 19th century pitch, gut strings, real tail-gut, absolutely well- researched music and style, etc, and a visitor came up and had a snide remark about the young man's braces. It was extremely rude, and the 14 year old playing fiddle for the benefit of the entire audience, (and, playing fiddle better than anyone I know) felt so akward from that point on, and tried to not open his mouth the rest of the day. I wish it had been the rude insensitive visitor who had kept his mouth shut. Hey, I just thought of something else that they didn't have during the civil war - rude spectators who can't appreciate someone else's contribution without trying to make themselves seem better than those who actually have something worthwhile to contribute.

Eric Marten

[SmellyFed]

The first thing that comes to mind is, "get yoself some Billy Bob teeth".

[image]http://www.faketeeth.net/catalog/billybob_th.jpg[/image]

Ha!

But seriously, dont worry about your braces.

[Spinster]

Regarding wearing braces at historical re-enactments:
I was performing at a living history museum with one of my students - both of us on actual period fiddles, with 19th century pitch, gut strings, real tail-gut, absolutely well- researched music and style, etc, and a visitor came up and had a snide remark about the young man's braces. It was extremely rude, and the 14 year old playing fiddle for the benefit of the entire audience, (and, playing fiddle better than anyone I know) felt so akward from that point on, and tried to not open his mouth the rest of the day. I wish it had been the rude insensitive visitor who had kept his mouth shut. Hey, I just thought of something else that they didn't have during the civil war - rude spectators who can't appreciate someone else's contribution without trying to make themselves seem better than those who actually have something worthwhile to contribute.

Eric Marten

Eric, this so reminds me of a point at which my then 14 year old Darling Daughter was running her spinning wheel (found and rehabed herself with her own money) and producing some mighty fine woolen yarn (she was, and remains a better spinner than I), while giving a running commentary on spinning and the Southern homefront effort.

A rather unctous woman with a group in tow took the liberty of loudly pointing out the 6 inch piece of clear plastic fishing line which was serving as a scotch tension brake between bobbin and flyer--a piece Daughter did not normally use, but the heat and humidity were high enough that day that it was necessary.

I was a good 20 feet away, when I saw the girl turn the shade of deep red that in our home indicated that an atomic blast would soon follow. Being hip deep in a dye pot, I was helpless to intervene. Good thing too--she had it handled.

Daughter took a deep breath, and turned to the woman "Yes mam, I know that the plastic fishing line is not correct, and that catgut would have been used during the period.....(big blue eyes fill with tears)......But my kitty is just sooooo cute, I just can't bear the thought of........

I did not hear the rest of the sentence as the woman began to sputter and flounced away, group in tow.

Kids do a better job at this than many of us.