Why are so many  (USA) Americans obsessed with having perfect teeth?
462110
It's a rich and luxerous community. The richer you become, the more focused you would be on problems which less rich people would consider minor or not so significant(like acne, imperfect teath, blemished skin etc), besides, the culture promoted by the very strong and acive media is focused mainly on appearance, which gives it an unpreceded importance in the american society never before experienced in history. Fat or unsocial kids can get harrased and have real trouble at school and sometimes there are suicide attempts because of that, etc.\nYet this tendency of perectingone's looks is not a result of an asthetic sense or of developing  ahgher senstivity towards beuaty, but is mainly due to accumilating great sums of money, the proof to this is that it goes parallel to a very wide spreed symptoms of obessity. If you ever travel to the staes, you would be amazed by te precentage of fat people there!!\n\nThe same symptoms have been present in almost all society during eras or remarkable economic growth(The french used toeat and vomit so they can enjoy more food , the spanishused to make the beds of the nobility from pure gold, etc)\nIt is perfectly naural to act pampered when you can afford it:)\nThe drawback is , of course, is the possibility to become softer, or to be unable tounderstand how do poorer people think, or what types of life they could endure. and this could be a very serious drawback  sometimes.
847595
Americans choose quantity over quality when it comes to food.. everything is super sized. A lot of us do not sit and enjoy a meal, we eat while doing other things, like driving, watching TV, etc., which makes us eat more without thinking. Also, it is not a coincidence, I'm sure, that we have more cars here in  USA than most places, which makes us get less exercise. The worship of thinness here in USA is contradictory to what we as a nation look like. The standard of thinness that is worshiped here is so unnatural and extreme that some people give up s thinking it unattainable and let themselves go even more than if it were a normal  weight standard set.
916447
A lot of people have multiple sets of wisdom teeth.  That, in and of itself, means very little.
801819
OMG i have the exact same problem, i am always compared to my perfect sister but always come up short. and the only reason is because she is older than me so she is more developed, has more personality and more friends which is something i cannot help, and she got her braces off two years ago, so she has gorgeous teeth whereas i still have a year to go with my braces. it ridiculous but i hope as i get older people will start appreciating me more for what i have compared to what i don't have when it comes to me and my sister.
1033005
Vanity preceeds necessity in America
248559
I live in Japan. It's pretty hygenic in a lot of ways but also backwards in others. People often brush their teeth regularly, several times a day but since they don't use fluoride and still somewhat treasure crooked teeth dental problems and cavities are extreemely common. Sex is scary here. In reality, condoms are the most common form of protection but abortion is said to be the depended on form of birth contol. One in five Japanese women has chlamydia When people get sick here they often wear masks to prevent them from passing it on to others but few will skip out on work out of duty. I don't think Japanese doctors are as extensively educated as western doctors either, but I have no stats on that. Cancer treatment, for one, is well behind that in the west and antibiotics are overprescribed (opinion-but they are given even when the doctor says you just have a cold). Oddly, Japanese think nothing of eating raw beef, raw eggs, or anything out of the ocean but raw vegetables like broccoli or carrots are unthinkable. Granted, Japanese standards on beef, dairy and fish are probably stricter than in America but it's still surprising. Another facet is the often destructive influence of mass thinking here. For instance, the cancer causing chemical Radon is often added to "Recuperative spas" because it is thought to have health benefits. Otherwise, pollution standards are reputedly lower here than in much of the west.
1133894
Ask your dentist if bonding would be an option - it is less expensive. \n\n(Alternately, if you are comfortable with the idea and are willing to go outside of the US, dental procedures can be much less expensive. For example my sister goes to a US trained dentist in Mexico and pays 50-75% less, but you'd need to do lots of research to pick a dentist right for you.)\n\nHope this helps - good luck!
811275
alot of them get them custom made by their dentists\njust ask your dentist about it , it will probably cost about 20-30 $
693566
The problem here is people can't think outside of the box. Americans just love to segregate, and pretend we're the cream of the crop. People forget we're all in this world together, no country is better than another country, we're just all people populating the world.
642602
To some people its just assumed they will have perfect teeth.  What drives them is just expectation.  With other people it's internal motivation.   If you really want something you will work to get it, cost isn't a issue.  What you have to remember is that sometimes people who think you have bucked teeth will be making decisions that affect you.  A potentional employer, a traffic officer, anyone. . .  your appearance does affect the way you are treated.  It's not right,  But it is human nature.  So if you are on the fence and trying to decide  you should consider everything.  Bad and Good.\n\nOn the good side;\nStraight teeth are easier to maintain, so they tend to last longer.   AFter braces people smile more.  \n\nGood Luck Deciding
251935
America has the most unrealistic standards of beauty in the world. Especially for women. Males want to see stick-thin women with a little meat on her, but the "meat" has to be lean meat. American women are the most hairless people in the universe since a smooth woman is the American standard. The unrealistic "American beautiful woman" can be seen on cartoons and comic strips.  Long, curly-wavy hair, perfectly waxed/plucked eyebrows, no other facial hair but a properly-placed mole is fine, full lips, quite buxom, a tiny waist that makes one wonder if they have all their organs, and long smooth shapely strong legs.  It does make many women hate themselves and head for the plastic surgeon.  It especially messes with teenage girls' heads causing them to starve themselves, be depressed and even cut themselves to feel better about their image. Male advertisers are to blame.
608320
HONEY I AM 25 AND STILL NO TEETH IN SIGHT. WE ALL WORK AT OUR OWN PACE ... DONT RUSH IT. SOME PEOPLE DONT EVEN GET THEM OR NOTICE WHEN THEY DO IT DEPENDS ON IF YOUR MOUTH HAS ENOUGH ROOM TO COME IN.
338983
No, so many other Americans take so much pride in themselves that they make up for me though.  That's one reason we're called ugly Americans.  We love ourselves too much and think our country is better than all the others.  I'd like to move to another country if I could afford it.
236091
well.....  there are many reasons why some guys teeth can be messed up, maybe he had a vitamin deficiency  as a kid, or his parents  did not have the money to take care of his teeth growing up... etc.  as long as hes a nice guy  and treats you well , its more important than his outer appearance ! teeth can be fixed , a crappy personality can't be fixed !
833374
People are obsessed because they're obsessed with celebrities in general.  Looks have a lot to do with "orientation" as you put it and that will not change; it's human nature.  You don't live in a Utopia where what you think should be is; you live in the real world where what is IS.\n\nYou adopt the stance that "these things" shouldn't matter, but just because you say it doesn't make it so.  The truth is, to most people it does matter because they are fundamental elements of what make a person what they are.
990250
Well I don't exactly know what you mean because you couldn't get too specific, but I'll give a general answer of my opinion.\n\nI think the obsession with America is due to the fact that we are a young country. Not just young, but like a baby country compared to everyone else. Sure we have history (I hate to have anyone say that any country has NO history . . if it's there it has history) but we don't have the "legend" aspect to us. We're supposed to be such a great country but yet I think we are pushed to prove that because of how young we are. Therefore, everything about America is watched so closely. Others want to know what's next for America and just what America is all about. This country is kind of all over the place, always trying to kind of judge what's right or wrong, so it's not like when you go to another country and things are a little more routine. I guess America is so free that it can be too free a times and we tend to be watched.\n\nHey, I think America needs to be watched sometime too. But mainly, I think we just need to grow into the world a little more.
1125705
my mom and dad go to mexico once a year, whether they need it or not, to do dental exams and cleanings and root canals, they claim the fillings used are a better metal than the usa uses and it is much cheaper and depsite what you think it is also safe my mom has been a dr. for 10= yrs and she trusts them, and like someone said you can get good legal drugs for the pain...which i am sure there will be and for that i wish you a very speedy recovery.