When I was a kid, everyone who could afford it got braces. As far as I was concerned, getting braces was one more annoying step in the coming-of-age process. A dentist told my parents I needed braces, and I strongly disagreed. Thousands of dollars later, I had straight teeth for about a year or two, until my wisdom teeth grew in and made my lower teeth crooked all over again. To me, braces were a painful waste of money, but many of the kids who never got braces felt like they were missing out on something. That's just how it is when you're a teenager—you want what you don't have and are given things you don't want.
One mom recently vented to r/AmItheAsshole about an ongoing conflict she's had with her daughter for years. Her daughter begged her parents for braces when she was a kid, but her parents repeatedly declined, arguing that it wasn't necessary. Eventually, OP met her daughter half way and agreed to let her try out teeth aligners, which ended up damaging her teeth to the point where she really did need treatment. The comment section was pretty torn on the matter, but most argued that OP was the a-hole. Read the whole story and decide where you align.
“Hijacking the top comment to tell my story:" said u/Susannah_Mio_, "I am the same as the daughter in this post is. For my parents getting me braces and going to appointments every 2 - 4 weeks was just too much hassle and costs. My teeth are crooked af but there is no medical reason to get braces. It just looks ugly as hell. I asked them for braces over and over but they said no and I was on their insurance ofc so when I was 15, 16, 17 I could still not start the treatment without them agreeing. As soon as I turned 18 I went to a specialist to ask about braces. They listed estimated costs and it was close to 10k. Money I did not have since I had to put myself through university working 2 jobs next to my classes to just pay my bills. Insurance will not cover any braces treatment that aren't medically necessary for adults. At some point I made peace with the way my teeth look but I never smile with my lips open and I adopted the habit of not showing too much of my teeth when I speak. I still have crooked teeth and I still resent my parents for it. YTA big time and you better fully pay for your daughters braces.”
While most commenters agreed that OP was the a-hole, not everyone was on the same page.
