(The braces, she said, were real.) “Some of us have real dental problems. And for the others it’s just, well, fashion.” But fashion braces are medically worthless and potentially deadly.

Real dental braces for actual orthodontic treatment cost at least 50,000 baht per set, while fake ones cost around 1,400 baht.

“Ask Lauren” is a column for kids by a kid. Growing up nowadays can be complicated. That’s where Lauren comes in. She’s dealt with many of the same things other youngsters wrestle with and ...

They are an end in themselves, deemed “cute” to a point where some people put on “fake braces.” (Even now, one can find a variety of “ready to wear braces” in Shopee and Lazada.) While some scientists ...