14 DAY TRIAL // Having a metal mouth is no longer frowned upon in Asia, where teens are wearing braces as a fashion statement.
According to NY Daily News, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malayasia are being flooded with fake braces, which run a lot cheaper than real ones.
Vice magazine writes that the movement is gaining exposure as stars are picking up on the trend. Thai female pop singer Earn the Star and Indonesian musician Andika Kangen are two representatives of the unlikely braces trend.
Several blogs selling fashion braces are around, and one can buy tinted, cartoon or celebrity inspired accessories for around $100 (€75).
Some braces run as cheap as $30 (€22), but they do come with their share of risk. In a 2010 piece, the Global Post warned about the risk involved with black-market, unprescribed braces – lead poisoning, choking on loose metal parts, and injuring of the gums and throat.