The financial benefits of having straight teeth
In a previous article I wrote about the unfortunate reality of beauty discrimination in the world today. I said that “making yourself look more attractive is apparently one of the best investments you can make in your lifetime.” According to studies, an attractive looking man could make $250,000 more over his lifetime than someone who is unattractive.
So lately I’ve been thinking about improving my appearance permanently to increase my chances of becoming rich more quickly. I decided to start with my teeth because they are the least expensive to change. So last week I went and got braces! Thankfully I found a great dentist. 🙂 Unlike the unlucky patient in the picture below. 😛
This is the first time I’ve ever gotten braces so it feels a bit weird, and for the first couple of days it felt really tight and hurt when I eat. But I’m getting use to it now after the first week, and it doesn’t hurt as often anymore. These braces cost me $2,000 total. The dentist said I can get them removed within a year so I don’t have to wear them for too long. 🙂
I put the entire $2,000 balance on my credit card because I don’t have an emergency fund and I didn’t really plan for this. I had thought about getting braces for awhile, but what finally pushed me to do it was watching the new TV show I blogged about last week. I stated that one of my strategies to get rich is to copy what the rich do. I noticed that everyone has almost perfect teeth in that show. I’m sure having great smiles must have contributed to them being so famous on Instagram, and with fame often comes opportunities for fortune 🙂
Was this a dumb investment decision? especially considering it’s 100% financed on my credit card which has a 19.9% annual interest rate. Or will investing in my teeth’s appearance be one of the best financial choices I’ve ever made? 😀 I will let you guys know after my next performance review at work. If I get a bigger salary increase than normal, then I’ll know my new appearance is paying off 😉
Who knows. If this can really benefit my earning potential then later on I may decide to go for a brow lift or nose job too 😕
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Random useless fact: In August 2013 scientists discovered a new animal in Colombia. They named this new species the Olinguito. It’s the first new carnivorous mammal found in the Western Hemisphere in more than 35 years. Below is a picture of a baby olinguito.
You mean that first picture isn’t standard operating procedure everywhere? I might have to change dentists. I’ve noticed a lot of the studies saying that more attractive people and taller people and “in shape” people make more than their counterparts. I wouldn’t do any extremes like plastic surgery or anything but getting your teeth straightened is fine. Plus it might build more confidence that leads to you asking/demanding more money. I’m curious how much impact their actual appearance has rather than being told how great you look your whole life builds up a certain self esteem level that makes you demand more out of people that owe you something (income) or makes “inferior” people feel like you have it all so you deserve the very best we can offer. Just a thought. Good old psychology always messing with our heads.
Even attractiveness can be subjective too. Someone could spend hundreds of dollars on a hairstyle that they think looks cool, but maybe others may not. I think when it comes to money, other people’s perception of you matters more and self esteem certainly helps with that 🙂
I’ve always wanted braces, but when I went in to get assessed, I was told twice by different people that they will have to break and re-set my jaw in order to straighten out my teeth. Not only would the recovery time be lengthy, but I’d be in braces for 3-5 years, and it would cost anywhere from $5,000-$10,000 – and this was 10 years ago. So… methinks I’ll keep my slightly crooked teeth and earn less in my lifetime 🙂
That’s quite a lot of money 🙁 I have a friend who had braces for 3 years and he really hated it. One intangible cost is the inconvenience and extra time spent taking care of them.
Interesting point about how attractiveness can get you ahead so it’s worth the investment. I get it with the teeth because there’s not much of an alternative. But for other things- make up, haircuts, personal care products, etc- there’s just so many ways of doing it cheaper. I spend next to nothing on my personal appearance (free beauty school haircuts, occasionally I paint my own nails, I tweeze my own eyebrows, and once in a while I’ll blow dry my hair) and not to toot my own horn, but I get away with a lot because of the way I look. I think it’s more about how you put yourself together (and it can be with limited resources). I’m in great shape because I run, not because I spend a fortune on gym memberships, personal training, and diet plans.
I like your frugal and fit routine 🙂 I hardly spend any money on that stuff too, although it’s easier for me to do since I’m a guy and don’t buy beauty products in general. People have been living for thousands of years without a “gym” and still found ways to exercise and build a strong and healthy body.
As someone who is generally really careful with her money, I’d say the $6000+ dollars I spent on my braces was some of the best money I’ve spent. I was a student at that time and had a bit of student debt, I could’ve put that money into debt repayment, but I had considered braces for a while and just went for it. It was my biggest expense I had ever made at that point in my life and I don’t regret it at all. Your teeth are at the centre of your face and could really affect your self esteem and how you present yourself. I don’t know if people are less likely to be hired/promoted without perfect teeth (I actually got my first serious job with a face full of metal), but I do know that my teeth affected the way how I felt about myself, and this in turn could affect my confidence and success at work. The money I paid to no longer feel self conscious about my teeth was 100% worth it. I don’t know about other invasive plastic surgeries though… I do remember reading an article about people in Asia getting “leg extensions” by… Read more »
I talked to my friends recently about getting braces and I’m surprised by how many of them said they had braces before too, usually in their teenage years. And it appears that the price of braces has come down over time. Legs extensions sound a bit scary (O_o) I wouldn’t do it either even if someone offered me a million dollars. I know the recovery time for that can take years.
You might get that raise after the braces are off.. not before. They’re not really the most attractive things in the world. 🙂
I will say that I had braces when I was in high school and they were necessary.
For $2000, I managed to smile more, feel better and everyone compliments me on my grin (men and women).. so I guess it works. It makes me look more approachable and feel friendlier which helps at work.
Superficial but true
Society in general is superficial so it’s become the norm now.
Looks are usually the first thing we notice about people.
“You know Bob from accounting? He’s the tall guy with the beard.”
I’m glad braces worked out for you 🙂 I can’t wait until I see the results of mine.
I had braces for YEARS when I was a teenager, and it’s money that I’m glad my dad spent. He always said that teeth were super important and that he would spend as much money on them as he could haha
I agree. Everyone notices a warm smile with great looking teeth 🙂
Way to use some of that money you’ve been make’n. I realize it is on credit for now, but I know you already have a plan to pay it down. I have been luck with my teeth, so did not need braces. Unfortunately my son won’t be so lucky, and we already have a fund for when the dentist decides it’s time. Self image is worth more than what others think. If you are happy with yourself, it will project to others… I’d skip the plastic surgeries… I know a few who have had them thinking it would solve their shortcomings, only to realize it is a mental issue more than physical , and undoing physical scars is a lot harder than making them. In the words of Mr Red Green: “If women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.” – I’m a Jack of all trades guy… at least I got that goin’ for me – Cheers.
I haven’t watched that show since forever 😆 Being good with your hands is one of the perks of being an engineer 🙂 Your son is lucky there’s a braces fund with his name on it lol.
I remember being in middle school and being jealous of all the kids with braces since it felt like I was the only kid with teeth straight enough not to need them! Everyone else got to have orthodontist appointments and prizes and colored rubber bands!
Beauty and earnings may be correlated, but I think that might be more to do with the relationships between beauty and confidence and confidence and earnings than anything else. If this translates into more confidence, then THAT, I think, is what will help grow your career. But from a blog reader’s perspective, you never seemed particularly low on confidence… =)
Thanks, I think I’m only confident in what I understand mostly. I received a comment before from another reader that she got cosmetic surgery for her nose and that had boosted her confidence by a lot and she’s probably making more money now than before too. I hope my new braces can help me build up more confidence in life overall too 🙂
I’m curious doesn’t your benefits plan at work include orthodontist services?
Unfortunately my company plan doesn’t cover ortho 🙁 But it does cover basics like cleaning or fillings. The insurance company says because braces are usually for cosmetic purposes. If I accidentally knocked out a tooth or something, then they would cover 50% of the cost to replace it 🙂 And in case anyone was wondering, I didn’t choose invisalign because it would have costed me 2.5x more and the timeline for keeping them on would be longer than just having traditional braces.
Bless my parents, they got me braces when I was in my late teens. I didn’t smile for years… cuz of my braces. I had an overbite, my face was a heart shape. The dentist decided to move my jaw forward, I had to wear a container and it was uncomfortable. Now I have more of a square face lol. He changed the way I look! A smile with nice set of straight teeth is always welcoming.
Oh I watched Rich Kids of Beverly Hills… OMG, so many hash tags and slang. The way they talk so openly about stuff is crazy. Interesting to see how they operate on parent’s money. They have no sense of money like how hard it is for some people to make money.
I liked that part when they had a pinata stuffed with money instead of candy lol. And they just left the money on the ground. If I were there I would be all over that picking up each and every dollar haha. And when that girl got cut off from her parent’s money she was so devastated. I think it shows how lifestyle inflation can hurt us if we don’t control it. Like most things in life there has to be a balance. If we indulge ourselves too much for too long when we’re young then it will be really hard to cut back when we’re older and may have to because of financial difficulties.
Just looking at that top picture makes me cringe!! I hope the braces are going well so far!
It’s going better than I expected, thanks 🙂 Luckily it’s only the top row so it’s not too intrusive.
what!? You decided to just… get braces, on a creditcard! what!? Luck you only get them for a year, I wore those suckers for yeaaaars as a teenager, great fun, let me tell ya
I’m picking up a hint of sarcasm in your last sentence there -_- lol. Yeah, it wasn’t the best financial decision to just get braces, but hopefully I can pay off the credit card quickly without accruing too much interest 😕
I’m reading this the night before I go to the dentist. I hate going to the dentist. >.<
Also the baby olinguito is adorable. I want one now. O_O;
At least you get a free tooth brush each visit 🙂 And sometimes even dental floss if you ask.
[…] this year I decided to get braces for financial reasons. According to my research people with very straight teeth make more money […]
The teeth pictures are so strange, overall i really like your information
I am just laughing after seeing the top picture. how crazy is the world. dentist north shore
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