Reply #330: Wrong premise there...

[Solon]

First thing first, braces and cleft palate procedure are done for VALID MEDICAL REASONS ONLY. You do NOT get braces for "looks" or a cultural/religious tradition, neither is the cleft palate only for cosmetic reasons. Kids born with cleft palates have difficulty eating and communicating later in life, in fact, I would go so far as to say that if a parent REFUSES to have their kid treated properly for such deformities then that should be a punishable offense.

If you want to know why I feel strongly about it, read this post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=797897&mesg_id=800508

Then read this one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=797897&mesg_id=801684

Now, if all this happened to you, because of an UNNECESSARY medical procedure, wouldn't you think that others shouldn't run the RISK of suffering the same fate?