22-year-old Austin went viral on TikTok after sharing his embarrassing story about the time his mother insisted they save the braces that he got removed in 2014. He found them on a Christmas ornament in their basement years later. If that doesn't shout "American Healthcare Energy" I don't know what does.
@austin9943 Wait till the end... sadly, it’s worth it. ##fy ##fyp ##braces ##mom
♬ original sound - austin9943
The crafty mother is being celebrated for her handiwork and also inspiring other parents to do the same. The price of dental work in the United States is ridiculously high compared to that of other countries, so why wouldn't you want to hold on to the results of thousands of your dollars spent? Austin came across the ornament about two weeks ago and thought, "I bet a lot of people don't do this," and shared the story with BuzzFeed.
"The dentist thought it was kind of weird but had no problem putting them in a bag for us," Austin said. "In all honesty, I wasn’t as embarrassed as I claim to be in the video. Our family isn’t shy to speak up — not in a Karen sort of way — but by being respectful and speaking up." Several people commented on the TikTok, with people saying things like, "Omg I work in orthodontics and I've never had someone ask me to keep their braces," one person wrote in the comments. "Maybe I'll start giving them away in December for ornaments." Looks like Austin's mom's savvy ways are inspiring people even in the dental industry.