Wednesday 4 August 2010

Dental Treatment, Discipline and Despair

I just love this pic (left) I have been sent (possibly originating from Medical Toys - web address in the 'Useful Resource' list in the right hand sidebar). It just so happens that I have recently been revisiting a piece I wrote that is destined either for the new book or for the true INSTITUTIONALISED volume 3 that should shortly follow it if all goes to plan - so you can imagine how this pic has stimulated the little grey cells! Imagine the aim is to curb the over exuberant teenage girl so as to ease the imposition of strict domestic or institutional discipline and all that goes with it – the juvenile uniform, the humiliating impositions, the hours of corner-standing, corporal punishment and the rest and the rest. There is much that can be achieved through the fitting of a lingual arch that just happens to interfere with the travel of the tongue or confidence-sapping teeth braces that make any glance at the vanity mirror a trial to be avoided with downcast eyes. Either can be expected to result in a much quieted, less self opinionated and more complacent young lady. Physical pain and suffering should not form any part of the equation of course and one would expect the relevant necessary level of anaesthesia and analgesia to be provided throughout. Indeed the use of a general anaesthetic has all sorts of advantages well beyond creative dentistry: for example a little surreptitious well-thought-out application of Botox conjures all sorts of morale-crushing possibilities. Then of course there is even the possibility of one or two extractions having taken place – which might appeal to the more extreme-minded. Personally I prefer to think of the more subtle. But nevertheless, though physical suffering may be entirely circumvented in this scheme, the psychological agony after the fact may be made all the more intense. Then afterwards the governess or other authority figure might well take it on herself, through some half-feigned concern, to closely observe her charge’s speech - to that young lady’s discomfiture - until the latter should stutter or stumble. A swift word or two of criticism and a stern request for the hapless young thing to repeat a sentence or two of lisped, mispronounced or stammered content should then be enough to get the ball rolling… (Right - a pretty smile, but for how much longer?)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel a bit ignorant of all of its medical possibilities - what might some of the "morale-crushing possibilities" of Botox be?

Orage said...

A post gone!
How dare you remove your nice photo? :(

Anonymous said...


I very much like the idea of some dental work taking place. It might be the result of too many sweets, which have in turn transformed a previously fit young woman into a chubby docile girl now in need of some correction.
Once the decay has been dealt with, the fitting of an uncomfortable brace would increase her misery.