In Germany we could watch a change in using kinds of braces. In former times removable braces were more common. But nowadays just everyone is treated by fixed braces. Simultaneously there was another change. In the seventies it was a blemish to wear braces. Nowadays it's more common, and therefore it's more accepted. I think this is - among other things - due to the use of fixed braces that cannot be hidden as easily as removable braces can be. Therefore you got used to see braces.
On the other hand there was an opposite developement: Children in the seventies often were to be seen wearing retainer cases attached by neck laces (shown in
http://anonym.to/?http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2898942430079295785TYvrAJ). The children could take out their (removable) braces easily and saving it in their retainer cases temporarily. But nowadays - when braces are common and almost accepted by everyone - retainer cases on neck laces went out of fashion in spite of being so convenient.
Due to the fact that stateside braces (and I hope removable ones as much as fixed ones) are more accepted than in Germany, I wonder, whether retainer cases on neck laces are common, too.
Do you have any experiences about this matter? What about the situation stateside or in other countries?
In addition to this you may read about an experience in Germany in about 1987:
http://www.bracesforum.net/smf/braces_storys_braces_special_english/real_sightings-t4167.0.html;msg36159#msg36159
