The Times-Picayune - sunday, 20. April 2008 - by Evelyn Theiss

More adults want to wear braces

Braces used to go with gawky adolescence like a burger and fries. But these days, they're going with adulthood like houses and mortgages, as men and women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and up take advantage of new technologies that promise straighter teeth and a healthy, even bite in half the time and hassle of 20 years ago.

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, the number of adult orthodontic patients jumped 33.5 percent from 1996 to 2006, with 1.1 million adult orthodontic patients in the United States in 2006.

Dr. Raymond George, the Providence, R.I., president of the Orthodontists Association, says that 25 years ago, about 5 percent of his practice was adults. Now, it's about 35 percent.

George says he thinks two things are in play in this national trend.

"One is that the aesthetics of braces are so much better than they were, so it doesn't bother adults to wear them so much," he says. "Two, treatment goes a lot faster than it used to. Instead of three and a half years, it might be 18 to 24 months."

The level of ongoing time commitment is much less as well. Advancements in braces design mean that patients come in for adjustments every two months or so, instead of every three or four weeks as was the case 30 years ago.

Mary Coleman and Peggy Cleary have been close friends since high school. Now 52, they're both wearing braces.

Coleman teases Cleary that she was copying her, but Cleary says she was told as a teenager that she needed braces to correct her bite.

Her dad told her he could afford braces or college. She picked college.

For Cleary, braces aren't about vanity, but about keeping her teeth strong and aligned.

"I know some people get braces for cosmetic reasons, but if I was going to spend $6,000 for cosmetic reasons, I'd get plastic surgery," she jokes.

And, as she, Coleman and other adults have learned, dental insurance almost never covers adult orthodontia. So the cost -- the ballpark is $3,000 to $5,000 -- is out of pocket.

Orthodontists generally offer payment plans.

Cleary, a Fairview Park, Ohio, council member, says that for the first few months, her dental equipment kept her from eating in public. "It was awkward, and I ended up losing 20 pounds," she says, which she considers a plus. "I didn't talk as much and I noticed I wasn't smiling as much, especially in pictures -- I was a little shy."

But she soon got over it. "I notice that people seem intrigued by adult braces," she says. "Especially men. They'll say how young I look, and part of me feels like a teenager again."

Coleman says she'd gone through her whole life with straight teeth, "but then I found out my bite wasn't aligned any more."

She started with clear aligner trays, which led to a funny episode. Coleman was on a flight with her daughter, having a conversation with the man sitting next to her. She smiled at her daughter, who gasped in horror: Coleman's bottom gum had started bleeding, and the blood got trapped under the plastic tray.

"So I'm smiling and talking to this man, and I've got these bloody bottom teeth," laughs Coleman about her "vampire moment." Soon she learned she'd have to wear the clear braces longer than she would if they were metal, so she switched.

"I thought, 'Hey, it might even make me look younger.' But also, braces on adults are so much more common now."

Maria Kahle, a homemaker from Strongsville, Ohio, wore braces for four years, from age 35 to 39.

"It had always bothered me that my front teeth were crooked," says Kahle, 43. "I was more self-conscious about my teeth than I ever was about wearing braces. When I was a child, you didn't see grown-ups with braces, but by the time I got them, there were a lot of adult patients at my orthodontist's office. It was expensive, but worth it."

Now, her two sons, 13 and 11, will be getting braces, so she can relate even better to what they'll be going through.

Dr. Thomas DiMassa of Westlake, Ohio, says that when he started his orthodontic practice 25 years ago, he had almost no adult patients; now, about half of his practice is adult patients. Not surprisingly, he says that adults are easier, more compliant patients.

"They brush better, they keep their appointments, they don't eat the foods you tell them not to, they wear the rubber bands when you tell them to, they're more inquisitive about what we're doing," he says.

"The kids plop themselves down and say, 'Do what you have to do.' "

Adults appreciate what they're getting from the process, he says.


Source: https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.nola.com/living/t-p/index.ssf?/base/living-10/1208669718248010.xml&coll=1

Orlando Sentinel -  April 22, 2008 - by Aisha Sultan

A clear-eyed look at invisible braces

The idea behind the product is enticing, but there are some problems.

T. LOUIS - It's a seductive message for adults seeking a perfect smile: an easy, painless and invisible way to straighter teeth.

Christine Raye, 38, of Glendale, Mo., knew she wanted it the moment she saw the TV commercial four years ago. She's not alone. Demand for Invisalign, a system of clear, changeable retainers, has boomed since it was introduced about nine years ago. In 2006, Align Technology, the California-based maker of Invisalign, shipped to 26,000 doctors worldwide, nearly 17 percent more than the previous year.

More than half a million people have used the product, and about 46,000 doctors have taken the half-day training to become providers.

Dr. Jackie Demko of Chesterfield, Mo., says she had three to five Invisalign patients a year when she began offering the product eight years ago. Now, she is up to 100 cases a year.

But despite the widespread use and slick marketing, the way to flawless pearly whites can be filled with surprises.

Hundreds have shared their real-life experiences on a popular Invisalign forum on Braces review.com. Many don't learn about the details and common procedures involved with the computer-generated treatment until they've committed thousands of dollars to it.

While the company says its surveys show that 87 percent of respondents are extremely or very satisfied with their treatment, it also does not collect information about bad outcomes or failed cases.

After experiencing the process firsthand and hearing from other Invisalign users, here's the straight talk on getting straight teeth.


Not quite invisible

Most patients require little buttonlike attachments bonded to their teeth to hold the aligners in place to pull down or turn a tooth. The number of buttons may vary, and they may be added at various points of the treatment.

Raye, who is about six months into the treatment, recently had two attachments put on her front two teeth and asked if her dentist could add them after the holidays.

"They're weird, but they're still never going to be as bad as braces," she said.

Matt Schilling, 25, of Baltimore, learned about the attachments only by visiting the online forums. His aligners have the bumps to connect to the buttons, but his orthodontist did not add the composite attachments to his teeth. Still, when he saw the bumps on his new set of trays, also called aligners, he thought, "Wow. You can really see them. So much for the invisible part."


Unexpected problems

Many adults suffer from crowding in their teeth. The aligners, which are switched out every two weeks, are created after taking a full mold of the patient's teeth and sending the impression to the company's lab. A computer-generated series of steps predicts how the teeth will move into place with each set of new aligners, which are all created at one time. Often times, the treatment calls for creating space by "slenderizing" or making "interproximal reductions," as the company calls it.

Orthodontist Robert Waxler of St. Louis County says studies have shown that removing small parts of the enamel does not damage to the tooth. But it depends on the skill of the practitioners. One woman posted an entry online in which she describes the "horse tooth" she is left with after the provider made gaps she considered too big.

Schilling said the slenderizing was not only surprising but also painful.

"Some blood comes out," he recalled. "That wasn't expected at all."


There's some pain

After the first set of aligners is inserted, some patients are taken aback by the pain and pressure on their teeth.

"Everybody has some degree of discomfort," Waxler said. "You cannot move a tooth without getting sore."

Those who have had braces say the discomfort pales in comparison, but newbies may not be prepared. Some take a pain reliever before putting in a new pair of aligners.

For the first few days, patients speak with a noticeable lisp, which may recur with every new set of trays. Snugly fitting trays can also be challenging to remove until users perfect their technique. The trays must be worn constantly and are only removed for eating, drinking and brushing.


It's a commitment

Wearing the aligners requires a serious commitment. They won't work and may end up worsening a situation unless they are worn constantly. If a tray gets lost or broken, doctors recommend wearing the previous set until a replacement is sent.

"If you don't wear anything, the teeth will drift," Waxler explained.

The average length of treatment is about a year, but the doctor can order refinements, which can prolong the process. About half of Demko's cases take a bit longer than originally predicted.

"The computer image is a prediction, and the human body is not 100 percent predictable," Demko said.


It's a lifetime thing

Keeping a piece of plastic in your mouth for more than 20 hours a day means odor is inevitable. Most users double the normal daily maintenance, soaking and brushing the plastic retainers, as well as their teeth. Some carry floss to prevent pieces of food from getting trapped in the plastic after eating.

Finally, the commitment doesn't end when the treatment ends. To prevent teeth from moving back, doctors say patients must wear retainers at night for life and that some of them need to be replaced annually.



Source: https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/lifestyle/orl-invisiblebraces08apr22,0,3918785.story?track=rss

The Oregonian - Friday 9. May 2008 - by Joe Fitzgibbon

Wearing braces is very different nowadays for kids (and adults)

Orthodontics - Long, unpleasant appointments have become far less painful


Kirsten Pribilsky expects her children to smile a lot wider and more often than she did as a child.

The West Linn mother of four recalls long hours and frequent visits with her orthodontist.

"I grew up with traditional braces and head gear, and this is so much better, " Pribilsky said as she waited with her three teenage sons and daughter for an informal visit with Lake Oswego orthodontist Bill Dischinger.

A dozen years ago, a trip to the orthodontist often meant long sessions in a dental chair, unpleasant brace tightenings, uncomfortable mouthpieces called palatal expanders, rigid head braces -- even the extraction of healthy teeth.

But for a growing number of today's 5 million people wearing braces, including an estimated 1 million adults, that is changing.

The Damon System -- the brainchild of Spokane orthodontist Dwight Damon -- replaces heavy braces and elastics with lightweight wire and less visible slide mechanisms.

Orthodontists, both those who use Damon and those who don't, are also turning to digital imaging processes under the brand names OrthoCad and Insignia that create three-dimensional images of a patient's mouth, with precise computer measurements for the placement of braces. The virtual pictures show patients what their smiles will be like 16 to 24 months later.

"I thought it was pretty cool to see the before-and-after pictures," said 16-year-old Stefan Pribilsky, who switched to Damon braces after a year in traditional mouth gear.

Dischinger, a protg of Damon and one of the few certified Damon System instructors, said the system cuts by one-third the number of months patients need to wear braces, eliminates nearly all friction on teeth and gums, and readjusts rather than removes misaligned teeth. The process, he said, enables teeth to straighten more quickly and comfortably.

In addition, he said, Damon braces are less visible, easier to clean and accumulate less plaque.

"It's been pretty phenomenal," said Dischinger, who has put Damon braces on his wife and mother-in-law, along with several hundred children and other adults in the past nine years. "I really think this is the future of orthodontics."

Amanda Coleman of Tualatin said after her first procedure with Dischinger, "I had braces about 22 years ago and now I'm back. . . . This looks like it's going to be easier and shorter."

Damon's son, Paul, also an orthodontist, said that his father, who was lecturing in Europe last month about his system, created the lightweight braces after watching his patients' struggles.

"Dad has a very mechanical mind and knew that there had to be a way to eliminate the friction and discomfort," Paul Damon said. "It took a couple of years of testing, but he's really pleased to see that it's caught on."

Dischinger, who shares an office with his father, Terry Dischinger, also has traveled to encourage other orthodontists to adopt the Damon strategy.

"It's challenging for people to switch, especially if they are convinced that what they've been doing is working," said Bill Dischinger. "But if you look at the science, this makes sense."

The American Association of Orthodontists doesn't endorse specific teeth-straightening systems. But the organization's past president, Donald Joondeph, a University of Washington faculty member, said of Damon, "People are looking for ways to reduce the time, discomfort and costs, and it is certainly a legitimate program."

The cost for the full Damon procedure ranges from $3,500 to $7,500, with the average bill around $5,000.

"It's about what you'd pay for traditional braces, but we think there are advantages if you don't have to make so many office visits and you're finished sooner," Dischinger said.

For many patients, the idea of eliminating elastic or metal ties and forgoing monthly tightening sessions is reason enough to try Damon.

"It never hurt and I didn't have to have any teeth pulled out," said 14-year-old Heather Hobby of Sherwood, who was amazed to see a tooth that had grown in sideways straightened after about 21 months. "The first thing I'm going to do when I get these off is to take a photo with me smiling."



Source: https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.oregonlive.com/metrosouthwest/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_southwest_news/1209534908198840.xml&coll=7

Naperville Sun, Tuesday 10 June 2008
by KATIE FOUTZ


Byte for bite

3-D digital images and robot improve on conventional orthodontics, creating shorter treatments


Eleven-year-old Plainfield resident Bri Dinsmoor reclined in the orthodontist's chair with her mouth propped open, holding a saliva straw in one hand and her dad's hand in the other.

Orthodontic assistant Brenda Zullo hovered over her with a wand that took thousands of digital images inside Bri's mouth. On a nearby computer screen, a three-dimensional model of her teeth developed like a topographical map.

An agonizing hour and a half later, Bri got to close her mouth and brush the white scanning solution off her teeth. Her cheeks felt "awful." But sitting for those 90 minutes meant she could shave more than six months off her time with a tin grin. That's because at her next appointment, she will get braces that were prescribed for her by her orthodontist and made for her by a robot.

"Conventional orthodontics would have taken 18 to 20 months," said Bri's orthodontist in Plainfield, Steven Moravec. "She will probably be done in 12 months with just as good - if not better - results. It's the wires that are more efficient."

The process is called SureSmile, and Moravec started putting this type of braces on all eligible patients (those with all of their adult teeth) in November. His is one of five practices within 25 miles of Naperville that offer SureSmile.

Both the conventional and new versions of braces involve the train tracks look: metal or ceramic brackets glued to teeth and connected with wires. With conventional braces, patients get a standard size of wires that their orthodontist adjusts each month, moving a few crooked or gaping teeth at a time. With SureSmile, specially made wires move all the teeth at once.

Moravec uses the 3-D image scanned into his computer to plan treatment. On the screen, he can turn the image in ways that would be physically impossible in person.

"I can see behind the teeth on the screen," he said. "I have these (magnifying) glasses, but they're not X-ray glasses."

He clicks and drags the virtual teeth into their final position with his mouse before moving any real teeth. Then he sends that information to SureSmile maker OraMetrix in Dallas, where a two-handed robot makes a series of minuscule bends in the wires that will move the patient's teeth into the prescribed position.

From beginning to end, the patient needs only one or two sets of wires, applied and adjusted at appointments about every eight weeks, instead of five or six wires adjusted once a month.

Bri's dad, air traffic controller Gordon Dinsmoor, said his first thought of SureSmile was "the money." Moravec said the cost of SureSmile braces is comparable to Invisalign clear orthodontic trays - which average about $5,000 nationwide, depending on the doctor, part of the country and complexity of the case, according to Invisalign. Conventional braces can cost about $500 less.

"But the thing that sold me on it was less time and less pain for her, and she's the one who has to go through it," Dinsmoor said. "And if you're going to do it, do it right and do it once."

In another part of the office, 18-year-old Abel Amezcua of Joliet was on the opposite end of treatment. He was getting his SureSmile braces off - four months earlier than if he had continued treatment with conventional braces.

He was one of Moravec's first SureSmile patients, and he could tell the difference at the first appointment that Moravec swapped his old and new braces.

"With conventional braces, I was hurting about a week and couldn't eat regularly," he said. "With SureSmile, I hurt about two days and was back to eating regular food. It makes the appointments easier because you're not changing the wires every time."

Orthodontic assistant Nikki Rogers plucked Amezcua's brackets from his teeth and inserted permanent wire retainers behind his front teeth to keep them from shifting. He emerged from all the poking and whirring and glue-grinding with a big smile of relief. His teeth were straight and smooth.

"Oh, my God - they feel so good," he said.


----------
Source:
https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/lifestyles/996368,6_5_NA10_BRACES_S1.article

CBC News - monday 23. June 2008 - by Georgie Binks

Braces for boomers

Tooth-straightening not just for kids anymore

Several years ago, lawyer Mike Kelly, a 55-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., decided to relive his teenage years. But it wasn't high school dances and football practices he took up. Rather, Kelly decided to get braces — again.

"I needed to do something with my teeth. My bottom ones were crooked and every time I looked in the mirror that's what I saw."

So Kelly visited an orthodontist and invested in top and bottom braces to line up his teeth properly.

As a teenager, Kelly had worn braces for three years. "Back then, my braces were very obvious — metal on my teeth with metal tension bands. My adult ones were the same type, but you couldn't see them as much because the part on my teeth was clear plastic."

Kelly is just one of thousands of post-40 adults flocking to orthodontists to straighten their teeth. Gordie Organ, the president of the Canadian Association of Orthodontists, says, "Loads of older people are getting braces. At least 35 per cent of my practice is adults, and that's people in their 40s, 50s and 60s."

The most recent figures from the American Association of Orthodontists say there were more than 62,000 orthodontic patients in Canada in 2004, with an increase in adult patients of 37 per cent between 1994 and 2004. There was also an increase in the number of men seeking treatment.

One man who gave the orthodontic industry a huge boost was actor Tom Cruise when he started sporting clear braces several years ago. Laughs Organ, "You definitely hear his name mentioned a lot in the office. People figure if it's good for him, it's good for me. [TV's] Ugly Betty [character] has had the same effect."


Metal-mouth alternatives

Most people don't go for the Ugly Betty look, though, and choose aesthetic braces that do the job quickly and well. Toronto orthodontist Dr. Bruno Vendittelli says there are four types of braces to choose from - traditional ones made of metal or ceramic, clear (which 50 per cent of his adult patients choose), inside or lingual braces that go on the back surface of the teeth, and Invisalign braces that are removed for eating and brushing teeth.

If a patient is trying to decide between veneers and braces, Organ says braces are better. "You don't have to shave down the teeth. Veneers are like an extreme makeover thing. You look better but they are not necessarily any better for your mouth."

Patients aren't just choosing braces for cosmetic reasons, either. Organ says often adults have to replace missing teeth and have other teeth repositioned before they can get braces. Others have malocclusion - problems with their bite — which causes their teeth to deteriorate.

Winnipeg project manager Glen Knapp, 43, is one of those. "I was grinding my teeth and my overbite was getting worse. I'd always had a gap between my front teeth, so the braces started out correcting my bite but it ended up being a cosmetic change as well."

Knapp's only regret? "I just got the basic braces. I wish I'd had different colours."

A number of older people jumping on the braces' bandwagon now did not have the opportunity 30 or 40 years ago. Says Organ, "Maybe they grew up in a family with too many kids, or a small community where no orthodontics were available, and there was no insurance back then. Now that they're making their own money and they have a nice insurance plan, they're deciding they're going to do something for themselves." Wendy Martens, 48, a Winnipeg special-needs teacher, was inspired by her daughter. "I gave my daughter braces and thought how great she looked, so I decided to do it for myself."


Caveats

It wasn't as easy as Martens thought it would be, though.

"I wasn't prepared for the pain," she says. "You can't even bite into a banana at some stages. Also, I have elastics on now, which brings the bite together. That's probably the worst part. You spit like a camel, you can't talk clearly. All I get all day long is … what?"

The financial aspect is definitely a consideration, too. Traditional braces can cost up to $8,000. Invisalign braces range from $7,000 to $9,000 and lingual braces range from $9,500 to $13,000.

Treatment takes time, too, ranging from about nine months to two and a half years.

Then there are the "extras." Patients often start off with just braces, but once their teeth are straight, they tend to go for other enhancements. People often have their teeth whitened, or get crowns or veneers.

And braces aren't for everyone. Organ says orthodontics may not be possible for people taking medication for osteoporosis, for example, because bone changes for these patients are more restrictive and their teeth don't move as readily.

Once the braces are off, Kelly still needs to wear a night-time retainer to keep his teeth in place, as well as permanent band on his lower teeth. Most people wear small wires bonded to the upper and lower teeth augmented with a removable retainer worn at night.

Taking the braces' step is a bit like travelling back in time. Kelly admits it felt a little "'teenagey" to be doing it because there were so many teenagers when he showed up for appointments.

Glen Knapp agrees, and muses that he was the only one at the orthodontist without a parent.

However, each is happy with the outcome. Martens advises anyone considering getting their teeth straightened to go ahead and not let age be a deterrent. "I'm 48 now, but I'll have the best looking teeth in the lawn bowling league at the old folks' home."


-------------------------------------------------

source: https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/05/16/f-health-bracesforadults.html?ref=rss

Newsweek, 11 July 2008, by Tina Peng

Is the Ugliest Orthodontia Still the Best?

As orthodontic technology has evolved over the past few years, braces have become less and less visible—instead of the traditional metal wires glued on the front of patients' teeth, some now go behind the teeth, and others are clear plastic retainers that progressively straighten out patients' smiles. One might imagine that not-so-nice nicknames like "metal mouth" and "tetanus breath" could soon become things of the past.

Unfortunately, the most effective orthodontia are still the ones people think are the ugliest, University of Ohio researchers found. They showed 200 adults pictures of teeth with orthodontic appliances and asked them to rate the mouths for attractiveness. Respondents scored traditional metal braces—the most durable and efficient—the lowest, with ratings averaging between 25 and 40 on a 100-point scale. They thought ceramic braces, which are usually clear or tooth-colored, were better-looking, from about 55 to 70 on the scale, and clear tooth trays and teeth without braces (in this case, the ones with lingual, or behind-the-teeth braces) were by far the most attractive, with most rankings above 90. Ceramic braces tend to be more delicate than metal ones, and tooth trays are less flexible and forceful, researchers said.

This might not make a big difference to the 12-year-old who's excited about switching the elastic bands on her braces to red and green for Christmas—and many orthodontists tend to stick with traditional braces for youngsters anyway. Still, the researchers found that adults, who account for more than a quarter of people who get braces, are willing to pay hundreds more for the more expensive, more attractive orthodontia. But now they may have to consider that they are paying more for mouthware that might not work as fast or as well as the old-fashioned kind.


----------------------------------

source: https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.newsweek.com/id/145532

Pensacola New Journal, 10. August 2008 - by Kate S. Peabody


'Brace Yourself' and support Team U.S.A.

The games have begun. When Erin Bankert gives a shout out to show her support for members of Team U.S.A. during the summer Olympics games in Beijing, she will do so by simply flashing her pearly reds, whites and blues.

The 17-year-old Crestview High School student, who wears braces, is joining hundreds of children and adults in the national "Brace Yourself Campaign" designed to support American athletes this summer.

Recently, Bankert had her braces outfitted with the colorful bands by orthodontist Dr. Randy Rigsby in his offices on Spanish Trail Road in Pensacola.

At no cost to patients, orthodontists such as Rigsby are applying the patriotic colors to their patients' braces.

The campaign to encourage support for Team U.S.A. is inspired by the joint efforts of the American Association of Orthodontists and Rachael Flatt, an orthodontic patient, and 2010 Olympic figure skating hopeful.

Many teens already don multi-cultured bands around their braces to mirror a favorite dress or holiday, Rigsby said. But this is the first time a national call has been made by the group to its patients to support their country in this fashion.

And Bankert, an aspiring equestrian, loves the idea.

When she flashes a smile, the teen will be especially displaying enthusiastic support for her favorite equestrian, Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, N.Y.

"I root for her each year," said Bankert, who also, has been riding since she was 6 years old.

Someday, if she's lucky enough to make it to the Olympics, the teen hopes that others will support her in the same fashion. While Bankert will be cheering loudly for Madden, she also is wearing the patriotic colors to honor all of Team U.S.A.

"This is awesome, people work their whole lives to go out there and get a medal, and it is worth it," the teen said. I think this is just so exciting."

Bankert will also be glued to the TV for some of her other favorite events such as swimming and gymnastics.

The orthodontic colorful bands are outfitted around the brackets on the braces, and take only a few minutes. For other patients who support the team and don't want to make such a bold statement, "they can take comfort," Rigsby said. "Today there are smaller, sleeker and less noticeable braces, and we have something for everyone," he added.

Orthodontists specialize in diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. They receive an additional two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth.


------------------------------------------------------------

Source: https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080810/LIFE/808100301

Herald-Mail, Monday 18. August 2008 - by Crystal Schelle

A (perfect) mature smile

Past traditional age for braces, some adults still choose procedure

Marian Gale, 57, was looking to achieve that Hollywood smile. Marti Grahl, 42, wanted to correctly bite into a piece of pizza. For both, accomplishing their dreams meant something that is commonly considered a rite of adolescence: braces.

Dr. Tim Wilson, of Wilson Orthodontics in Hagerstown, says about 15 percent of his patients are adults. More adults today, he says, are opting for braces.

"And during the last five years, wearing braces has become even more socially accepted," he says.

The American Association of Orthodontists reports that about 20 percent of orthodontic patients are 18 or older. The number of adult patients has increased nearly 33.5 percent in the last 10 years.

Wilson says many adult patients have told him that, when they were children, their parents couldn't cover the expense of braces. The AAO reports more adults are choosing to wear braces to improve their dental health and appearance - something that Wilson finds to be true.

The goal of braces, he says, is to have "an aesthetic and functional bite that is in harmony with the facial musculature." The idea, he says, is to have teeth in the right position to be attractive. Wilson says about 75 percent of his adult patients are after a beautiful smile.

"A majority of adults treated are for cosmetic reasons," he says.

The other 25 percent of his patients, he says, have other dental concerns that their dentists believe need to be addressed as an orthodontic problem.



Different techniques for straightening

There are several types of braces - the standard orthodontic bracket, the ceramic bracket, the self-ligating bracket and Invisalign, the alternative to braces. Wilson says many adults come in hoping they will be fitted with Invisalign, but most don't meet his criteria.

Gale, of Sharpsburg, had already had braces when she was 30. After the braces were removed, her orthodontist told her she needed to continue to wear a retainer at night. But after a few years, she stopped.

So last year, when she was looking for a perfect smile, she visited a cosmetic dentistry practice.

"He told me, 'Get your teeth straightened,'" she says.

Wanting to achieve her Hollywood smile, Gale made an appointment with Wilson. She hoped she would qualify for Invisalign. Luckily, she says, she did.

Gale says her dentist made an impression of her teeth that was sent to Invisalign. The company then maps out her progress with Wilson, fitting her with clear retainers, called "trays," that fit over her top and bottom teeth. She says she gets three trays per visit and each tray lasts two weeks. Unlike braces, they can be popped out at any time.

"I had no discomfort," she says.

Gale was fitted in December 2007 and six months later was finished with the treatment. "It's just an amazing natural smile," she says.



Challenges facing adult patients

Wilson says the biggest problem facing adult patients is that it takes longer for braces to do their job.

"Teeth move a little slower as adults," he explains.

That's the reason why most adults' time in braces is quarter to one-third longer than it would if they were teens, he says.

Grahl, of Smithsburg, had been having problems with her teeth since she was a teen. Looking at her, she says, one couldn't tell that her bite was off. "In family photos, it looked like I had an opened-mouth smile, but I really couldn't put my teeth together," she says.

The major problem was caused by what she found out later to be a congenital defect of her jawbone. Doctors told her parents that it could be fixed if they broke Grahl's jaw, then wired it shut before she even had braces. Her parents didn't think it was necessary at the time. "They thought I looked fine," she says.

But as an adult, she found it was difficult to chew certain foods. She also had to have root canals and two crowns.

When her oldest daughter got her braces in 2001, Grahl, then 36, decided that maybe it was time to see if braces were for her. She approached Ron Toothman, her daughter's dentist, about the braces.

She says he first referred her to an oral surgeon to make her jaw more pliable so that the braces would do the job. At that time, she and her doctor discussed putting on Damon brackets, which are self-ligating braces. The brackets click open and shut for easier wire changes. Grahl describes it as "beads on a string" where the wires are more fluid within the brackets.

After her teeth were corrected, Grahl lost weight because, she says, she was able to process her food. "I'd bite into a sandwich and take a clean bite," she says.

She also noticed a change in her speech. The "hiss" she would give when she made an "s" sound was gone.

Grahl stresses that for her, getting braces wasn't for cosmetic reasons. Her insurance paid for the surgeries, but not for the braces, which cost nearly $6,000.

Two of her three daughters have now had braces. Grahl says she can sympathize with them.

"I now have so much more respect for grumpy teenagers who have just gotten their wires tightened," she says.


--------------------------

source: https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=201165&format=html