Braces at 62? It's True.
Family and friends encouraged me to do it, but I had to wonder: Wasn't I too old for this?
The day before my 62nd birthday, I got braces on my teeth. Not the wire-and-metal-stud variety I might have had 50 years ago, but clear "aligners" that I thought would be inconspicuous.
My smile had always bothered me, but I had given up the thought of straightening my teeth decades earlier, when an orthodontist said I needed surgery to fix my underbite. At the prospect of having my jaw wired shut for six weeks I thought, "I don't look that bad." So, I dropped the idea.
Why revisit it now? My crowded teeth were difficult to floss, and my top teeth seemed to be getting more crooked, which is possible, as teeth can shift over time. For years I smiled for photos with my mouth closed.
For years I smiled for photos with my mouth closed.
Hearing my concerns, my dental hygienist suggested I consult an orthodontist.
I was skeptical, expecting to hear, again, that I'd need surgery or that my three remaining wisdom teeth would have to be pulled to make room in my mouth. Either of these suggestions would have ended my quest for straight teeth.
Aside from traditional wire braces, newer options include wire-and-porcelain braces and devices that fit behind the teeth to be invisible. After taking impressions, photographs, and a 360-degree scan of my jaw, Dr. F said I was a candidate for clear aligners, which fit over the teeth and work by slowly pushing them into position. I'd still have an underbite, but my teeth would be straighter, no surgery or extractions required.
Too Old?
A few weeks later, after consulting with the company that makes the custom aligners, Dr. F showed me a video simulation of how she expected my teeth to move. It looked like magic — albeit high-priced magic. Aside from a house and a car, fixing my teeth would be the most expensive purchase of my life.
Family and friends encouraged me to do it, but I had to wonder: Wasn't I too old for this?
"Oh, I have patients in their 80s," Dr. F said.
The American Association of Orthodontists estimates that one in three orthodontic patients are adults, and a 2022 survey of AAO's nearly 10,000 members showed, on average, a 19% increase in patients over 50 since 2018. Overall, the survey data suggest there are as many as 270,000 orthodontic patients aged 50 or older in the U.S. and Canada, according to Melissa Palmer of the AAO.
I had to wonder: Wasn't I too old for this?
Why this surge of interest in straight teeth? Vanity drove my decision, but in an email, Myron Guymon, DDS, MS, president of the AAO, said improved function and stability are other important reasons to pursue orthodontic treatment. Straight teeth are easier to clean, which helps us maintain good oral health. "A well-aligned bite and straight teeth may help to decrease future dental problems," he said.
Soon after starting the process, I learned it is not as magical and inconspicuous as I thought. First, Dr. F bonded tiny "attachments" made of composite dental resin to some of my teeth to anchor the aligners. I would need 36 sets of upper and lower aligners, changing them every two weeks over at least 18 months as my teeth shifted.
'Was It Worth It?'
Teeth move more slowly in adults than in adolescents, but they begin moving soon after pressure is applied. Until settled in their new position, they'll move back just as quickly, so the aligners must be worn 20 to 22 hours per day. Formed from clear plastic, they stain easily and are not strong enough to withstand the pressure of chewing. I was told to remove them to eat or drink anything other than water.
That leaves only two to four hours per day for meals, or even less, considering the brushing and flossing needed before re-inserting the aligners. Good-bye to a second cup of coffee in the morning or lingering over a glass of wine in the evening.
Not knowing how I'd survive a year and a half of this, I joined a couple of online support groups, one of which, with 1,000 members, is specifically for people over 50. Visiting these groups, I'm often greeted by a screen-filling photo of teeth. Many people post success stories, but just as many have problems that they highlight with circles and arrows on their pictures.
As I approach the end of my treatment friends ask, 'Was it worth it? '
Older adults are more prone to gum disease than younger patients, and they may have crowns, bridges or dental implants that can complicate treatment, said Guymon. Good communication between patients and their dental providers is essential. For example, as my bite changed, an existing crown began preventing other teeth from closing together properly. Fixing the problem required a visit to a prosthodontist, who "polished" off a tiny fraction of the offending part of the crown.
For people using clear aligners, it is not unusual to need "refinements," meaning the initial treatment didn't do the trick, so an additional batch of aligners is needed — adding to the treatment time. Also common is interproximal reduction (IPR), which is a process of filing away a hair's-width of enamel to make space between teeth. Everyone in the support group said it was no big deal, but I felt like Dr. F was sawing away with the dental floss equivalent of sandpaper.
Two years in, I now wear aligners only at night, but I still have metal hooks on a few teeth, to which I attach tiny rubber bands meant to pull a couple of stubborn pre-molars into their final position.
As I approach the end of my treatment friends ask, "Was it worth it?"
Like most challenges, this one was toughest at the beginning. And in a sense, it will never end, because anyone who gets braces — of any kind, at any age — needs to wear a retainer at night for the remainder of their days, lest those formerly crooked teeth return to their old positions.
Overall, I am grateful to have an orthodontist who was honest about what could be achieved. My teeth are still not perfect, and I've had to adjust to my new bite, but for the first time as an adult, I'm learning to smile and laugh while showing my teeth.
