Jun 3·edited Jun 3Liked by Sari Botton, Lizzie Simon
I didn’t know about the stinky part, that would bug me the most. I totally get “dental shame.” I spent years not smiling in pictures and I immediately note the teeth of others.
Having let a lot of my own go due to addiction, junkie math, alcoholism & shitty genetics, at a great deal of time and expense, at almost 67 I finally have a full set of teeth, primarily implants. You will be amazed what a nice smile can do for your self confidence.
I totally understand the dental shame too. Post divorce I got my dental care at low cost clinics and got terrible work done, losing a prominent tooth in the front. I hated mirrors shouting “You’re letting yourself go!” (70)
Then my beloved Aunt passed and left me a bit. The $5K bridge went in two weeks ago. It still hurts like hell but will be fixed tomorrow. Whatever it takes, it’s such a relief to not have a Goalie Grin. Even if it’s only me who knows, it’s something that returns value every single day henceforth. (And I will never hear one word from the x that I am not worth it, either. Oh how he howled about an implant I had when he spent thousands and thousands on drugs and stage crap for his shitty hobby band.)
I got braces in my 40s as well and don't regret the cost or the inconvenience at all. I actually had the old school railroad track kind on my bottom teeth b/c they were so crooked. Got the porcelain ones on the top so a little less noticeable. Lots more subtle options these days. Adult braces are one of the best things I ever did for myself.
I had awful teeth due to an unfortunate accident as a toddler and had to wear braces, headgear, rubber bands, and retainers for about 8 years. (My case was so bad that my orthodontist actually won a national award afterwards). Flash forward to my midlife years when the front teeth started going back to their "natural" rabbit-esque alignment. That darn gap started coming back albeit not nearly as bad. Thankfully the huge overbite did not. My dentist asked me several times if I wanted simple cosmetic dentistry i.e. bonding and I was finally about to give in. But then the most amazing thing happened. As I was leaving work to go to the appointment to fix my bucky beavers (as I affectionately call them), the (very cute) security guard asked me why I was leaving so early that day. When I told him the reason, he said, "NO!!! You have the most beautiful, natural smile!!! PLEASE don't change it!!". So I turned around, went back to my office and cancelled the appointment! Isn't it funny how one person's comment can make you see things in a different light? Now I unite with Madonna, Michael Strahan, and all the other beautiful bunny chompers :)
Fantastic security guard or was he a tooth fairy in disguise? I have an overfull mouth of bad boys - not the most attractive - yet they are part of my face and I will keep on smiling.
My sister had braces as a teen, but in midlife, her teeth shifted, were collapsing inward. She had braces again. The look is great, but there was a health issue to resolve. Options today are wonderful.
I understand completely. I had a gap between my front teeth my whole life so I always felt awkward and never thought I could be attractive. In my twenties, when I was married and teaching college, my mother offered to pay for invisible braces to close the gap. I was surprised but jumped on it. One day, one of my male students, who had a full mouth of metal braces, came up to me and told me I was his idol and he loved me because if I could stand up in front of a classroom with braces, he didn't feel like a total loser.
I want to support your orthodontist and you for going ahead with this repair. You said, "I asked the orthodontist if there were any medical reasons why teeth needed to be aligned, and she said it was important for teeth to be in the right position as you get older, that decay, gum disease and pain often mounted if they weren’t. ... The gap between my front teeth, it wasn’t just widening, the teeth were beginning to tilt ever so slightly, but increasingly outward, and in different directions...."
I was born with a misaligned jaw, and had corrective braces as a teen. However, surgery was also needed to remove excess bone. I'm lucky I chose not to: could not afford financially or, as a sixteen-year old, socially, because it's now not recommended that teens have jaw surgery. However, I then faced a lifetime of infection, implants and failed implants, and yes, ultimately, despite tens of thousands spent on surgeries and treatments, collapsed teeth and mouth. When a forty-something friend with the same issue was offered orthodontia followed by surgery, she wondered if it was necessary given her busy life. I urged her to do it and cited my experience. Now she's post all that pain and expense and getting used to her new teeth and face. I'm grateful you wrote about this, and I think more of us need to. It breaks my heart that help with dental issues barely exists in America. My county has busses that go to schools to provide basic care, and a low-income program at our rural hospital with a two-year waiting list, so that's a start, at least here in my blue state. Let's all advocate for dental care for all.
Kirie - thank you for sharing your background with this. I’m really sorry for everything you went through - and can see how you’d be a powerful advocate/ally in the greater discussion of equity in dental care in America.
My parents divorce did a real number on my adolescent very crooked teeth. My dad would not pay. I had some work done but it was really pretty mediocre. When my father died I was 60 years old. I took 5,000 and got my teeth fixed. Invisalign and veneers. I am sooooo happy. I smile more, my teeth are much healthier and at the end my father paid to straighten my teeth
I'm happy you are loving your teeth changesl so far. However, i think the most telling part of this story is that invisalign was invented by MBA students who wanted to expand the market for orthodontics. Especially in light of the comments about how much longer it can take than the initial estimate: often a lifetime committment to retainers or nightguards.
Invisalign is a game changer! My dentist recommended using tablets made for cleaning dentures to remove stains and odors. Works great! The other bonus is that I pay more attention to oral care and use a water pic daily. Dntist said her adult Invisalign patients have some of the best dental hygiene practices after going through the process. Enjoy your new smile!
Hi, Lizzie. I'm at the very end of what was supposed to be a 10-month Invisalign process, but we're now in month 15. The goal is to get my upper and lower back teeth aligned, and it's taking longer than anticipated. At least I'm only wearing the retainers at night. But FYI, I think everyone has to wear the retainers at night in perpetuity to maintain the new alignment. Worth asking! You think you're done, but really, it doesn't truly end. (Also re cleaning: You can get an appliance cleaner, and I've heard they work well.)
Thanks, Stefanie! I may need a wire behind my front teeth to keep them from budging. And I completely agree - the part they don’t mention is that you’re almost always forever going to be in retainers at night to keep the teeth where they’re supposed to be.
I had braces as an adult in my 40s, then I had a later issue with my gums and top front teeth so I also have four implanted ones. I do smile a lot! Dental health is very important and my adventure with temporary dentures convinced me that I want to avoid permanent ones. Get a water flosser, stat! :)
Im so sorry you lost those front teeth to braces. It's more common than you'd think. And you're right, water flossers are essential, (though not always sufficient).
As an oral health coach I've seen more than a few people who have suffered long term consequences from invisalign, up to and including losing teeth.
Unfortunately the risks from orthodontics seem greater for older adults whose bone and gum tissues aren't as elastic as young people's. Orthodontists who blame poor outcomes solely on inadequate hygiene may be obscuring some fundamental problems with orthodontics for older adults, which could threaten that lucrative market.
I can identify! I went for braces when I was 76, and I decided to go with the real deal as it would take a shorter period of time than the invisibles. I was pretty miserable for over year, but when they came off I was a different person, minus the "fang" that had been annoying me for so long. Now I'm wearing a retainer every night for the rest of my life, but at my age, that's not too bad, I can finally smile again with my mouth open.
I am 70. And I’m thinking I’m too old for this but my teeth bother me. Especially as I’ve gotten older. My gums have receded a bit & they just look worse. My husband thinks I’m nuts for wanting to spend the $. I’ve had my visit & all I have to do is pay. Still on the fence🤷♀️
My gums’ ‘score’ went up by 40% in a couple months of using a Sonicare toothbrush, instead of a firm manual brush. They don’t bleed anymore either. It’s actually a little fun.
Melinda, may I suggest first consulting with a periodontist to check your jaw bone density is sufficient to handle the pressure of orthodontics? That may help you get off the fence one way or another.
I, too have aligners now at the age of 49. They are a pain, and sometimes painful, but at halfway through, I'm seeing noticeable changes that make me feel better overall and the reason I'm getting them, aside from vanity, is that my gs have started receding where my teeth stick out. So yeah, they are an investment. But we are worth it.
I didn’t know about the stinky part, that would bug me the most. I totally get “dental shame.” I spent years not smiling in pictures and I immediately note the teeth of others.
Having let a lot of my own go due to addiction, junkie math, alcoholism & shitty genetics, at a great deal of time and expense, at almost 67 I finally have a full set of teeth, primarily implants. You will be amazed what a nice smile can do for your self confidence.
Thanks for sharing, Jodi. I agree!!
I totally understand the dental shame too. Post divorce I got my dental care at low cost clinics and got terrible work done, losing a prominent tooth in the front. I hated mirrors shouting “You’re letting yourself go!” (70)
Then my beloved Aunt passed and left me a bit. The $5K bridge went in two weeks ago. It still hurts like hell but will be fixed tomorrow. Whatever it takes, it’s such a relief to not have a Goalie Grin. Even if it’s only me who knows, it’s something that returns value every single day henceforth. (And I will never hear one word from the x that I am not worth it, either. Oh how he howled about an implant I had when he spent thousands and thousands on drugs and stage crap for his shitty hobby band.)
I got braces in my 40s as well and don't regret the cost or the inconvenience at all. I actually had the old school railroad track kind on my bottom teeth b/c they were so crooked. Got the porcelain ones on the top so a little less noticeable. Lots more subtle options these days. Adult braces are one of the best things I ever did for myself.
Honestly, Alice, me too.
I had awful teeth due to an unfortunate accident as a toddler and had to wear braces, headgear, rubber bands, and retainers for about 8 years. (My case was so bad that my orthodontist actually won a national award afterwards). Flash forward to my midlife years when the front teeth started going back to their "natural" rabbit-esque alignment. That darn gap started coming back albeit not nearly as bad. Thankfully the huge overbite did not. My dentist asked me several times if I wanted simple cosmetic dentistry i.e. bonding and I was finally about to give in. But then the most amazing thing happened. As I was leaving work to go to the appointment to fix my bucky beavers (as I affectionately call them), the (very cute) security guard asked me why I was leaving so early that day. When I told him the reason, he said, "NO!!! You have the most beautiful, natural smile!!! PLEASE don't change it!!". So I turned around, went back to my office and cancelled the appointment! Isn't it funny how one person's comment can make you see things in a different light? Now I unite with Madonna, Michael Strahan, and all the other beautiful bunny chompers :)
This is amazing, Gloria. I love it!
Fantastic security guard or was he a tooth fairy in disguise? I have an overfull mouth of bad boys - not the most attractive - yet they are part of my face and I will keep on smiling.
What a wonderful gift to hear that compliment in the nick of time!
My sister had braces as a teen, but in midlife, her teeth shifted, were collapsing inward. She had braces again. The look is great, but there was a health issue to resolve. Options today are wonderful.
So much better than the metal braces of earlier years!!
I understand completely. I had a gap between my front teeth my whole life so I always felt awkward and never thought I could be attractive. In my twenties, when I was married and teaching college, my mother offered to pay for invisible braces to close the gap. I was surprised but jumped on it. One day, one of my male students, who had a full mouth of metal braces, came up to me and told me I was his idol and he loved me because if I could stand up in front of a classroom with braces, he didn't feel like a total loser.
Omg what a story!! Thank you for sharing and for reading.
I want to support your orthodontist and you for going ahead with this repair. You said, "I asked the orthodontist if there were any medical reasons why teeth needed to be aligned, and she said it was important for teeth to be in the right position as you get older, that decay, gum disease and pain often mounted if they weren’t. ... The gap between my front teeth, it wasn’t just widening, the teeth were beginning to tilt ever so slightly, but increasingly outward, and in different directions...."
I was born with a misaligned jaw, and had corrective braces as a teen. However, surgery was also needed to remove excess bone. I'm lucky I chose not to: could not afford financially or, as a sixteen-year old, socially, because it's now not recommended that teens have jaw surgery. However, I then faced a lifetime of infection, implants and failed implants, and yes, ultimately, despite tens of thousands spent on surgeries and treatments, collapsed teeth and mouth. When a forty-something friend with the same issue was offered orthodontia followed by surgery, she wondered if it was necessary given her busy life. I urged her to do it and cited my experience. Now she's post all that pain and expense and getting used to her new teeth and face. I'm grateful you wrote about this, and I think more of us need to. It breaks my heart that help with dental issues barely exists in America. My county has busses that go to schools to provide basic care, and a low-income program at our rural hospital with a two-year waiting list, so that's a start, at least here in my blue state. Let's all advocate for dental care for all.
Kirie - thank you for sharing your background with this. I’m really sorry for everything you went through - and can see how you’d be a powerful advocate/ally in the greater discussion of equity in dental care in America.
My parents divorce did a real number on my adolescent very crooked teeth. My dad would not pay. I had some work done but it was really pretty mediocre. When my father died I was 60 years old. I took 5,000 and got my teeth fixed. Invisalign and veneers. I am sooooo happy. I smile more, my teeth are much healthier and at the end my father paid to straighten my teeth
Wow - thank you for sharing.
I'm happy you are loving your teeth changesl so far. However, i think the most telling part of this story is that invisalign was invented by MBA students who wanted to expand the market for orthodontics. Especially in light of the comments about how much longer it can take than the initial estimate: often a lifetime committment to retainers or nightguards.
Yep, and if you do a little research on one of the founders, Zia Chishti, you’ll discover a monster.
Braces keep my pants from falling down.
Ha ha.
You will not regret this investment in your smile. I opted for Invisalign in 2021.
I did not realize how much I disliked looking at pictures of myself until after.
I use Polydent to clean the retainers now
Your smile is worth the investment!
Thank you, Patricia! I agree.
Invisalign is a game changer! My dentist recommended using tablets made for cleaning dentures to remove stains and odors. Works great! The other bonus is that I pay more attention to oral care and use a water pic daily. Dntist said her adult Invisalign patients have some of the best dental hygiene practices after going through the process. Enjoy your new smile!
Thank you, Celeste! That makes sense. It does make you hyper aware of what’s happening in your mouth!!
Hi, Lizzie. I'm at the very end of what was supposed to be a 10-month Invisalign process, but we're now in month 15. The goal is to get my upper and lower back teeth aligned, and it's taking longer than anticipated. At least I'm only wearing the retainers at night. But FYI, I think everyone has to wear the retainers at night in perpetuity to maintain the new alignment. Worth asking! You think you're done, but really, it doesn't truly end. (Also re cleaning: You can get an appliance cleaner, and I've heard they work well.)
Thanks, Stefanie! I may need a wire behind my front teeth to keep them from budging. And I completely agree - the part they don’t mention is that you’re almost always forever going to be in retainers at night to keep the teeth where they’re supposed to be.
I had braces as an adult in my 40s, then I had a later issue with my gums and top front teeth so I also have four implanted ones. I do smile a lot! Dental health is very important and my adventure with temporary dentures convinced me that I want to avoid permanent ones. Get a water flosser, stat! :)
Thank you, Valerista! I don’t have a water flosser, will look into it!!
I bought the Aquasonic cordless chargeable one for less than $40. I think it's better than the more elaborate ones.
Thanks! I got a sonicare toothbrush for Christmas and it’s a total gamechanger too.
Im so sorry you lost those front teeth to braces. It's more common than you'd think. And you're right, water flossers are essential, (though not always sufficient).
As an oral health coach I've seen more than a few people who have suffered long term consequences from invisalign, up to and including losing teeth.
Unfortunately the risks from orthodontics seem greater for older adults whose bone and gum tissues aren't as elastic as young people's. Orthodontists who blame poor outcomes solely on inadequate hygiene may be obscuring some fundamental problems with orthodontics for older adults, which could threaten that lucrative market.
Thank you. It wasn't invisilign; I had standard metal braces.
I can identify! I went for braces when I was 76, and I decided to go with the real deal as it would take a shorter period of time than the invisibles. I was pretty miserable for over year, but when they came off I was a different person, minus the "fang" that had been annoying me for so long. Now I'm wearing a retainer every night for the rest of my life, but at my age, that's not too bad, I can finally smile again with my mouth open.
Oh I am so glad, Janice!! Thank you.
I did Invisalign at age 69 and loved my new look!
I am 70. And I’m thinking I’m too old for this but my teeth bother me. Especially as I’ve gotten older. My gums have receded a bit & they just look worse. My husband thinks I’m nuts for wanting to spend the $. I’ve had my visit & all I have to do is pay. Still on the fence🤷♀️
Do it! It changed my self image and gave me confidence when I did it in my twenties.
My gums’ ‘score’ went up by 40% in a couple months of using a Sonicare toothbrush, instead of a firm manual brush. They don’t bleed anymore either. It’s actually a little fun.
Melinda, may I suggest first consulting with a periodontist to check your jaw bone density is sufficient to handle the pressure of orthodontics? That may help you get off the fence one way or another.
I get it! It’s really not an easy decision to make. Wishing you well no matter what you decide!
I’m so glad - and I relate!
I, too have aligners now at the age of 49. They are a pain, and sometimes painful, but at halfway through, I'm seeing noticeable changes that make me feel better overall and the reason I'm getting them, aside from vanity, is that my gs have started receding where my teeth stick out. So yeah, they are an investment. But we are worth it.
I’m with you, Vanessa!! I sort of can’t believe how much resistance I felt.