Braces at midlife: A growing trend
When Heather Rowe was a little girl she didn't wear braces on her teeth. She remembers, "Back then, my smile was fine and people just thought braces were cosmetic." Fast forward 50 years and Rowe, 57, a retired speech pathologist in St. Catharine's, Ontario, is having trouble with her bite. "My jaw gets sore and my crooked teeth are hitting the back of my front teeth." Rowe has decided to join her daughter Katrina, 16, (who just started wearing braces) in achieving a better smile and a healthier mouth.
Adult braces a growing trend
Rowe is one of a growing number of adults heading to the orthodontist to fix their teeth.
The president of the Canadian Association of Orthodontists, Dr. Gerald Zeit, says he has no specific statistics on older people and braces but about 25 per cent of his patients are over 40. (The American Association of Orthodontists says there were more than 62,000 orthodontic patients in Canada in 2004, with a 37 per cent increase in adult patients between 1994-2004.)
Dr. Zeit says older patients decide to fix their teeth for two main reasons. "People didn't have the opportunity to have treatment when they were young but they do now. Other patients have developed a need later in life—maybe they've lost a tooth and developed a dental disease."
New options for braces
These days, the options for braces are much more varied than what was offered years ago. Yes, there are the traditional braces, but they are smaller, neater and less apparent these days. They come in either metal or a clear ceramic. Then there are lingual braces that go on the inside of the teeth. Dr. Zeit says the downside of those is that they are more difficult to clean. The newest type of braces to hit the scene are clear aligner braces that are clear, removable sleeves the patient changes every couple of weeks. They usually are recommended for patients who do not need significant work done.
Just as the options are different these days, so is the price tag. Traditional braces can cost up to $8,000. Clear aligners range from $7,000 to $9,000 and lingual braces range from $9,500 to $13,000. The treatment time ranges from about nine months to two and a half years.
