Grin and wear it

1 Aug 2010, The Sunday Times, Lifestyle



It is never too late to get a set of straight pearly whites as more adults are going for less visible dental braces.

When administrative officer Dave Chua decided to get dental braces in May, his friends advised him against it.

The 34-year-old says: "They told me, 'You're already in your 30s and braces are for teenagers. Why do you want to get them now?' Some even said it was too late to get my teeth straightened."

But contrary to popular belief, dental braces are not just for youngsters, orthodontists say.

Dr Wong Dai Chong, 40, says: "As long as you have a full set of permanent teeth and don't have dental conditions such as gum disease, you can wear dental braces. Even in adulthood, it's not too late."

A device that it most commonly used to straightened crooked teeth, dental braces are typically worn for one to 2.5 years, depending on the severity of the patient's condition. They are also used to align the lower and upper jaws and correct overbites and underbites. Prices for adult braces start from $3,500.

And indeed, there has been an increase in adult patients requesting for dental braces in recent years, orthodontists tell LifeStyle.

Orthodontists specialist Dr Anna Tang, 33, says about 40 per cent of her patients who wear dental braces are adults. "My oldest patient was over 60 years old."

Dr Boey Pui Yunn from the National Dental Centre of Singapore, 29, adds: "There is more awareness about dental braces than before. Adults who did not have access to information about dental care or did not have the financial means to get them before are doing it now."

For housewife Veryn Yeo, 39, whose increasingly overlapping teeth had prevented her from cleaning certain areas in her mouth properly, getting dental braces was an easy decision.

She points out: "If people can spend on Botox, they are even more likely to spend on something more critical like braces."

Orthodontists say there is also no truth to the belief that teeh are already set in place when one reaches adulthood and shifting their alignment would result in loose teeth later on.

Dr Tang say: "Loose teeth are caused by dental problems such as gum disease and not by wearing dental braces."

The only disadvantage of wearing braces at a later age is that the duration of treatment is longer. Dr Wong says: "When you are younger, your jaw bone is not as rigid and stiff and your teeth would be more responsive to dental braces."

According to Dr Boey, it is estimated that treatment for adults could take three to six months longer than younger people. A main gripe people wearing braces have is how painful it is, and how inconvenient it is to eat and drink. But according to patients who LifeStlye spoke to, it is not all that bad.

Teaching assistant Averil Tan, 45, who started wearing braces in March, says: "I was told that it would be painful. But even though it does feel slightly uncomfortable when my braces are tightened every month, it is not as bad as some people make it out to be."

Adult wearers prefer braces that are less visible than the standard metal ones. They include invisible aligners or transparent braces that can hardly be seen, ceramic braces that are closer to the colour of teeth, and lingual braces, which are fixed behind the teeth so they cannot be seen.

Mr Chua, who wears ceramic dental braces, says: "I decided to fork out a little more because i find the metal ones a bit too flashy. It's worth the extra money." Ceramic braces cost from $800 more than braces with metal brackets.

One thing that wearers should watch out for in particular is oral hygiene.

Dr Wong says: "When you have braces, food gets trapped more easily and bacteria can accumulate. Out of 15 of my patients with braces, at least one has oral-hygiene problems."

Dr Boey adds: "Those with dental braces should also avoid biting on hard food as it could cause the wires of the braces to break."

Despite the extra precautions and cost, those with dental braces say its worth it.

Mr Chua says: "A smile is one of the first few things that other people notice about you. Even if wearing braces is slightly inconvenient, it is only temporary and one has a set of straight teeth for life after that."

The types of braces available are:

• Metal braces
  What: Most common type of braces. Consists of metal brackets cemented onto teeth, joined by wiring that is held inplace with rubber rings (elastic ligatures). The rubber rings are changed every month. Braces feel tighter each time the ligatures are changed.
  Cost: $3,500 and above
• Invisible aligners
  What: Transparent and removable aligners. During treatment, a mould of the patient's teeth is made and multiple aligners are produced, each one modified according to how teeth are anticipated to shift. Aligners are then fitted over teeth and changed every two weeks. Recommended for less sever cases.
  Cost: Up to $10,000
• Lingual braces
  What: Braces that fit behind your teeth and cannot be seen. However, metal brackets are closer to the tongue, which can cause discomfort, cuts and ulcers.
  Cost: $10,000 and above
• Ceramic braces
  What: Similar to metal braces except that instead of metal brackets, ceramic ones that match the teeth colour more closely are used. Cheaper than lingual braces and invisible aligners but costlier that standard metal ones.
  Cost: Above $4,000

Read article clipping here