BRACE YOURSELF! SURVIVING THE TRAUMA OF ADULT ORTHODONTICS (Albany) Knickerbocker News (c) 1996 Times Union. All rts. reserv. 06231047 BRACE YOURSELF! SURVIVING THE TRAUMA OF ADULT ORTHODONTICS TIMES UNION (AL) - SUNDAY August 18, 1991 By: BY SUSAN MONTGOMERY COREY Edition: One Star Section: Personal Page: T7 Word Count: 993 TEXT: It was an expression that I had seen before: one part resignation, one part resolve. Dr. Kenneth Kelman, consummate dental professional, had met his match. In my mouth. "It's time," he said, "You need braces." Braces. I was thirty-one years old, for crying out loud! I never enjoyed being a child all that much, and the prospect of spending several years with these juvenile wires on my teeth was more than a little disconcerting. Would Christie Brinkley or Geraldine Ferraro be caught dead in braces? In fact, the only really famous person the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) acknowledges as a former braces-wearer is Dr. Joyce Brothers, and I'd never been too sure about her. But my missing and shifting teeth and monstrous overbite could not be overlooked any longer. I was about to become one of the 4.5 million Americans who wear braces. However, I'd hardly be the only grown-up sporting corrective mouthware. According to the AAO, 25 percent of all braces-wearers are adults. Capital District orthodontists Thomas Decker and Lawrence Seitelman say that number is even higher in their practices. Dr. Seitelman sees about 30 percent adult patients - even some in their 60s and 70s. Dr. Seitelman says the notion that braces can help only children's teeth is a myth. The major difference between adults and children with respect to orthodontics is that children's bones are still growing, so they usually come on the braces scene with healthier teeth and gums. But that doesn't mean that adult teeth can't be repositioned by braces. It may just take a bit longer. Dr. Seitelman notes that "Adults generally heal more slowly than children. What might take two years with a child would take two and one- half with an adult." Dr. Decker points out that adults have unique needs. "We realized that their comfort zones are different. Adults expect a more professional environment and they often want a more thorough explanation of their orthodontic treatment than children." Both orthodontists say that prevention of tooth loss and gum disease is a more important goal for adults, as advances in dental technology mean we are keeping our teeth longer these days. Most adults seek treatment to correct malocclusions ("bad bites"), shifting or crowding teeth, and muscle or joint imbalances in the jaw. And Dr. Seitelman and Dr. Decker both say that most adult patients believe orthodontics is well worth the investment. Accountant Sue Sharp agrees. Sharp was 23 years old and just beginning her career when she got braces to correct a malocclusion. "It was self-indulgent and it was just wonderful," she recalls. "I was always self-conscious-I put my hand in front of my mouth all time. I don't do it as much now. My teeth aren't perfect now, but they're a lot better." She enjoyed her two years as an adult braces-wearer and says that braces did not interfere with her life. "In fact, I met my husband and he asked me to marry him while I had the braces on." Sharp's super-confident attitude is one I wish I had. Wearing braces has changed how I feel about my body. It's changed the way I view food. I've also discovered that people who wear braces lose a little privacy, not unlike most pregnant women do. Total strangers seem to feel comfortable walking up to give me orthodontic advice. If you are about to join the "brace face" generation, take heart. Here are some tips for surviving the trauma. * Find a good orthodontist. You will probably have to visit this professional about once a month for 1 to 3 years, so it's important to find someone qualified and with whom you feel comfortable. The AAO says that qualified orthodontists have two years of study beyond their dentistry degrees. So don't feel shy about asking potential candidates about their post- graduate work. Ask your regular dentist or your friends if they can recommend an orthodontist. The AAO can also provide a free guide to finding an orthodontist and a list of local doctors (1-800-222-9969). * Have toothpick, will travel. Be prepared to confront the real enemy of braces-wearers: food. There are foods to avoid because they will break your braces or make them impossible to clean - like peanut brittle, apples, and caramels. And then there are the sneaky foods - like shredded lettuce - that wrap themselves around your wires with the ferocity of a boa constrictor in heat. Most, you won't miss. But there will always be one you'll long for. (For me, it's popcorn.) * Grin and Bear It. You'll eventually get used to the orthodontic appliances in your mouth. But don't be surprised to find some fairly consistent discomfort when they are adjusted every month. After all, it's normal for your teeth to ache if they're being squished together or pulled apart. Some cuts, nicks, and callouses may also occur from hardware rubbing against the sensitive tissue inside your mouth. (I now routinely expect two days of yogurt-eating and aspirin after every adjustment.) * Coming Clean. The time you spend cleaning your teeth will increase. Some braces- wearers use Water Piks or similar device. I have a high-tech electric toothbrush. Flossing is not easy with braces, so you'll need to schedule more visits to your regular dentist for cleanings. * Meeting and Greeting. It's true: Adults who wear braces are more memorable than many who don't. Dr. Seitelman says one of his patients, a salesman, actually saw an increase in sales because his customers remembered "the guy with the braces." Since my own braces were installed, I've gotten to know more people who've worn braces, who think they need braces, and who are curious about my braces. So are they worth it? Most adult patients think so. As I prepare to celebrate my second anniversary as a "brace face," I tend to think so, too. Susan Montgomery Corey is a freelance writer in Ravena.