BRACES: NOT JUST FOR KIDS MORE ADULTS GET TREATMENT FOR TEET

Kentucky Post

(c) 1996 The Cincinnati Post. All rts. reserv.

07247164 BRACES: NOT JUST FOR KIDS MORE ADULTS GET 
TREATMENT FOR TEETH CINCINNATI POST (CP) - Friday, September 3, 
1993 By: David Holthaus, Post staff reporter Edition: METRO  Section: 
NEWS  Page: 1A Word Count: 718

MEMO: Text of fax box follows article

TEXT: When Delores Epps was in school, kids with braces were teased 
unmercifully. ''Metal mouth'' and ''Frankenstein'' were among the barbs 
aimed at children unfortunate enough to wear them.

   Now,  at  47,  Ms. Epps is wearing them herself, one of nearly 1 million 
adults  in  the  United  States  who  wear  braces.  That's one out of four 
orthodontic patients, says the American Association of Orthodontists.

   Braces  aren't  just  for  kids  anymore.  The  number of adults seeking 
orthodontic treatment doubled in the last 10 years. Many do so for the 
same reasons as Ms. Epps, whose teeth didn't align properly and had gaps 
between them.

   ''I  wanted  a  more  professional look,'' said Ms. Epps, the owner of a 
small  business  in West Chester that operates warehouses. ''At meetings, 
I didn't want people to focus on my mouth instead of on what I was saying.''

   She's committed at least four years and $3,000 to fixing her smile - two 
years  of  wearing braces and another two of wearing a retainer to keep her 
teeth in place.

   At  the  Reading orthodontic practice of Doctors James Biddle and 
Howard Starnbach,  28  percent  of the patients are adults, up from 5 
percent when they started practicing in 1973.

   ''Some   people   didn't  have  orthodontic  treatment  when  they  were 
children,''  Biddle said. ''And there's a greater awareness of the benefits of a 
nice smile.''

   Increasingly men are seeking the better smiles and straighter teeth that 
braces can bring. About 30 percent of adult orthodontic patients are men, a 
recent American Association of Orthodontists survey found.
   The  development  of orthodontic surgery made braces a useful option for 
many  adults,  Starnbach  said.  Orthodontists  say  the mechanics of 
teeth movement  are  essentially  the  same in adults as in children. But 
not all teeth and jaw problems in adults can be solved with braces alone 
because an adult's facial bones are no longer growing. Surgery is 
sometimes needed.

   Adults  most  often  seek  braces to correct crowded teeth, which can be 
difficult to clean and more prone to decay, Biddle said.

   Also  common are gaps between teeth, protruding front teeth and teeth in 
abnormal positions, all of which can be fixed with braces.

   Then  there's  pain.  A  bad  bite can cause tension headaches and other 
problems.

   About   6   percent   of   adults   get  braces  for  disorders  of  the 
temporomandibular  joints  -  the  joints that connect the lower jaw to the 
skull.  However, the number of adults getting braces for joint problems has 
dropped  significantly in recent years, as dental professionals choose more 
conservative approaches, the orthodontists association said.

   Adults considering braces should be prepared for sticker shock. The full 
regimen  of  braces,  retainers and multiple visits to the orthodontist can 
run  from  $2,800  and $4,000. About 70 percent of Biddle's and 
Starnbach's patients have at least a portion of that paid by health 
insurance.

   Alternatives to traditional stainless steel braces also have made braces 
more  acceptable  to adults. New technology has meant orthodontists offer 
a choice,  all  of which are less bulky and noticeable than the braces worn 
a generation ago.

   There  are  ceramic braces, which are tooth-colored and less noticeable, 
like  Ms.  Epps wears. There also are translucent sapphire braces, 
sculpted from man-made synthetic sapphire crystals.

   Patients  who really want to hide them can get lingual braces, which are 
bonded to the insides of teeth. These braces are expensive and require 
more visits  to  the  orthodontist  but they do keep the metal out of your 
mouth while your smile's on the mend.

   Text of fax box follows:

   Braces: A new look
   There's  less  tin  in many of those tin grins. Recent advancements have 
made braces more appealing:

   BONDING:  Braces  are  often  bonded  to  teeth,  making  them much 
less noticeable than the stainless steel bands that were once wrapped 
around and cemented to each tooth.

   BRACKETS: Clear or tooth-colored brackets are becoming popular.

   HIDE-AND-SEEK:  Braces  can  be  applied  to  the inside teeth 
surfaces, making them invisible. They're more expensive.

   DESIGNER  COLORS:  Wearers can choose different colors for the 
elastics, the small rubber bands used with braces. Even the braces 
themselves come in colors.

CAPTION: Photo

   BOB  DICKERSON/The Cincinnati Post - (Color) Dr. Paul L. Biddle 
tightens braces  for  Delores  Epps,  one  of an increasing number of adults 
who are getting fitted today for the dental procedure.
                Copyright 1993 The Cincinnati Post