I’d like to get my teeth straightened. I’d always wanted to but my husband kept insisting he liked me the way I was. I appreciated the sentiment, but they still bothered me. He passed a couple of years ago. I’ve decided I’m going to do it now. Otherwise I’ll always regret not following a dream. I’ve always heard adults prefer Invisalign. If I’m over 60, am I too old?

Eva – Montana

Eva,

You’re definitely not too old for orthodontics, including Invisalign. You’re right that most adults prefer Invisalign. It’s more comfortable than traditional braces. You don’t have to worry about your oral hygiene. With braces, brushing and flossing is quite the challenge. With Invisalign, you simply remove the aligners then brush and floss as normal.

It’s great that you’re not letting your dreams pass you by. While your husband’s sentiment is sweet and romantic, you may find with a corrected bite you feel better. Sometimes our bite can throw off our hinge joint enough to cause TMJ. It can cause everything from jaw pain and migraines to complete lock jaw.

We’ve also had seniors live out their dreams of a total smile makeover. You’re never too old to do anything!

Make sure you have a dentist you’re comfortable with because you’ll need to change out your aligners every couple of weeks, though most dentists don’t make you check in that often. The point is, you’ll be seeing the dentist a little more than usual.

You won’t have to see an orthodontist, though. Many general dentists are Invisalign certified and will do a fantastic job.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.