The other day when I was at the dentist, trying to make conversations in those all too brief seconds when I didn’t have my mouth wrenched open, I asked him whether the GFC was affecting business. Were people neglecting their teeth to save a few bucks?Because jeez, at that moment? While he was drilling…….
…. into a molar before filling it? The thought of running away and just shoving some blutack in there was a tempting one.
“Oh no,” he said. “When times are tough, people actually INVEST in their teeth. We find that when the economy is booming and people have cash, they’re more likely to spend it frivolously on teeth whitening and cosmetic procedures at cheapy dentists. But when they have less money, they invest in quality dental care. So we’ve seen many clients returning to make sure they’re getting the best possible job done on their teeth.”
Now this could well just be dental propaganda. I don’t know. He also said there was an increase in adults getting braces. Really? REALLY?
There’s really nothing pleasant about going to the dentist. It almost always hurts – first in your mouth and then in your wallet. That would possibly be why I just canceled a follow-up appointment and made one for a pedicure instead.
Here are some famous adults with braces…..
Gwen Stefani (with husband Gavin Rossdale)
Tom Cruise
Ugly Betty
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46 Comments so far
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Well, you asked. I am an older adult who just got her braces off, and there is no way I would go thru that again. My teeth do look good, but I jdon’t think what I went through the last two years justifies that. I had non-stop discomfort from about month 3 (when I got the bottom braces put on too) to about the time I finally got them off, about 1 1/2 years later. Not even a million dollars would make me do it again. I lisped off and on the entire time; even with the retainer now I am having some of the same issues. I think the ortho. industry keeps selling the “ideal” patient to everyone. Not everyone is going to be the ideal patient. Plus, orthodontists are used to dealing with adolescents and need training on how to make the switch to adults vs. just treating adults the exact same and thinking that is going to work. I even had to rinse my own mouth out in a public sink. Yuck! Adults are way used to their dentists who work with them and assistants who clean their mouth. You go to the ortho. and they act like they are doing you a favor, because they are used to dealing with kids who mom and dad and ins. paid. Here you are an adult who just paid $6,000 and they are treating you like one of their kid patients.
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Oh and Lu, when I asked for gas (hoping to zone out of his chit chat and relieve my anxiety) he said he doesn’t offer it.
I assume that this is because gas would prevent patients from hearing all about him….
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I am currently enduring root canal therapy. This is expensive and it hurts. And I have to return for an hour every week while he does some more. But that is not the worst of it.
During the ‘therapy’ I have to endure one sided conversations on:
His children and all of the extra-curricular activities they do (they are brilliant, by the way)
his new car (red, expensive, and very fast but isn’t it annoying that he can’t drive it to its full potential on the city streets and he has to hires a raceway somewhere)
and my personal favourite:
his home renovation in a dress circle eastern Sydney beach suburb and how the cost just keeps blowing out.
I would ask him if he has considered what some patients must forego to pay for his glamorous lifestyle, but I have a rubber dam in my mouth. And he leaves the room before it is taken out so I can never ask him afterwards.
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Never be scared of the dentist people. I love going and happily skip to my regualar 6 monthly appointments. Why ? Its called happy gas. Even for a clean. It makes me relaxed and takes the stress away. I love it. As good as 3 glasses of champage but you can drive home safely.
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A friend of mine who is 24 just recently had braces put on to straighten her teeth in time for her upcoming wedding.
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I was bitten in the face by a dog when I was one (don’t feel sorry, I don’t remember it and only have a teeny scar on my nose), and it screwed up my permanent teeth. I’ve had years and years of orthodontics, from about age 9 until age 16. Huge gaps between the front – three teeth pulled – expanders, contracters – what a nightmare! Once, a wire grew into the roof of my mouth and had to be cut out by the dentist. I am thankful every day that all of that is behind me.
One of my two front teeth is still stained and crooked as a result of the dog bite. My dentist insists on telling me every time I go that he could put a cap on it, etc, etc… and I don’t care! If it’s just cosmetic, I’m not interested. I would happily go the rest of my life being self conscious about my tooth if it meant I never had to suffer through braces hell again. So to those of you who are adults with braces, I say go for it! Just don’t expect me to join you.
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I am completing Invisalign now, at the age of 29. I grew up with a single mother who would have struggled to pay for this herself, but would have if she could have. Now that I can afford it, I am doing it and am very happy with the results. It’s not too painful at all. I think it is a great investment for my confidence and happiness – I work in a client facing field with a lot of presentation work, so it’s important for me. I also moved to the US a few years ago where the norm is straight, white teeth, so it became a higher priority pretty fast.
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I had braces as a teen, but they didn’t emphasize wearing the retainer/plate, so I went back to have a gap closed (at age 52). It all went so much faster with the new techniques, and I don’t mind wearing the retainer at night forever. There’s good information at the website for adults in braces called http://www.ArchWired.com. Your smile is definitely a huge part of a first impression, good or bad, so it was really worth it even without insurance.
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oooh I was interested in those
have you had them Krissi?
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all I can say is “invisalign”
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Also, my dentist has jokes and funny facts taped to the ceiling so when you’re lying in the chair you can look up to read them.
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I have a very hot dentist. It makes the world of difference. My teeth were so bad the mummified exhibits in the museum had better teeth than me so as a result I have spent so much money on my teeth I believe there is a gold plaque on the back of the chair saying this chair is sponsored by me. Still, I always look forward to my next visit, I can just lie back, look up and enjoy the scenery.
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I love my dentist. He says the same jokes each time I visit, and always when I can’t comment back as my mouth is wide open and filled with his hands and multiple utensils.
I would get braces if I needed them. They’re not forever and teeth are a pretty big part of ones appearance. x
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Yes braces hurt like hell! I am wering them now, I am 53 years old, I had (in my childhood) terrible experience with dentist,( in Europe), dentists here, in Australia are wonderfull, one thing I like to change is the cold water and cold air in the vacuum, I have sensitive teeth and I can’t stand the wacuum suction with cold air, could they invented something with warm air and warm water? cheers
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Totally unrelated to this topic…
Mia, will you be posting any photos from Cannes? Angelina looks different but I can’t work out why. Dodgy make-up job and lighter eye-brows?
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StepfordDreams – maybe you just need a plate to get them back in line?
After my braces came off they glued a wire behind my teeth and that makes sure they won’t move out of place, maybe you could ask your dentist about that?
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I LOVE going to the dentist!
I’ve never had a filling and they always say such nice things about how well I look after my teeth and how nice they are.
The only downside is the cost but I only go once a year and it’s not alot really when you think aout it, we need to have these teeth for the rest of our lives!
I hate it when people are proud of not having gone to the dentist for years, like when they say “I haven’t been to the dentist for 20 years!”. That’s not a good thing!!!
I had braces when I was 13 and I’m glad I had them then. If Ihadn’t, I think I would have them as an adult because having braces changed my life. It gave me so much more confidence and made me feel so much better about myself.
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Hi Mia,
Have you been reading my twitter page? Hehe. First I change by bio to “I’ve like totally moved on from Facebook”. Then I noticed that you had also posted a tweet on the same day – “A friend who knows a thing or 2 insists Twitter will be over soon. Says Facebook is key. The thought makes me tired. Must I? Both? Really?”
And my first tweet back 10:43 AM Apr 18th was “Braces as an adult really hurts, especially if job requires to take phone calls all day”, then I read this post and I think to myself what is it with Mia, is she psychic or just always tapping in to the zeitgeist? Or am I tapping in to the zeitgeist?
I am in my late twenties and just recently got braces (6 weeks ago) and yes, they do hurt. Not all the time. When you first get them on and then when you get them tightened is when you experience the most pain.
Everyone was like “Why!!?? You already had great teeth there nothing was wrong with them!!!” But they were not perfect either let me tell you. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to justify the reason I decided to invest in braces, it’s been very annoying.
So these have been my reasons that I have not told every person every single one, just what I think they can handle -
1. My bottom teeth were slightly crooked and the two middle top were starting to overlap and I knew my bite wasn’t right because I had ground two of my back teeth to oblivion.
2. I now have the money to invest in myself. I see it as a long term investment.
3. Having great teeth is an unconscious sign of good health, and I want to look the best that I can look.
4. All my wisdom have been pulled out so (as long as I wear the plate afterwards) there is no reason why they won’t stay perfectly straight for a very long time.
5. I don’t want to end up like my parents that did nothing about their teeth and have had to spend tens of thousands of dollars getting them fixed in their fifties.
6. I want teeth that look like Mia Freedman’s (just kidding!) Although, I do experience a bit of teeth envy when I watch you on Today.
PS Hi Kelly Slater! Can’t believe we both commented on this post! Hehe.
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I’m 38 – only just – and had braces when I was 12. I was in such a hurry to get them off, my teeth crept back to their original state within a few years. I don’t want a perfect nose, lipo or botox… I want straight teeth, and if there’s another way to go besides braces, let me know. Otherwise, there’ll be one more adult going around with braces very soon.
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Sorry, that post sounded a little more predatory than I intended…
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I’m very lucky, my dentist is GORGEOUS and I think Single!! So my insides always leap a little whenever I get my 6-monthly reminder to make an appointment!!
Thing is, it’s not the best or most romantic environment in which to ask someone out… Any suggestions?
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I just had my braces taken off at age 20 since having them on at age 13. Anyone who has them will tell you it is not a fun ride at all, unfortunately I had quite a few setbacks also hence they were on so long. I also had dental implant surgery recently – I am very curious to know this one – has anyone else endured the hell of having a huge, visible gap at age 20,for long periods of time? And the way people seem to point it out like you’re not aware its there. For 6 weeks in that gap the titanium screw from my implant was visible also – that was an extreme source of self-consciousness, let me
tell you!!!!!!!!!
My orthodontist told me technically everyone needs braces regardless the age. So i’m happy now i have gone through all this teeth stuff at a young age, I don’t have to age 30 etc.!
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Lu, I think dentists will tell us anything to get us to floss.
Everytime I try to floss I give up becasue the floss gets stuck and I don’t like pulling at it. I may loose a filling, far worse than any consequnces that dentists can come up with as far as I am concerned.
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My dentist tells me if you dont floss you can take 5 years from your life expectancy.
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I had braces for about two years from when I was about 13, then a plate for 18 months. As soon as the plate went and my wisdom teeth came through, my bottom teeth were squashed and pushed the middle tooth backwards, which makes the whole row look horribly crooked! After all that money and pain! I am very self conscious of it but glad it’s the bottom row of teeth, not the top.
I hated braces – they hurt, they looked ugly, I couldn’t eat what I wanted… but I have considered getting them on the bottom again to fix my stupid uncooperative teeth! I suppose I have to choose between being self-consious for a year or two about braces or being self-conscious for the rest of my life about crooked teeth…
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A 55yr old female collegue of mine has braces. She is a very attactive woman who has always given a closed mouth smile to hide her teeth,but when she has them removed she will get them whitened and she’ll have to learn how to give a full smile. Can’t wait- so happy for her.
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Actually I want to get braces again because some of my teeth have shifted but my husband won’t let me “waste” the money because he says my teeth are fine. I was thinking of having them on if I have another baby- during the pregnancy. When pregnant I look fat and feral anyway so why not kill a few birds with the one ugly stone?
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I wonder if Gwen’s pink hair was an effort to distract us from her braces…
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My mother was insistent about her kids going to the Dentist, I remember going as early 4 years of age…I had baby teeth removed before I had the chance to loose them as well as bottom braces by the time I was 8! I also remember our dentist was a small Jewish man with bad breath who wore a toupee… Could never quite understand why a Dentist would have bad breath but he did.
Nowadays I still visit the same dental surgery but a different Dentist and he doesn’t have bad breath or a toupee but he does tell really bad jokes while he’s inflicting pain and his Dental assistant laughs along. I don’t know why I put up with this but I do.
Oh and my girlfriend got braces as an adult and complained that she got nothing back from her private health fund because they only cover children…Hardly seems fair!
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What a timely post Mia. One of my best girlfriends is looking at getting braces. She has PHI, and it’s going to cost her about $5500. More if she wants invisible braces.
I’ll get her to have a read of the comments.
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I do wearing braces, to tell you this, i feel very uncomfortable wearing it, but the result is I had a set of straight teeth now that was braces can do.
-fiona-
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I’m with NJ and Lu- I can’t imagine not fixing my teeth if I had the money.
I have extended family members with more money than they know what to do with but who have the most awful teeth- I always notice straight away as well, I’m shallow that way I guess.
I would pay big bucks to ensure that my kids have nice teeth, who cares about a holiday!
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Teeth care is so important for health not just to look good. But the problem is it’s so expensive. Has anyone watched that (terrible) show ten years younger in ten days? It gives you an real idea of what can happen if you don’t look after your teeth. most of the people on the show were so embarrssed to go, I felt very sorry for them. but at the end of the day most people can’t afford it. So to those of you who are paying big $$ for you kids teeth- good on you!
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Hey NJ, teeth are my thing too. I always notice them first. Probably because I spent most of my teenage years with braces and am now spending a small fortune on my childrens teeth. I have a friend with a gorgeous daughter who has terrible crooked teeth. They have expensive family holidays every year but wont fix their poor daughters teeth. They say she can do it when she can pay for it herself.
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I am actually considering braces at age 25, because it has come to the time where I have the money to spend on my health, and I want a nice smile.
It’s just one of those things, I didnt want them when i was 13 (i begged my mum to not make me go, as my teeth arent too bad, just a little uneven), and now I wish I had gone. Oh well.
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Funny but interesting topic Mia.
I often wonder why adults who can afford great dental care, have god-awful teeth. I work with this woman who wears Chanel shoes and carries Prada handbags, but has terrible teeth – really crooked. Surely a good set of teeth would be a better investment?
Has anyone ever noticed Wayne Swan’s bottom teeth by the way? They are ATROCIOUS! It’s like someone threw a handful of teeth in there and where they fell, they stuck.
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I got braces when I was 24 and had them for two and a half years. To be honest, it was pretty horrible having them on, uncomfortable, ulcers – not to mention the fact that I was incredibly self-conscious of them, but I’m really pleased with the result. Now, 27 and brace free – I flash my newly straightened pearly whites when I smile and do so unreservedly. Also, it didn’t stop me from doing anything – I travelled for six months and also met my boyfriend when I was braced. My advice to anyone thinking about bracing themselves is to consider just how self-conscious they are about their smile and if they hesitate, go and get acquainted with some tooth-metal and sort your laughing gear out once and for all.
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Yes, Betty Boo’s Mummy, I mentioned root canal therapy on my Twitter post. I am soon going to have my 3rd session. I have a good dentist. It hasn’t hurt one bit, but he warned me I’d be up for around $1000.That’s when it hurts!………
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I had braces as a teenager and as an adult. It was much better the second time around! It hurt less (mouth must’ve grown?) the brackets were white, and since I was paying for it myself i actually did what I was told and looked after them more. I don’t regret it for a second. and I know so many people who need them and talk about it but never get it done, saying it takes too long but if they had gotten it when they talked about it they would’ve had them off already by now.
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I had braces when I was 20; I had to get them put on because when my wisdom teeth came through they started pushing my other teeth over, so I had to wear braces for about 9 months to correct it. They were so foul, I hated them. I was always getting food stuck in them, I hated eating in front of people, and they were always cutting into the inside of my lips. I was always really conscious when I was talking to people, thinking that maybe I had something stuck in my braces, and would often talk with my hand over my mouth. But I was lucky that I only had them for 9 months. My friend also had braces as an adult and had to wear them for two and a half years!
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When I was 30 I ventured to the dentist after being too scared to go for the previous 15 years. I was having nightmares about my teeth falling out. I finally sucked it up and went. But it was not nice. Not. One. Bit.
Now I happily go every 6 months and it’s truly not that bad. Takes 20 minutes and my evil-good-for-nothing health fund pays the whole bill. My dentist rocks; she knows I am a bit sook.
I am too scared NOT to go to the dentist these days. Don’t want the actual pain or financial pain if something yucky happens. Did someone say root canal????
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To continue on Belinda, I think teeth are often a sign of your socio economic group. Looking after your teeth and your childrens teeth is expensive and time consuming. Unfortunately people who cant afford to visit a dentist often have to wait a long time for free dental care. By the time they get an appointment its too late and the tooth has to be removed. We are on the orthodontist treadmill with 2 of our children and its bloody expensive, but we both had braces as teenagers so it wouldnt be fair to expect our kids to grow up with crooked teeth when we didnt !
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I have two friends who had braces when they were in their late twenties. No embarassment, they were so confident because they knew the outcome would be fantastic looking teeth and they are.
The dental nurse where I go, sings/hums when I’m in the chair. I find this bloody annoying. I had to tell her to stop, between the drilling and the bad singing I had a headache.
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I love my Australian dentist! I had been going there since I was little and even at the ripe old age of 21, he insisted on giving me a “ride” in the dental chair like he used to when I was 6 to ensure I was not scared of whatever horror he was about to inflict on my mouth. My orthodontist was also fabulous, he had a very square jaw so he reminded me of Ridge from B&B and he was so soft spoken and calm all the time. I had a bit of a crush on him.
I am now living in the US and am scared to make an appointment at the dentist. Luckily, I have good health insurance and years of drinking fluoridated water has meant that I have no cavities or teeth issues to speak of (knock on wood), however I am still working up the courage to go.
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eek dentists, money or no money i avoid them! i know someone overseas who happily got braces as an adult – she didn’t REALLY need them, but apparently, having them was a sign of wealth (cause it costs so bloody much to have them). and she’s all about the status symbols. not sure why she didn’t just buy a fancy car. or sessions with a shrink, but anyway…
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Why DO dentists try to make conversation while you’re in the chair?
Umm, kinda difficult to talk – you have your hands in my mouth!