Teeth straightened in fifties?

[BiteToEat]

I’m in my mid fifties and have an opportunity to have braces. I have to have one tooth anyway, but could get four out, then real braces. Or Invisalign, with no extra teeth out.

Is this silly? Has anyone else had this done? Any advice??

I had invitation at 63, wish I'd done it earlier! Go for it.

I'm 58 and have wanted straight teeth for years. I've had a consultation with a dentist and the cost is reasonable (about £3k for Invisalign) but I'm hesitating because of the 'inconvenience'. Not sure I'd be able to wear for 22 hours and still enjoy life (dramatic I know!).

Anyone who can reassure me?

I had done in my 40s (I’m 55 now). Depending on your teeth I’d say slightly manage expectation with Invisalign. I am pleased I did it as teeth don’t improve with age (an ex-colleague of mine was 10 years older than me and with a similar unfortunate dental arrangement to mine and that made me determined to do something about it, as hers absolutely did worsen). It was painful, it’s not just a neat little retainer you pop in, there’s more to it, and then I had to have a permanent ‘wire’ cemented to my teeth. It was a faff, always breaking so I had it removed. I had to wear a retainer everyday for a year thereafter and then I have to wear every night until the day the clogs are popped. As I said earlier I don’t regret it, but my teeth still would be no asset to me in Hollywood, it is painful, they’re still prone to shifting (my dentist said that’s because I’m older) and I guess it’s cheaper now, but was quite new tech when I had it done and it cost me c £7k. Good luck with it all! Hope goes well for you.

I had Invisalign at 47. Best thing I ever did.

Go for it!

@chimichangaz not dramatic! You can’t eat or drink with them in, so if you’re coffee on the go and lots of socials involving grub then it is a bore as you’ll need to take it out and then brush n floss et al before you put it back in. Also bear in mind that the little hooks they cement onto your teeth can rub the inside of your mouth/lip which is painful, so I actually wanted mine in 22 hours a day! And there’s nothing quite like the pain of a new retainer for the first few days! (You change them every 2 weeks).

Tracks here and best decision ever - not only do I have straight teeth that are easy to clean and floss but also the shape of my lower face has changed due to a wider smile making me look younger.

@ThePoetsWife i wish I’d gone the tracks route, as I do think the results are better.

Also tracks are quicker - it took 11 months for me.

Thanks @RipleyGreen that's useful. I LOVE my coffee so that would be an issue. I'm single and don't eat out much, however I do have a cruise holiday at least twice a year so that needs considering!

I might look into tracks more with my dentist although i was worried about cleaning properly with those.

I’m in my late 40s. I took the plunge last year and did Invisalign for 6 months with a bit of whitening treatment and now I wear the retainers religiously - I’m very very happy with the results! My teeth look naturally good (not fake) after many years of slowly crowding and yellowing and it has taken years off me (so DH very tactfully suggested).

Well worth the expense.

And the faff of removing and cleaning and flossing every time I eat means I snack less 👍

Definitely do it. Age is irrelevant. It would improve your appearance and self-confidence, and possibly your dental hygiene, which is a massive benefit to overall health later in life.

Teeth move all the time. Both ds's had metal braces, fixed wire retainer (which I highly recommend and is a godsend) and a plastic retainer. And their teeth have still moved!

Thank you all, it seems everyone who has done this is pleased with the results.

And it’s given me some questions to ask at my consultation with the dentist, it was his colleague a specialist orthodontist I saw to discuss the teeth straightening. I just need tk decide what route (root?!) to take. The extractions would be one tooth that’s done anyway and the others with old fillings etc.

As for eating and drinking with Invisalign, eating is a definite no (though I'll often put the aligners back in and then linger at the table, before cleaning next time I need the bathroom, if I'm in a restaurant). I drink cold drinks, herbal tea and hot chocolate with mine in. At first I was really cautious but after 36 trays and knowing that it hasn't impacted the outcome, I more carefree! 22 hours is recommended but 20 is not an issue. I've never gone a whole day or night without them though (and have even had to drive back home to get them after leaving for work without putting them back in!)

What have you decided OP ? I’m still considering it.

At your age you will probably need a permanent retainer cemented on and also a night retainer to wear.

I have invisalign at the moment and it's absolutely fine, so much better than I anticipated. I too was a bit wary about the nighttime retainer use afterwards but I know it will be fine as I have got so used to wearing the aligners during the day. I can't wait to see the results!

Does it feel bulky in your mouth, and how is the pain?

It does at first but then you don't even notice it. I've had no pain whatsoever with mine thankfully.

I had invisalign at 53, delighted with the results. I wear retainers at night now. Never really had any pain at all. I had my teeth slimmed a bit rather than having any extractions. I'd say go.for it.

Well… I had decided on the aligners and slimming. But retainers at night forever sounds rubbish.. 🥲

Are the retainers like mouth guards?

Yes but they're fine, you soon get used to them. They protect your teeth if you grind them as well. You can miss nights, even a week at a time really once they're done.

Im 59 and I've had my consultation for invisialign last week.
Im going ahead and having it done.