I declined braces at age 12 despite dental advice, allowing my crowded teeth and crossbite to worsen over time. Crowded teeth became harder to clean and contributed to gum recession while bite misalignment put pressure on certain teeth, eventually causing a cracked bicuspid. Orthodontic treatment with clear, removable Invisalign trays was chosen to realign teeth over about 15 months. The trays are designed to be inconspicuous, though they may be noticeable to the wearer and can cause an initial slight lisp. Daily life requires adjustment and brings both pleasant and unpleasant surprises during months of aligner use.
My parents, who afforded me a remarkable amount of autonomy, let me choose whether to get that mouthful of metal. You can guess what happened. Or, I should say, didn't. Many years later, as my teeth continued to shift, I'd notice when someone else had a perfect smile. I grew a bit self-conscious about mine. My teeth didn't look so terrible that I refused to smile, but I did regret not getting braces.
Straighter teeth, I learned the hard way, weren't just nice to look at. As a few dentists had warned me in adulthood, crowded teeth were harder to clean between-that and my crossbite were causing gum recession. The crossbite also was putting pressure on some teeth. Last year, I cracked a bicuspid-and was told that could keep happening. Which led me to orthodontist Jill Bruno's office in Friendship Heights, to get fitted with Invisalign trays that would gradually unsnarl my smile.
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