I am a 51-year-old who decided it was time to get wired up. I had broken my jaw in high school. As a result of the trauma inflicted and the lack of proper dental work at the time, I was left with very crowded teeth, top and bottom.

The day I had my braces installed I went straight to the office following the appointment. Reactions from my staff were generally positive, following the normal questions of why was I doing it and how long would I have to wear them. I have found most reactions from adults to be split 50/50 positive and idiotic in nature. Typically, the individuals who have negative comments generally have crooked teeth and could use some help themselves. Other than a couple of days early-on when I experienced some cuts on my gums, it really has not been a bad experience overall.

My 10-year-old niece is just starting the braces process as well. She is thoroughly stoked about her Uncle having braces.

My Ortho tells me to expect to be wired for 16-20 months and then to have a permanent retainer installed top and bottom. I am almost two months into the process and looking forward to having straight teeth in the future. I notice that I constantly catch myself looking at other adults' teeth. It is amazing how many of them need a good Ortho!