Metal Mouth Message Board

Does anyone know whether getting braces in your 50's can shorten life of your teeth and cause tooth resorption? Has anyone had problems with that, and if so, what sort?

I'm a similar vintage to you. In the package of notes I was given when I started, mention was made of the possibility of root resorption as a consequence of treatment. There was no reference to it being an age related thing.

I'm not far enough into treatment to have had any further Xrays taken so can't advise from personal experience.

Thanks for the reply. I'm hoping that if I get Damons there will be less chance of resorption, but wonder because i was warned by a former dentist as an adult to be sure not to do anything that moved the teeth too fast. Their sales rep said even though Damons move the teeth faster, they actually do it more gently, so it should make it less likely. I think I'd just like to hear that from someone else without a vested interest in the company, though, to be sure it's not just sales hype!

Thanks for all the replies. I'll let you know what I find out. I am particularly concerned because I had been on Fosamax for some months time a couple of years back, so I am also concerned about the potential jaw necrosis problem associated with those meds. I haven't found anyone with experience with that regarding orthodontics, though it seems more likely with the IV form used on cancer patients, so may not be an issue for me. However, it has occurred with at least one oral pill Fosamax patient, hence my concern.

My ortho also said we will move the teeth slowly to prevent resorption. She did warn me that it can happen but didn't say it had anything to do with my age. Now admittedly, the bones are more firmly set and brittle as we age, so perhaps that makes tooth movement tougher. And maybe that is equivalent to more risk of resorption. My reading hasn't gotten me worried about that, and I did check around quite a bit.

The key for me is to do what the ortho says and not be impatient. In fact I can see movement all the time. So far from late December until now, ALL we have done is to close up a really big side gap. In 2 weeks I'm hoping to get the full braces and start working on closing the front gaps.

But I will be patient. :) I want these teeth to stay with me forever.

I have been told I have bone loss and root reabsorption. I am in my mid 30's, and started braces at age 33. The bone loss was noticed on xrays done at 21 months, so it was already apparent then. And my teeth certainly didn't move very fast, as just got my braces off after 38 months! I was told the bone loss is along my upper teeth. I had an upper canine that was completely out of the arch (stuck out in it's own row in front of all the other teeth) so I always wondered if moving that tooth was just too much for my poor bone. I just got my braces off and the canine is now in the row, but it still doesn't look completely right, so I wonder if the bone was too damaged to position the tooth perfectly or something. It's still a HUGE improvement so I won't compain too much!

But nowadays, my ortho and dentist haven't mentioned the bone loss in over a year! No one explained to me what it could mean, or what problems could arise. I am really in the dark on the whole matter, and no one will tell me anything. I figure the worst case senario is dentures, right?? My ortho will eventually have a permanent retainter put on my teeth - he calls it "splinting them together", so the teeth can stay more stable.

I wish I knew more or understood the problem better! Oh well!

Thanks again for all the replies. SuefromNJ, I'm so sorry to hear about your bone problems and I would firmly ask for more answers myself, as well as do some google internet research on it, as was suggested. Were you taking any calcium supplements or eating plenty of calcium rich foods while wearing the braces? Could your diet have been deficient in nutrients like calcium, D, K, or B-12 which are necessary for the bone regrowth that must occur with braces? Have you ever done much weight bearing exercise to aid calcium absorption? Were you using any of the biophosphonate drugs like Fosamax which might have interfered in the process and caused bone death? Maybe if you can get extra nutrients for awhile it will eventually fill back in? I sure hope you can find a way to resolve it, and hope you think the results were worth it all.

Thanks again for all the replies. SuefromNJ, I'm so sorry to hear about your bone problems and I would firmly ask for more answers myself, as well as do some google internet research on it, as was suggested. Were you taking any calcium supplements or eating plenty of calcium rich foods while wearing the braces? Could your diet have been deficient in nutrients like calcium, D, K, or B-12 which are necessary for the bone regrowth that must occur with braces? Have you ever done much weight bearing exercise to aid calcium absorption? Were you using any of the biophosphonate drugs like Fosamax which might have interfered in the process and caused bone death? Maybe if you can get extra nutrients for awhile it will eventually fill back in? I sure hope you can find a way to resolve it, and hope you think the results were worth it all.

WOW! I'll tackle some of those questions! I have googled it before (I am a librarian, by the way, and deal with information all the time!) but it is all medical jargon and general stuff. I want to know about MY mouth! I did ask about the bone loss awhile ago, and my ortho and dentists basically said the same thing: my teeth may not be stable to hold their new positions, and I need them all splinted together to give them strength and to "spread the forces" on them around. There wasn't much else they could tell me, it seemed. It used to bother me that I don't know much, but my "dental professionals" don't seem to care, so now I just don't care too much anymore either.

Never heard of Fosamax, as I don't take any perscription drugs ever. I drink lots of milk since I enjoy it, and do exercise on my exercise bike. No supplements as I don't believe it makes any real difference. Nutrition may not be the best, but probably not the worst thing either. I do believe that my out-of-place canine had alot to do with it, as it had to move so much. I also had four extractions which damages bone. I guess it all adds up. Also my dad had bone loss and problems with teeth, but he still has them all at almost age 70.

Really, at this point, I stopped asking about it, and my ortho and dentist don't even mention it anymore. I assume if it were terrible amounts of bone loss, I doubt my ortho would have kept my braces on for another 17 months after the bone loss was noted. I had alot of finishing xrays done right before my braces came off, and my ortho said absolutely nothing about the bone loss. So if they don't care, neither do I anymore!