#orthodontics

#orthodontics

My spouse "Jaime," like their entire family, has naturally perfect teeth. I am not so genetically blessed, and if I hadn't had heavy-duty braces from fifth through eighth grade, my teeth would be horrifically jacked-up. Our 10-year-old daughter, "Sara," unfortunately seems to have gotten her teeth from my side.

Not so long ago, orthodontics used to mean enduring metal braces and years of adjustments just to get that perfect smile. But that is no longer the case. Fixing your dental alignment is not just about giving you a confident smile. It is also about everything else that comes with it, including ensuring proper teeth functionality, comfort and oral health. And thanks to modern orthodontic treatments (that utilise advanced tech and precision tools), dental alignment has become quicker, simpler and more accessible than ever.

Like landlines, Polaroid cameras and Lisa Frank designs, yet another 1980s item seems to be making a comeback: metal braces. TODAY anchors Craig Melvin, Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones and Dylan Dreyer discussed their own history with braces as well as the transformation of braces from geek to chic. "Back in the '80s and the '90s, Anthony Michael Hall had braces, right?" began Sheinelle on the Sep. 17 show. "And it almost signified teen awkwardness, almost like a prop. But now people are proud of them."

If you are like me, you brush your teeth-too vigorously, I'm told-with a plastic rack of plastic bristles. You use your plastic brush to lather a paste pushed from a plastic tube. When you have a cavity, you go to a dentist who might