The New York Times ran an article on adults and orthodontic appliances and found that "the most recent survey by the American Association of Orthodontists showed a 37 percent increase in the number of adult patients from 1994 to 2004, and the growth appears to be continuing. More than one million adults in the United States are currently in braces, according to the association, and adults now account for one of every five orthodontic patients." Even Tom Cruise got them! No longer are braces one of those awful teenage things. Since teeth shift with age, even adults who have had braces in their teens are getting refitted in their 30s and 40s. I never had braces as a kid, though I probably needed them. So about 6 weeks ago I took the plunge and got fitted- uppers and lowers- and they will be in for about 22 months. I'm not liking them at all, the first couple of weeks were awful, the glue on the brackets gets discolored but I chose the clear (ceramic) brackets rather than the metal ones (or heaven forbid, the multi-colored ones! I'm in my 30s, I want to draw as little attention to these braces as possible!) But I am getting used to them and have lost 5 lbs because I can't eat a whole lot of junk. It'll be worth it in the end. The cost is huge, especially if you want clear ceramics, but a straight white smile is worth it for me. Do any of you have braces? What made you decide to get them? To those of you who had them fitted as adults - are you glad you did? Was it worth it?