Tom Cruise and adult braces

By Dr. Linda Niessen
Monday, April 08, 2002

Tom Cruise helps popularize adult braces
04/08/2002
By Dr. LINDA NIESSEN / Special Contributor to WFAA-TV

When Tom Cruise presented at the Academy Awards, you may not have noticed the new clear brackets on his teeth.

Clear brackets today are made of ceramics, clearly a better choice than the older version that was made of plastic.

"Plastic braces were soft," says orthodontist Dr. Doug Crosby. "They would break. They would wear down. They would turn very crazy colors during treatment. And the new clar ceramic braces maintain their clear nature throughout the treatment. Very strong. Very durable."

Dr. Crosby suggests clear brackets instead of metal ones for many of his adult orthodontic patients.

"They do require a little more maintenance, so it's an adult bracket really," he says.

Just like Cruise, Steve Brown chose clear brackets.

"The clear braces look more professional, and they are also not as obvious," Brown says.

Brown is a software engineer who started wearing braces a year ago to straighten his overlapping front teeth.

"I really wanted Invisalign, but because my teeth were so crossed I couldn't get Invisalign," he says.

Invisalign braces are hard, plastic trays and even more invisible than clear brackets, but dentists recommend Invisalign for only minor tooth movement.

"Anything that's severe by nature is really going to require braces still," Dr. Crosby says.

And after the initial news broke about Cruise and his orthodontic treatment?

"We've already noticed that in our office more adult males are calling in," Dr. Crosby says.

Maybe Tom Cruise will prompt more adults to look into orthodontics, especially after they've seen their own children get such good results

Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and  the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.

Home