Cost of LivingAre braces the new mid-life convertible?
Remember when the ticket to recapturing your youth was buying a flashy set of wheels? Mid-life crisis car! Well, things have changed. As producer Danielle Nerman finds, more Canadians are marking middle-age with a trip to the orthodontist.
At mid-life, Nathan Pylypuk never imagined he would enter a classic rite of passage for adolescents.
But more than a year ago, at the age of 45, he got braces for the first time.
“I did have that moment of like, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to be in my 40s with a metal mouth,'” Pylypuk told Cost of Living.
Pylypuk, who lives in Regina, is far from alone.
According to a 2025 survey from the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), the number of people actively undergoing orthodontic treatment in the U.S. and Canada is at an “all-time high.”
Notably, adults now represent a growing share of this patient population. The AAO estimates 2.37 million American adults are in active orthodontic care — up sharply from previous years.
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Canada has seen a similar rise, where dental support organization 123Dentist, which partners with more than 450 clinics nationwide and serves more than two million patients annually, has reported a 125 per cent increase in adult Invisalign cases between 2019 and 2024.
According to 123Dentist, the price of orthodontic treatment — including braces and clear aligners — typically ranges from $5,500 to $10,000, depending on the complexity of the case and the provider.
Why are more adults getting braces?
Dr. Cory Liss, a Calgary-based orthodontist, says that many parents who initially bring their children in for treatment are now deciding to pursue orthodontic care for themselves — often after seeing how straightforward the process has become.
“They’re like, ‘This is something I can do. This was different than when I was young,'” said Liss.
A key driver of this change, he says, has been the development and widespread adoption of clear aligners like Invisalign, which have significantly transformed the orthodontic experience for adults.
“It’s not the extractions and three years of braces and the rubber bands for lots of them,” said Liss. “They understand they can have simpler options.”
Dr. Liliya MacKenzie, an orthodontist in New Brunswick, agrees. She says that conventional braces often discouraged adults due to concerns around appearance and discomfort.
Also, MacKenzie says the decision to pursue orthodontic care mid-life also reflects changing personal circumstances.
“Their parents couldn’t afford to give them braces as kids,” said MacKenzie. “And now, they have jobs and insurance and they are able to afford to have a beautiful smile.”
As well, Steven Siegel, president of the AAO, says living in the digital age — especially post-COVID, have heightened people’s focus on their smiles.
“[They] see themselves talking and smiling and in animation throughout the day like never before,” he said. “That’s certainly raised the consciousness of how you look and how your teeth and smile relate to your overall facial appearance.”
And, Siegel says, it goes deeper than that. He says there’s a growing understanding of the health benefits that come with well-aligned teeth and a proper bite.
Straight teeth are easier to clean, he says, which helps reduce the risk of gum disease — a condition that, in recent years, has been increasingly linked to broader health issues such as cardiovascular disease and a higher risk of diabetes.
“There’s definitely a mouth-body connection that we’re seeing,” said Siegel.
Do we all need to get braces?
Siegel says patients often ask: “Is it dentally necessary or is it just for cosmetics?”
The answer, he says, depends entirely on the individual case.
For example, when patients have functional issues — such as a narrow palate or bite problems that affect speech, chewing, or even breathing — Siegel says that treatment is essential for long-term health. However, in cases of minor misalignment, he says he’d tell the patient that the treatment is “really primarily for cosmetic purposes.”
“I wouldn’t say that every person walking the planet needs orthodontic treatment, but there are many, many people that will have tremendous overall oral health benefits from well-aligned teeth and jaws,” he said.
That was the case for Pylypuk, who was initially referred to an orthodontist because of issues with his bite.
“They were concerned about my bite on the left side of my mouth, that my jaw wasn’t fully closing,” he said. “Over time, that could drift, so you’d have part of your jaw going one way, part of your jaw going the other, and if you create too much space, then it can be painful and can cause other problems.”
More than a year into his treatment, Pylypuk says he’s beginning to appreciate more than just the functional improvements.
“Now that I’m seeing the work that’s happening, I am excited to have a beautiful smile once they’re off,” said Pylypuk.