text: am i too old to pull out some teeth in order to put on braces to straighten my teeth? i was advised by orthodontist that if i wanted to straighten my teeth, i would have to have several teeth extracted first. i am already 30 years old, i'm afraid this could result in some adverse effect on my jaw bones or loose teeth. any views in this regard is highly appreciated. you may not need to have any teeth pulled out with the new technology involving orthodontics now. ask you dentist/orthodontist about invisalign (clear braces which arent attached and are only removed for eating or cleaning, you have a set which you wear for 2 weeks each time). there is also damon 3 brackets, visit www.ormco.com/damon. there is often no need for teeth to be removed, treatment time is 6 months less than conventional treatment and is less painful. they are very tiny and you do not need to wear elastics (which is the most cause of friction pain), the wire clips in and out which means less chairside time and discomfort for you, less force when moving is good for adult ortho care. i have them in at the moment. prob with invisalign is you often need to wear brackets after to get the best result. have a look at the sites and talk to your orthodontist again