Andrew Thurin probably doesn’t realize what straight teeth might do for him in life.

For now, the Riverside, Calif., high school freshman is just happy that the brackets and wires are off his teeth. He can drink Coke and eat popcorn again, two of the many formerly forbidden items.

In the long run, though, Andrew’s sacrifices could pay off in a big way.

“We live in a society that judges on appearance,” said Andrew’s orthodontist, E. Jan Davidian. “People who don’t have straight teeth can be limited in the careers they choose and their choice of a spouse.”

Betty Thurin-Forster, Andrew’s mother, remembers the days before he wore braces. In addition to causing chewing problems, crooked, large teeth were beginning to affect his self-esteem.

Thurin-Forster said he didn’t like to smile. In family photographs, Andrew didn’t show his teeth.

After nearly two years in treatment, a large, metal-free smile crossed Andrew’s face in September. The braces were finally removed, and he got to see his perfect smile in a mirror for the first time.

“They look so nice,” his mother beamed.

Thurin-Forster and her husband, Carl Forster, have four boys in their blended family. Andrew is the first to get his braces off. The others are either in treatment or will soon experience the orthodonist’s chair.

Paying for four sets of braces has sidelined family vacations and luxuries, even with insurance that covers half the costs and payment plans offered by their orthodontist.

“I had to pay $2,000 for Andrew’s and $2,800 for his younger brother, Zack. It was almost $2,000 for Joey, and I am waiting for the final amount for the youngest son, Bill,” said Thurin-Forster. She works as a manicurist and Carl as a heavy equipment mechanic.

“Even the boys have given up things like being on the hockey team because it costs money,” said Thurin-Forster. “But they know how important this is. It’s their future.”

A 2000 Harris Interactive study commissioned by Align Technology, the makers of Invisalign braces, asked 1,000 adults how smiles affect self-esteem. Ninety-four percent responded that when meeting someone for the first time, they noticed the person’s smile before eyes, height or figure. Three out of four felt that having an attractive smile was important for getting an ideal job and succeeding at work.

Almost half said that bad teeth were a sign of bad personal hygiene.

Pam Paladin, a spokeswoman for the American Association of Orthodontists, said she knew of no scientific studies on the relationship between even teeth and self-esteem.

However, it’s clear that straight teeth are healthier teeth, she said.

“Orthodontic treatment helps people keep their teeth longer. When they are aligned properly they won’t collect as much debris and plaque. You can floss better and you have healthier gums,” Paladin said.

Opting for braces

In 35 years of practice, orthodontist E. Jan Davidian has seen many changes. There are more options in types of braces available, treatment time can be shorter and procedures less painful.

Newer wires cause little discomfort — nothing that over-the-counter pain medication can’t handle, said Davidian, of Riverside, Calif.

“When I got into practice, the bands went around the tooth and made spaces between the teeth,” he says. “It was more painful. Now the bracket is glued onto the front of a tooth.”

Brackets can be made of metal, tooth-colored ceramic or clear plastic.

Wires are placed in the brackets to move the teeth into place. The wires are held in place by ties, small rubber bands, which can be multi-colored for fun and fashion.

There are gold-colored brackets and wires. And one company offers brackets shaped like footballs, stars and hearts, according to Pam Paladin with the American Association of Orthodontists.

In Davidian’s office, gold braces are $250 more, and white braces are $500 more than traditional braces for top and bottom teeth.

Invisalign braces, another option, look like clear retainers. The Invisalign device covers the teeth only, not the gums, and can be removed by the patient at will. Patients need to remove them to eat and brush their teeth.

A series of clear plastic trays are made from molds of the teeth. Each tray will slightly change the alignment of the teeth as it is used.

Once the teeth adjust to a new tray, usually in about two weeks, the patient changes to the next one. Treatment averages 24 months, according to Paladin.