Braces On My Teeth, Well Past 40?

As a teen and young adult my teeth looked okay, a bit uneven, but nothing horrendous. My mother took my sister and me to the University of Washington School of Dentistry for orthodontic evaluations, and we were told our teen were fine. Now that I am considerably older my teeth are not fine.  I've taken good care of my teeth, and never got cavities.  Over the years dentists would joke, "I'm not making any money on your mouth.....again!"  So all I'd ever have done would get the tea stains sandblasted off and I'd be on my way.

When I was in my early twenties I had my wisdom teeth dug out. The uppers were coming in all crooked and turning the back of my mouth into hamburger. The oral surgeon also dug out the lowers because there was a chance they'd come in crooked as well.  

About three years ago I had to have a lower twelve-year molar extracted. At some point in time I cracked it and the crack escaped detection until it was too far gone to save.  

Now, many years later and I'm well past young adulthood and what have my teeth done to reward me with all the good care I've given them?  They have shifted backwards!  My left central incisor has been shifting backwards to the right so much so that  in some photos of my smile it looks like I have no left front central incisor!  

On January 15, 2013 I got my upper teeth wired with ceramic brackets in hopes my overbite and shifting left front central incisor will get back in line.  I've been told it will take about two years.

Sometime later this year my lower teeth will also get wired.

So my adventure begins.  Stay tuned for my before photos.