A MOVING SMILE STRAIGHTENING TEETH DOESN'T MEAN A MOUTHFUL OF METAL ANY MORE.

Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer

Dawn Wells, who says she was positively chipmunk-toothed during her days stranded on ``Gilligan's Island,'' has decided to straighten her teeth with invisible, removable braces and calls herself a living endorsement for the company that manufactures them.

Sarah McKenney, a kindergarten teacher from Pasadena, had her teeth fixed through a multistep procedure known as bioesthetic dentistry, a cycle designed to eliminate facial pain as well as improve your grin. You'll smile prettier, says her Encino dentist, if you're pain-free.

And great numbers of adults are flocking to dentists, shelling out hundreds of dollars for bleaching, whether via an in-office laser in a dentist's chair, through a customized take-home kit or even with over-the- counter strips, gels and whiteners. Bleaching alone has increased 300 percent in the last five years, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

What one local orthodontist calls the ABCs of dental care - alignment, bleaching and cleaning - are by no means the domain of children. The kids get the colorful designer braces. Their parents - who only want their smile noticed once it's perfect - go for the implants, surgery and laser-beam bleaching. And, as with plastic surgery, patients will bring in photographs of celebrity smiles they want to copy. (Julia Roberts' toothy grin still tops many people's envy list.)

``I think it goes along with living in a much more health-conscious society,'' says Dr Patrick K. Turley, professor of orthodontics at UCLA and a spokesperson for the American Association of Orthodontics. ``Today's adult is more health-oriented. He wants to look good and feel good, and he has the discretionary income to do it. A lot of them may not have been able to (fix their teeth) as children.''

Million-dollar smile

Money is indeed a factor. At costs equal to or exceeding the cost of braces, smile prettification via orthodontics is anything but cheap. Bleaching can set you back several hundred of dollars plus maintenance, unless you go the over-the-counter route. Prosthetic implants, effectively replacing lost teeth, can cost thousands of dollars. (And, yes, those new teeth can be straightened with braces.)

Still, Americans are more inclined to put their money where their mouth is. Literally. Of the 5 million people in North America who are undergoing orthodontic treatment - accounting for more than $7 billion per year - 20 percent are over age 18, according to AAO data. Recent surveys conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry show that 74 percent of the adults surveyed believed that an unattractive smile could harm a person's career prospects while 92 percent thought a nice smile was an important social asset. Fifty percent of adults surveyed declared themselves satisfied with their smiles.

Going wireless

These days, much of the teeth-straightening or -brightening equipment is considerably simpler, more comfortable, longer-lasting and less time-consuming than in the past. Gone is the mouthful of metal, those ache-inducing rubber bands. Can boomers who were metal-mouthed adolescents even imagine a time when the devices that straightened their teeth could actually be hidden, or even removed?

Technology gives adults and children alike a sneak preview of the results through computerized images showing what your improved smile will look like, a process many orthodontists will provide free of charge. Give them a picture and they'll produce your projected perfect smile.

Or if you're going with Invisalign, the removable transparent braces that gradually push your teeth into alignment, you can watch the process in a computerized three-dimensional reenactment - a mini film of your teeth straightening.

Not every adult will qualify for - or need - every procedure. Dentists and orthodontists will need to assess the health and condition of a person's teeth and gums before determining what alterations can be made. Consumers are urged to shop carefully and ask questions before making a decision.

``People should ask the obvious question: 'Doctor, is there anything you see in my mouth that would preclude a good result for me?' '' said William Beazley, an Encino orthodontist and proponent of Invisalign. ``There may be periodontal, gum problems, areas on roots of teeth that have receded excessively. There may be areas where there may have been a root canal, the tooth is dead, or other individualistic problems that would preclude treatment or should be talked about so expectations are met.''

The straightening story

Men and women in their 50s and 60s who had braces as children are now having their teeth refixed via new technology. Among them is Wells, who wore temporary caps on her two front teeth playing Mary Ann on ``Gilligan's Island'' and later spent 2 1/2 years in braces.

``I worked with my braces on,'' Wells recalled. ``The Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.) and I did a whole ad campaign where I'm smiling with my mouth closed.''

Currently a third of the way through an 18-month Invisalign cycle, she calls the process ``just magic.'' The Invisalign braces, which are replaced every two weeks, come out during filming, voice-over work or when she eats. Otherwise, they'll be there, even if you can't see them.

``I wasn't aware that as a grown-up, your teeth still moved,'' said Wells. ``People who have perfect teeth at 20 don't necessarily have perfect teeth at 50, and the person who hasn't been able to afford braces when they were young isn't going to go into putting braces on their teeth at 45.''

Particularly not, Wells said, if that person is a company CEO, an attorney or an entertainer.

``The smile greets you first,'' says Wells, who runs a boot camp for film actors and tells her recruits the same thing that agents and producers used to tell her: Do something about your teeth.

``We're wearing colored contact lenses, dying our hair, getting our lashes tinted permanently,'' said Wells. ``Teeth are a real reflection of your health.''

Beazley, Wells' orthodontist, practiced traditional orthodontics for many years. Now his business card says, ``Adult Orthodontics (Without Braces).''

``I became very impressed with what Invisalign does, and how well the patients accept it,'' Beazley says. ``It just really is meeting a need that was there forever, but is now being addressed.''

Jaws: the realignment 

Less than a block away on Balboa Boulevard, dentist Martin Gorman believes the practice of bioesthetics is a better avenue toward a more permanent solution. With the bioesthetic approach, a dentist works to align jaws with the muscles - essentially reintroducing the ``perfect bite'' that nature intended. Models are taken of the teeth and an appliance in the mouth gets the facial muscles and teeth working together in proper alignment.

A functional chewing motion puts less strain on jaw muscles, thereby eliminating facial pain and headaches, says Gorman. The dentist then further improves the appearance of the teeth through cosmetic procedures.

If nature is your guide to achieving a perfect bite, Gorman advises you to look to the dog or the alligator.

``They chew up and down. Their teeth never break or wear out,'' says Gorman. ``Look at a cow or a horse. They have nice flat teeth because they chew side to side. Do you know what kind of a strain it puts on your system to chew with flat teeth? That's what traditional dentistry has done.''

McKenney, Gorman's patient, had twice been through orthodontics, the last time ending up with teeth that were misaligned. McKenney noticed her teeth getting ground down, and she said she hated the appearance of her smile.

Gorman's initial suggestion: Go back into braces - only this time, get it done right.

``I was 20 at that point,'' said McKenney. ``I'm thinking, 'Hell, no. I don't want to go through that a third time.' I told him, 'I just want you to fix it cosmetically, however you do it.' I was sort of a challenging case.''

Seven months later, after a series of caps and veneers helped realign her bite, a delighted McKenney emerged with the smile of her dreams. ``A really long process,'' she says, but well worth the outcome.

As anyone who has seen a metallic grin turn up in more than one high school yearbook will tell you, seven months isn't quite the eternity that teeth improvement once was. On the other hand, where's the medical advancement that will allow an oral surgeon to fix your teeth in a single procedure?

According to UCLA's Turley, such a process would involve finding a way to speed up the process of dissolving and redepositing bone that allows teeth to move. And, yes, it could happen.

``The body only deposits and redeposits bone at a certain speed. Studies are under way to determine whether the process of dissolving bone may be sped up, so teeth can move a little faster,'' said Turley. ``It hasn't been recognized by the AAO yet, and there's no conclusive evidence.''

CAPTION(S):

13 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 8 -- cover -- color) Orthodontia, cosmetic dentistry are big business as more ADULTS seek that perfect smile

(9 -- 10) Encino orthodontist William Beazley adjusts the Invisalign appliance worn by Dawn Wells, best known as Mary Ann from ``Gilligan's Island.''

(11) Invisalign's unobtrusive mouthpiece has become a popular alternative to traditional metal braces.

(12) Brite-Smile is one of many tooth whiteners available to patients by prescription.

(13) no caption (Invisalign)

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer