So you have decided to straighten your teeth! Congratulations! You will be joining the ranks of millions of adults who have decided to take the orthodontic plunge. As our dentist, Dr. Hetal Rana will tell you, it may take longer to straighten your teeth than it would for a younger person. Your jaws have stopped growing making it harder to realign your smile. If you have had teeth removed over the years, those empty spaces may not make good homes for your teeth as they shift.