Braces for adults – is it worth it?
Contrary to popular belief, it is never too late to get braces, even if you didn’t get them during your teenage years: there is no age limit to having a nice smile. Nice, orderly teeth can have a positive effect on both your professional and your personal life. A nice smile simply radiates confidence, and if you smile whole heartedly at the world, it will also smile back at you. But this is not all that braces can do for you!
Aesthetic braces for adults
Aesthetic braces are one of the most popular products in the field of adult orthodontics, and not only for health related reasons. Anyone can get braces. Usually, the braces are meant to straighten the teeth in the smile zone- the front six in other words. But the entire row of teeth can be aligned, or you can get partial braces for just a given section of your teeth.
Adult orthodontics to benefit your health
But adult orthodontics is not just about appearances, it can also bless you with good oral health. Properly aligned teeth have numerous health benefits, and can prevent a lot of oral diseases. Many times, an improperly aligned set of teeth is to blame for problems like tooth decay and tartar accumulation, because a chaotic or crowded set of chompers is difficult to clean, on account of all the nooks and crannies that food can get stuck in. By getting orthodontic treatment, you can prevent the food detritus from settling in the first place, and can correct the row of teeth, so that no recurrence of dental problems is possible. If you find it difficult to chew, have jaw pains, or grind your teeth, you may also benefit from orthodontic treatment, and should consult with your orthodontist. These symptoms can frequently be dealt with using braces. They are usually caused by the improper alignment of the teeth or jaws, and these can negatively affect your jaws and your facial and neck muscles too, and can negatively impact your digestion as well.
How are adult orthodontics different from regular orthodontic treatment?
Although it is never too late to get orthodontic treatment, getting braces as an adult will require more patience from the patient. As our body grows, our bones and ligaments become ossified, and are less flexible with each passing year, and this, sadly, includes our jaws as well. The average adult orthodontic therapy lasts between one and two years. But do not despair: modern braces are far more comfortable and humane than their predecessors. And you don’t need to worry about your looks either, because the white porcelain brackets available from our aesthetic braces are nearly invisible!
After the age of 25, we highly recommend getting much gentler, self-ligating braces. Self-ligation means that the braces have a special arch wire that does not need ligatures but can be adjusted in the bracket itself, and is much more careful in its distribution of the occlusal forces used to align teeth. These braces use forces that are much more compatible with the human biology, and as such, have no age limit and can be worn by anyone at any age. An added bonus that many adult patients are happy about is that they require less visits and check-ups than their traditional counterparts.
What are you waiting for?
Why not get an evaluation and assessment from one of our expert orthodontists? Not only can you beautify your smile and gain confidence, but you can also help prevent dental problems from ever forming by having a well aligned and beautiful smile!
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