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Braces For Adults: What You Need to Know

braces for adults: what you need to know

All of us make great efforts to get that beautiful smile that will enhance our self-esteem. Irrespective of age, nothing should stop you from achieving the smile that you want, and with the modern advancements in dental technologies, nothing can! 

Contrary to popular belief that braces cannot help straighten mature teeth, data from the Academy of General Dentistry shows that over a million North Americans over the age of 18 use braces. Not only this, the number of adults using braces for orthodontic treatments is on the rise. However, despite the increasing need for braces among adults, going to a dentist near you to get braces may not be the same for you as for a teenager. This happens because adults usually require a longer period of treatment, with additional procedures to get the desired smile. 

If you are considering the use of braces to improve your smile, it might be a good idea to consult with your dentist in NW Calgary first to understand your options. 

What Is The Need For Braces In Adults?

There can be several reasons making you, as an adult, search for dental braces near you for yourself. If your orthodontic needs were not addressed properly in your growing years, or you have developed orthodontic issues in later life, wearing braces can be a solution. 

The common orthodontic problems that may require you to wear braces are:

  • Overcrowding of teeth due to a tooth extraction
  • Misalignment putting your teeth under due pressure and causing constant pains in your mouth.
  • Bad oral hygiene due to misaligned bite, resulting in bad breath and other oral ailments.
  • Crooked look to your smile affecting your self-esteem.

Many other unique reasons could be responsible for an imperfect bite alignment that braces can be a solution to. 

Which Orthodontic Treatment Options Are Recommended For Adults?

While you might have decided to take care of your orthodontic issue, you might not be looking forward to using the traditional dental braces in NW Calgary that can give you a geeky look with all the metal wire and brackets! Do not worry, as with the advancements in orthodontics there are more options available for adults.

  1. Clear braces - These braces work on the traditional method of wire and brackets that move teeth into the desired position, except that the brackets are made of a clear material providing a less obvious look.
  2. Ceramic braces - Same as clear braces, ceramic braces enable a more discreet orthodontic treatment with brackets made of ceramic that match your tooth colour.
  3. Invisible aligner trays - Preferred by most adults, this method uses dental trays made of clear material instead of braces to correct the misalignment of teeth.
  4. Metal braces - This notorious method can look awkward on adults but can provide quite effective results in the correction of dental misalignment. 

Your dentist in NW Calgary can help you determine which method to go for, depending on the severity of your orthodontic problem and the results aimed for. 

Potential Concerns Regarding Braces For Adults

There are some basic issues faced by adults when undergoing orthodontic treatment that result from the fact that their bones have hardened and stopped growing. This does not mean that braces do not work for adults, instead, it implies that adults require additional perio-restorative procedures along with orthodontic treatment.

Some common concerns include:

  1. Tooth extractions - Adults who have had a tooth extracted face problems in orthodontic treatment as hardened bones are difficult to move to fill the gaps.
  2. Bite correction - For adults requiring bite corrections, the space available in their mouths is lesser, making the treatment more difficult.
  3. Root resorption - Adults often have root resorption issues where the dental roots are reabsorbed by the body, leaving a weak base for teeth.
  4. TMJ disorder - The temporomandibular joint often develops issues as we progress in age that needs to be addressed before undergoing any orthodontic treatment. 

While none of these concerns are untreatable, they mean that you will be wearing braces for a longer time than needed for teenagers or children with the same issues as you. 

Our dentists at Spy Hill Dental are experienced in providing braces for adults with effective results.


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