Adult Treatment

Is it too late to have braces if I am already an adult?

No way! A surprising percentage of our patients are adults. In fact, 25 percent of all orthodontic patients are adults. Health, happiness and self-esteem are vitally important to people at all levels of maturity. No patient is “too old” to wear braces!

Orthodontic problems often become worse if left untreated. Even tooth loss can ultimately occur. The cost of orthodontic treatment now is often less than the cost to treat the more serious dental problems later as the misalignment problems become more severe.

Several reasons to seek orthodontic treatment as an adult include:

• Esthetics - An attractive smile can help enhance self-esteem and self-confidence which can make a positive difference at work, school and in the community. The public is more aware than ever of the advantages to be gained from an attractive smile.
• Health - Crooked teeth are more difficult to clean. This makes the gum tissue susceptible to gum disease and the teeth prone to decay. Straight teeth are definitely healthier teeth.
• Function - Teeth which are crowded, spaced, protruding or misaligned do not usually function or meet the way that they should. This can result in excessive wear of the teeth, deterioration of the supporting bone and gum tissue or stress on the jaw joints (TMJ).
• Comfort - Misaligned teeth and jaw joints can cause pain and discomfort in the form of dental pain as well as numerous temporomandibular joint (TMJ) related problems.
• Stability - Teeth that are well-aligned can be stabilized so that the teeth are less susceptible to shifting and “re-crowding.”