When thinking of orthodontics, most of us think about those days in middle and high school when we walked around with an awkward smile. Why didn’t those teeth just come in straight so we didn’t have to go through the pains? But even later in life, teeth just don’t seem to want to line up perfectly or some incident creates a smile we would prefer to look better. Once a rarity, more and more adults are considering orthodontics for a variety of reasons.
Before you start thinking back to those images from school days, rest assured that orthodontics have changed since then. No longer do you have to consider bulky metal bands with enough wires to pick up radio broadcasts from Mexico or Canada. Now, orthodontics come in a variety of shapes and materials, most designed to be less obvious when you smile.
“The [brackets] are smaller and we don’t use all the bands or appliances that wrap all the way around [the tooth] like we used to. Now, we use bonded brackets that are a lot smaller or the clear braces that are a lot more cosmetic as far as their appearance,” Michael Sebastian, DDS, an orthodontist in Atlanta, tells WebMD.
But there are also health benefits to getting braces in later life. For one thing, when your teeth don’t line up properly, there’s more of a chance food and plaque can build up in those gaps. By closing gaps and creating a better alignment, your teeth can provide some natural protection from those things that can lead to periodontal disease.
“Wearing braces can also help correct the way patients bite. If the teeth or jaws aren’t aligned properly, you may have a hard time biting and chewing your food. This can cause the teeth to wear out very quickly. If this problem isn’t corrected, sometimes the patient will lose their teeth later in life,” according to Humana.
At C&C Dentistry, we can help you decide whether braces are the right choice as an adult. We provide a variety of types of orthodontics, including clear braces. In most cases, your treatment will last between 12 and 20 months, depending on the amount of correction needed.
If you’d like to talk with us about adult braces, schedule an appointment today so we can sit together and review your options. It’s your smile and we want you to have the best looking one around.