THE DEFAULT IMAGE that pops into our heads when we think of braces is usually of a teenage orthodontic patient, but more and more adults are getting their teeth straightened. It’s generally more ideal to get braces as a teen, but no one is too old to get a straighter smile.
Teeth Shift Over Time
Even people who had braces as teens might end up needing them again, because our teeth shift constantly over the course of our lives. Enamel loss, tooth grinding, tooth loss, and something as simple as persistently mouth-breathing, leaning one’s head on one’s hand, or stomach-sleeping can cause shifting.
Habits Affect the Position of Teeth
Good dental hygiene habits, side-sleeping and back-sleeping, and nose-breathing are all better for dental alignment, but they can’t undo shifting that already happened, and that’s where orthodontic treatment comes in. Teeth of any age will respond to orthodontic appliances, and adult patients have one advantage over their teen counterparts: they are more mature and better able to follow the orthodontist’s extructions to the letter. That means better and timelier results!
No Need to Be a “Brace-Face”
Many people who could benefit from braces avoid them because they don’t want to be a fully grown adult who is a “brace-face.” Luckily, clear aligners can give them the same results without a mouth full of metal. This transformation can be a secret one.
