Braces for Adults
Wilsonville, OR
Ah, the good ole’ days, when you were a teenager and many of your friends were wearing braces. You may have thought you would never need braces at all. As you have gotten older, however, you find that there have been some changes to your mouth. After all these years without them, it may be time for braces. What do you do? Is there a specific kind of braces that are better for adults? Senestraro Family Orthodontics have some answers for you. Let us help with your questions about adult braces.
Why Do I Need Braces As An Adult?
Many adults decide in adulthood that they need braces because they are not happy with the way their teeth look. They want to feel better about their smiles, and they want everyone to see their bright, confident smile. We don’t blame them one bit. Adults choose to get braces for other reasons, as well. They might find that as they have gotten older, their bite has become a problem. It may be that their bite was incorrect in the first place, and it is causing excessive wear on their teeth. They may even be in pain from their incorrect bite. Adults with bite problems may develop pain over time that can hurt when they are trying to talk or eat. All of this can happen with an incorrect or improper bite.
Adults could also have problems with tooth spacing in their mouth, and they may need braces for that. Over time, overcrowded teeth or teeth that are spaced badly can cause problems with your bite and your speech. Overcrowded teeth can lead to excessive wearing on the teeth and cracked teeth, as well. If you have large gaps between your teeth, you can also have problems with your jaw that may lead to bone loss. Sometimes, adults get braces to prepare the mouth for other procedures as well. If an adult needs implants done, they may have to have their bite corrected to do an implant procedure. Braces are sometimes necessary before other restorative work, such as bridges, can be done as well.
Read more about adult orthodontics.
What Kind of Braces Do Adults Need?
Adults have many different options for braces. The adults could opt for traditional metal braces as their choice. Traditional braces are a good option for adults with serious overcrowding issues or bite issues. With traditional braces, metal brackets or ceramic brackets are cemented to the teeth, and wires are placed in between the brackets. The wires are tightened to move the teeth around according to the dental plan. We don’t move the teeth all at one time, but slowly over time, the teeth are moved to a better position in your mouth. Ceramic brackets instead of metal make the braces less visible. You have to be careful with ceramic braces because they stain more easily.
Some adults prefer lingual braces because they are less visible. Lingual braces are placed behind the teeth, rather than in front of the teeth. Many adults with complex dental issues benefit from lingual braces. Adults with issues on either the upper and lower jaws of their teeth also benefit from lingual braces. Another option you may want to think about is removable aligners. Instead of being made of metal, these aligners are made of plastic. You wear them all the time, but you remove them for eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing. Many adults prefer invisible aligners because they are less noticeable, but we cannot use them to fix all adult dental issues.
Do you have questions about braces for adults? Why not give Senestraro Family Orthodontics a call at (503) 582-8212? |
