Do you think orthodontics are only for children or teens? Think again! Now, more than ever, adults are looking for orthodontic treatment for a variety of reasons. Some people want to improve their smiles or correct their bites, other people are seeking to improve their health or to boost their self-esteem. Today, well over a million Americans over the age of 18 wear braces, per the Academy of General Dentistry.
Every day adults are getting braces, even celebrities. Country music singer Faith Hill wore braces to the Grammy Awards in 2013, when she was 45 years old. And when he was 40 years old, Tom Cruise wore ceramic brackets to improve his teeth. In our suburban offices, about 25 percent of our patients are adults. But in our downtown San Diego office, a lot of of our patients are adults, which means you won’t have to worry about being the only adult in our office getting work done on your teeth. Our San Diego orthodontic office has 30 years’experience in the smile industry.
- Adults should get orthodontics because every smile is important.
Your smile is one of the first things people notice. When you smile, you can have a positive impact on the people around you. But if you’re afraid to smile or you try to cover your teeth when you grin, you won’t have the same effect. Maybe you’ve always had crooked teeth, but you could get orthodontics when you were younger. Or maybe they’ve just recently started to get crooked. Maybe you have serious jaw pain or are having trouble cleaning your teeth properly.
Many people say their crooked or unattractive teeth are holding them back from living life to the fullest. Your oral health can impact your ability to get a job and can have a direct impact on your social life. Why not explore orthodontics and fix your mouth now? The results will amaze you, and you’ll no longer feel self-conscious about your teeth in the future.
- Adults should consider orthodontics because teeth can move at any age, even if they are healthy.
Teeth can shift at any age. Maybe due to an injury, a health condition, or simply natural growth. Perhaps you had straight teeth in the past, but are now facing a crooked and overcrowded smile. Even if you had braces in the past, you may need them again. Why? Some people have mouths that change naturally. Other people neglect to wear their retainers as much as they should. Orthodontists now tell people to wear retainers much longer than they recommended in previous decades. Some people even need to wear one for life.
- Adults should get orthodontics because today, orthodontic options are better, cheaper, and less noticeable.
Braces have changed over the years. Today, wearing braces is less painful and requires less time. Almost all our adult braces patients are happy they made the commitment to correct their teeth. No longer do you need to suffer the embarrassment of being a metal mouth. The brackets used today are smaller and bands that wrap around the tooth are no longer used. Ceramic braces are popular with adults due to their cosmetic appeal because they are made of a translucent (clear) material.
Maybe your parents couldn’t afford braces when you were growing up, but now you can. Many medical and dental insurance plans cover part of the cost. Or maybe you make enough money to save and pay for orthodontics out of pocket. Our orthodontic office in San Diego offers many financing options to accommodate your needs, and we would be happy to go over these with you. We can also review your insurance policy and help you maximize your benefit and file your claims.
- Adults should get orthodontics to avoid serious problems with their teeth and mouth.
Study has shown that the frequency of misalignment in adults is comparable to the frequency in children and teens. When you have a cross bite or misaligned teeth, you have an increased chance of plaque and food buildup between your teeth. This means you may get periodontal disease or gum disease. You can also possibly avoid tooth decay, gum and bone loss, irregular wear of the tooth enamel, and TMJ/TMD pain (or chronic facial discomfort). Also, if you’re thinking about getting dental implants, the rest of your teeth will need to be straight first, so you’ll want to get orthodontics before you can consider that treatment option.
- Adults should consider orthodontics because people are living longer.
People are living longer, and many people are keeping their teeth for life, so it makes sense to pay the price to straighten crooked or crowded teeth. Even older adults are getting braces. Per the American Association of Orthodontists, more and more people who are in their 60s, 70s, and 80s are using braces.
Are you ready to smile a lot more? What’s holding you back from getting braces as an adult? If you have trouble biting, chewing, or speaking, or you have teeth that are crowded or protruding, why haven’t you decided to explore orthodontics yet? Are you worried about the pain? Improvements in technology make the process of getting braces much more gentle and pain is no longer a question. Adults often do a better job caring for their orthodontic appliances and following the instruction of their orthodontist, which means their results can be more impressive than those of a child or teen.
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