What To Know When You Need To Get Braces As An Adult

Many adults think that having crooked teeth as an adult is just a question of cosmetics and serves no purpose to fix. If you don’t mind a crooked smile, the thinking goes, then there is no reason to spend money on braces.

Unfortunately, it isn’t true that crooked teeth do no harm. There are a lot of problems that can come from crooked teeth. For starters, they are difficult to clean and have a higher risk of cavities as a result. Then, they push on other teeth that can lead to cavities and infections. Skilled dental professionals in Portland, Oregon, and everywhere else are busy dealing with adults that didn’t do anything about their crooked teeth.

You may not like the idea of getting braces as an adult, but you definitely should be thinking about it. Having straight teeth can be done at any age. You are never too old to take care of your teeth and never too old for braces.

In this article, we will go over what getting braces as an adult entails and clear up some confusion about it.

Makes space for an implant

If you have a missing tooth then your best option is to get an implant. These are even better than real teeth as they won’t get cavities and are very strong. The problem with many adults that have lost a tooth is that the neighboring teeth often spread into space where the tooth was removed.

This makes getting an implant tricky. It is an ideal time to get braces so they can move the neighboring teeth back to where they belong so you can then get your implant without any issues.

There are loads of options

If you think of metal braces that are as uncomfortable as they are unsightly then you need to get back to modern times. Those are the old ones that are rarely used these days. In fact, try to think of the last time you’ve seen somebody with those types of braces. Even teenagers these days rarely have to use those metal braces.

There are a lot of different kinds now that people will hardly even notice that you’re wearing. Even the traditional metal style has been replaced with clear ones to be less noticeable. They work the same way as the metal ones but are far less visible. The material is also a composite and not metal so they aren’t as likely to be as uncomfortable as the jagged metal version.

Then there is the Invisalign system that is more like a mouthpiece than braces. They are fitted to your teeth and simply slip on over them. And they are clear so they can’t be seen at all. This offers the best of all worlds as they are not nearly as uncomfortable as traditional braces. They are practically invisible so they don’t look ugly or distracting. And they can be removed. Understanding Invisalign is quite easy. As a bonus, they are also very easy to maintain and take care of.

If the thought of getting braces was intimidating then it should come as a relief that there are comfortable options that can suit a busy lifestyle.

The discomfort that was common in the older style of braces is now a memory since the idea now is to move the teeth slowly over time. Before the process was to move them quickly in a short amount of time which was painful and uncomfortable. Ironically, the slower way to go also takes less time. And is far more comfortable to the point that you barely realize they are doing anything.

You’re never too old

Your adult teeth are your adult teeth no matter if you are fifteen or fifty. So, they are going to respond to braces in the same way. This means that it is not too late to use them at any age. Your teeth will move the way they need to according to the braces.

There is some fear from potential patients that their teeth will be too brittle to handle the braces. This is a separate issue from age and has everything to do with the state of your teeth. Though your teeth may not be as strong as they were years earlier, it is not due to your age but how you treated your teeth over the years.

One major difference between getting braces now compared to when you were a teenager is that you are likely to get better results now. This is because you are likely to be more invested in the results so you will comply with the instructions much more faithfully.

The other aspect people often worry about is how long it will take to get the results. They foresee themselves in braces for years. How long you will need them is highly dependent on how crooked your teeth are and what you are trying to accomplish. One thig is for sure, however. That is it will be a much shorter time than if you had gotten them over twenty or thirty years ago.

They cost less than you think

Another major concern is how much the braces will cost. As a young person and your parents paying for braces, there wasn’t much thought in how much they cost. Now that you are paying for them yourself, you will be happy to know that they are not nearly as expensive as they used to be. Innovations in design and materials has made them far more economical than ever before. Don’t hesitate any longer to get braces and start your journey towards a healthy smile with the dentist in midtown now.

Conclusion

There is really nop reason to not get braces if you are having problems that can be solved by them. Rather, there are many reasons to actually get them. If you are nervous about it, then as around and you’ll be surprised at how many people have had braces as an adult and are now enjoying the results.

In fact, they have even become something of a fashion statement for some people!