Is There an Age Limit to Straighten Teeth?
Did you know that a quarter of US adults has untreated dental cavities? What’s more, almost half of adults aged 30 and older show signs of having gum disease!
According to experts, poor hygiene is one of the chief reasons behind those oral health woes. However, an improper bite or misaligned teeth can also raise one’s risks of tooth decay. Dental cavities, in turn, can trigger gum diseases.
Fortunately, today’s orthodontic treatments can straighten teeth in adults and even the elderly. That means no matter how old you are; you can get straight teeth.
To that end, we created this guide detailing the key facts you need to know about adult braces for teeth. Read on to discover how they work and what your options are.
Why Straight Teeth Are Healthier Than Crooked Teeth
Braces no doubt help improve smiles, but they can also reduce the risks of tooth decay. After all, crooked teeth have more crevices, fissures, and niches. These areas are more susceptible to having food and bacteria stuck to them.
Those spots are also harder to clean, as toothbrush bristles may not be able to reach them. The plaque that forms on these spots can then harden into tartar. Both plaque and tartar are full of bacteria that destroy the teeth and can cause gum disease.
Teeth misalignment is also a dental disorder that can contribute to low self-esteem. In this way, crooked teeth can affect not only your oral health but also your mental well-being.
All that should be enough reason to consider getting your teeth all straightened out.
Busting the Myth That One Can Be Too Old for Braces
Oral health experts do agree that the ideal orthodontic patient is between the age of 12 and 13. For starters, it’s during this time wherein most of the adult teeth have already erupted. The mouth and jaws are still developing at this stage, too, so they’re still easy to manipulate.
However, studies have found that braces can still be effective for patients 60 years or older. Adult teeth will still move through the forces applied to by orthodontic devices.
So, regardless of your age, you can still fix teeth misalignment problems.
The Average Length of Adult Orthodontic Treatments
Recent studies done on adult braces found the mean treatment time to be nearly 20 months. However, yours will depend on how simple or complex your teeth misalignment case is. The specific kind of braces you choose will also influence how short or long your treatment will be.
The Most Common Treatment Options To Straighten Teeth
Orthodontic treatments use either fixed or removable devices. A perfect example of fixed devices is the traditional metal braces. They consist of metal brackets and wires attached to the front of the teeth.
If you rather not wear glinting metal on your teeth, you can go with ceramic or tooth-colored braces. Like traditional metal braces, they’re also a fixed type of orthodontic device. They work like metal braces, except that they use ceramic brackets and wires.
The Invisalign system is even less conspicuous than ceramic braces. Plus, this treatment involves wearing clear or see-through removable aligners. This means you can remove them as needed, such as during meals or while flossing and brushing.
Start Reaping the Benefits of Straighter Teeth
As you can see, orthodontic treatments can straighten teeth no matter how old a patient is. You can be as young as 12, or you can already be in your 60s or even 70s. What’s more important is to seek help from your dentist as soon as possible.
The sooner you do, the sooner you can reduce the health risks of having crooked teeth.
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