Adult Treatment

Orthodontic treatment is not limited to children and teens. In fact, 1 in every 5 patients undergoing orthodontic treatment is an adult, proving that no one is too old for orthodontic care.

Adults seek orthodontic treatment for many of the same reasons as children. Some adults had orthodontic issues as children but were unable to address them at that time. Others who received treatment during childhood may require additional treatment as adults due to relapse or limitations in the initial treatment.

Benefits of Treatment

Adults can benefit from orthodontic treatment in many ways. These include:

• Align the teeth to create a more aesthetic and beautiful smile
• Correct relapse after previous orthodontic treatment due to lack of long-term retainer wear
• Improve the ability to brush and floss, especially for crowded or overlapping lower front teeth
• Create a better or more comfortable bite and ability to chew
• Address missing teeth
• Close spaces between the teeth
• Reduce excessive wear on the teeth due to grinding or poor bite
• Correct jaw discrepancies, sometimes with jaw surgery

Appearance of Braces

Many adults are concerned about the appearance of wearing braces. Clear aligners, the invisible alternative to braces, are often used to treat adults. This technology involves clear removable aligners fabricated through advanced 3D imaging to align the teeth. For more severe problems, we have the option of clear ceramic brackets instead of metal.

Cost

The fee for adult orthodontic treatment is determined the same way as child or adolescent treatment. It is based on the severity of the problem, the complexity of the correction, the appliances used, and the length of time to correct.

Orthodontics Built Around an Adult Mouth

Treating an adult is not the same as treating a child, and it should not be approached the same way. Adult treatment is planned around the teeth, gums, and dental work you already have.

• Gum and bone health first. Adults are more likely to have some gum disease or bone loss, which needs to be stable before and during treatment. We coordinate with your dentist or periodontist so that moving teeth never comes at the expense of the tissue that holds them.
• Working around existing dental work. Crowns, bridges, veneers, and implants behave differently from natural teeth - an implant, for instance, will not move - so treatment is designed with your restorations in mind, sometimes alongside your dentist.
• A cosmetic result, discreetly. Many adults come to us for appearance rather than a health problem - a crowded smile before a wedding, front teeth that have drifted over the years - and understandably want treatment that fits into a professional life without drawing attention. That is a normal, valid reason to start, and it shapes the options we discuss with you.
• Steadier, sometimes longer. Adult bone remodels more slowly than a growing child’s, so treatment can take a little longer, and wearing a retainer afterward matters even more.