Many older patients are discovering the benefits of straightening their smile with braces: It will dramatically improve your self-confidence and boost your personal and career opportunities. Professional orthodontic care will also make eating easier and enhance your oral health.
You’re never too old to have a beautiful smile. That’s why more adults are seeking orthodontic treatment these days. This includes treatment using metal braces as well as clear aligners such as Invisalign®.
There’s No Age Limit for Braces
When we think about braces, it’s natural to picture a teenager with a mouthful of metal gear. However, this assumption is wrong for a variety of reasons. For example, today’s metal braces are far more streamlined and subtle than they used to be. Dr. Rosie Aviles in Palm City, FL features some very attractive treatment options.
Braces aren’t just for young people anymore. According to the American Association of Orthodontists, “adults are seeking orthodontic treatment in record numbers.” The total number of older patients getting braces is projected to grow as more people discover how easy it is to fix their smile.
When it comes to determining if braces are right for you, your age isn’t even one of the factors that a dentist will take into account. The most important consideration is the patient’s oral health, particularly the condition of your gums and the bones in your jaw.
Supplemental Care
Older patients are more likely to require supplemental treatments to prepare for orthodontic care with braces. For example, gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is a serious bacterial infection that can severely damage your smile if left untreated.
Patients who are suffering from gum disease need to have the condition remedied before they can get braces. Fortunately, dentists have a variety of effective treatments for gum disease, such as scaling and root planing, gum grafting, PST “pinhole” gum treatment, and even laser surgery.
Adult Braces–For Confidence and Success
According to the Center for Disease Control, the average life expectancy in the US is almost 79 years. Since people are living so long, it’s only natural that they want to look and feel their best for as long as possible.
It’s never too late to start feeling better about yourself. That’s why so many patients discover that their new smile “imparts life-long benefits and boosts confidence in many areas of life.”
When you feel more confident about your smile, you’re more likely to share it with others. This will improve your relations with the people around you by demonstrating that you’re friendly and open to new experiences. Research shows that when you smile at the people you see, about half of them will automatically smile back.
If you’re feeling satisfied with your smile, it will reflect positively on the way people see you, and this can definitely enhance the quality of your relationships. That’s why “adults report improvements in their professional and personal lives after completing orthodontic treatment.”
A great-looking smile is a surefire way to boost your self-confidence and “studies have demonstrated that orthodontic treatment can even enhance an adult’s career opportunities and social life.”
Adult Braces–For Improved Oral Health
Many older patients appreciate the “dual benefits of an improved smile and oral health” that they get with braces. In addition to giving you a smile that will leave you feeling a lot better about yourself, braces will also help preserve your oral health.
Dental infections such as tooth decay and gum disease are caused by bacteria that feed on plaque and tartar in the patient’s mouth. According to Harvard Health Publishing, when a patient has a crooked smile, “crowded or overlapping teeth can be difficult to clean, making tooth decay and gum disease more likely.”
By eliminating these spaces where dangerous bacteria can accumulate, braces help protect you from these hazardous dental consequences.
Braces can also be used to treat or reduce the severity of a number of issues related to your oral health, including jaw pain and TMJ problems, difficulty chewing and eating, sleep apnea, speech impediments, and grinding or clenching of the teeth.
For patients with missing teeth who also want to straighten their smile, Dr. Ang in Amherst Village, NH will often use orthodontic treatment in conjunction with dental implants to create a beautiful smile that looks and functions like new.
Invisalign–The Fast and Easy Way to Get a Beautiful New Smile
Many of Dr. Ang’s older patients choose Invisalign, an innovative way to straighten your smile using a series of trays that gently guide your teeth to the right position. Invisalign’s patented SmartTrack® material fits snugly over your teeth, providing the following advantages:
- They’re practically invisible, so most people won’t even notice them
- Average treatment time is up to twice as fast as metal braces
- There are no restrictions on your diet because you simply remove your aligners when it’s time for a meal
- There are no metal wires or brackets that can scratch your cheek or gums
- No age restrictions
Getting the Smile You Really Want
If you’ve been thinking about pursuing orthodontic treatment for your crooked smile, what are you waiting for? There are a number of treatment options available. No matter your age, it’s time to start living life to the fullest.