Have you always dreamed about having a beautiful straight smile but thought that it was too late to get braces because you’re not a teenager anymore? Well, our Mesa, Arizona dentist has good news for you. Adults can get braces too! There’s no reason to put an age limit on your orthodontic treatment.
The Benefits of Getting Braces Later In Life
In addition to improving the appearance of your smile, braces can improve other conditions in your mouth as well. For example:
Relief of TMJ Symptoms
TMJ Disorder is a condition that involves the jaw joint and tissues around it. TMD symptoms include jaw pain, clenching, grinding, and headaches. Each of these issues may stem from an improper bite alignment, causing atypical joint use each day.
When you correct how your top and bottom teeth fit together, you’re alleviating one of the major sources of the discomfort causing your TMJ issues.
A Healthier Mouth
If you have gapped, slanted, crowded, or overlapping teeth, then it’s likely that you have a difficult time cleaning them. In fact, some areas of your mouth probably have gum disease (bleeding gums and deep pockets that are filled with bacteria) due to how hard they are to keep clean. Crowded teeth almost always have more gingivitis or cavities than straight teeth do.
When you straighten your smile with braces, you’re improving your oral health, making brushing and flossing much easier, and taking steps to keep your teeth healthier, longer.
What Kinds of Bite Issues Can Adult Braces Fix?
When you come in for an orthodontic consultation, we’ll perform an intraoral evaluation of your mouth to screen for any bite issues that you may have. Braces can address the following common conditions:
Overbite: If your top teeth significantly overlap with the bottom ones then you may have an overbite or deep bite, which can be improved with braces. When you have a deep bite, your teeth may always in contact with each other, resulting in excessive wear. It can also cause jaw pain and TMD.
Underbite: When the opposite occurs and the lower teeth sit in front of the top teeth, it’s called an underbite. This is commonly referred to as a “bulldog” bite. This condition makes your teeth more prone to chipping or breaking 一 and you might also find that it’s difficult to chew certain foods.
Crossbite: This is a combination of the two previous bites. Some teeth sit in front of each other, while others sit behind.
Openbite: Openbites are most common in people that used a pacifier or sucked their thumb for several years. An openbite means that when you bite on your back teeth, your front teeth don’t touch or close together. Someone that has this condition can’t take a bite out of anything with their front teeth. Also, the back teeth may get more worn than normal, because they are being used excessively.
Crowding: Sometimes the arch is too narrow and all of your teeth don’t have room to fit properly, resulting in a crooked and jagged smile. Teeth that are excessively crowded are very difficult to clean and often develop decay, as well as gum issues or premature wear.
Spacing: Gapped teeth tend to trap food particles, which trigger bacteria and tartar buildup in your mouth.
Teeth that need to be moved vertically: Sometimes a tooth won’t fall in line with other teeth because it erupted higher up in the gum. Braces can move teeth vertically and properly align your overall bite.
What To Expect From Traditional Braces As An Adult
Braces consist of a system of metal brackets, wires, and some small rubber bands. The brackets are attached to the front of your teeth and are connected to each other with a metal wire that runs through each bracket.
Throughout your treatment, you will regularly visit our Mesa, Arizona dentist to make adjustments to your braces, which then help move your teeth into the correct position.
The length of time that it takes to complete your orthodontic therapy may be anywhere from 12-18 months. Some complex issues may take longer, while minor ones may require as little as six months.
Types of Adult Braces
In addition to traditional metal braces, adults often prefer ceramic braces, which are tooth-colored and less obvious. Lingual braces are metal but are placed on the backside of the teeth and don’t show at all. There’s also Invisalign, which uses clear aligners rather than brackets and wires.
Get the Smile You’ve Always Wanted
You deserve to have a beautiful and healthy smile, no matter your age. To learn more about adult braces in Mesa, contact Eastport Dental to schedule a consultation.
