Dental braces might be thought of something that firmly belong to your childhood years, but this is simply not the case. If you're an adult with misaligned teeth, your dentist might have suggested that you will benefit from adult braces. It might be that you already had dental braces as a child, and the effect was not as substantial as desired. It might be that braces were ruled out for whatever reason when you were younger, and this now needs to be reconsidered. If it has been suggested that adult braces would be a good idea in your case, there are a few things you should consider if the idea makes you at all hesitant.
The Positive Benefits of Braces
There is plenty of anecdotal evidence about the positive benefits of having adult braces. This is hardly surprising, since regardless of your age, the braces are there to correct whichever degree of malocclusion that you might be experiencing. Any apprehension you might be feeling at the prospect of receiving adult braces can be overcome by thinking about the results, but also by considering how increasingly common they are. Some 30% of orthodontic patients in Australia are adults over the age of 20.
The Aesthetics of Braces
It's also helpful to consider that dental technology is constantly evolving and improving. Depending on your age, braces might have looked rather different in your youth, with obvious metal brackets prominently affixed to the teeth. This really is not the case anymore.
You might be a candidate for invisible braces, a transparent, acrylic device which encases your teeth and is periodically changed for a different size in order to gently manipulate your teeth into the correct position.
It could also be that the brackets affixed to your teeth can be made of a tooth-coloured porcelain, making them infinitely more subtle.
Lingual braces, traditional braces that are hidden by your teeth, fitted behind your teeth could also be an option.
In short, your braces might not be anywhere near as obvious as you thinking. If you truly are apprehensive about the prospect of receiving braces, you should discuss the matter with your dentist. If the applicable misalignment of your teeth is very minor, you might be able to correct the issue with dental veneers or another type of dental prosthetic.
Braces have come a very long way, and there is no reason why they can't be just as beneficial for adults as they can be for younger people.
Share24 April 2018
Hi! My name is Sarah, and as a busy professional, I understand the importance of making the most of my time. That includes everything from having productive working lunches to making the most of my dental checkups. I have created this blog to help you maximise your dental checkups. In these posts, you can learn how to prepare for your checkup, which questions to ask during your checkup and more. I am also going to have posts explaining why checkups are critical to your dental health as well as the health of your entire body. Happy reading, and thanks for visiting my blog!
