I am an adult; Can I get braces?

Posted by Dr. Tamara Miller on January 5th, 2022

Braces – that is a teenage thing, how an adult is supposed to have them in mouth? As we say, times are changing, we have many adults taking up treatment of North Richland Hills braces. We know that braces have traditionally been associated with tweens and teens, and increased adults are not taking up this treatment towards a good orthodontic route. If you do not trust our words, you can very well talk to your North Richland Hills orthodontist. In fact, according to the American Association of Orthodontics, one in four of the orthodontic patients is an adult.

For you, braces were an option during teenage or childhood. Now that you are an adult, you do not want to enter the fuss of wearing those braces. Others might find themselves contending with the dental issues they face and they are okay even if they are progressing with age. 

The primary difference between an orthodontic treatment for a teenager or an adult is that the adult is no longer growing. The jaw of an adult is fully developed, the use of certain devices like headgear, palatal expanders, space maintainers and so on is no longer an option. Besides, braces can be more challenging for adults as they are more likely to suffer from TMD, receding gums, worn teeth or bone loss. These conditions along with some potential habits like smoking, teeth grinding or clenching can make the situation worse. Of course, the orthodontist will do his or her best to treat, but the treatment period might be a little longer. That is why all the orthodontists suggest early orthodontic treatment for children. 

So, what we mentioned is sad for adults, but not all doom and gloom. You can always find a positive aspect under the clouds. If you want to take up braces as an adult, the good news is that you can have those braces to straighten your teeth. There are several orthodontic options available today. If you think of metal braces, wipe the notion as there are other types of braces that can help you deal with the situation. The modern braces are much more comfortable and less obtrusive than those already in your mouth. 

Certain options that will help you with an adult orthodontic treatment are: 

1. Fixed braces, which are the traditional metal braces to tackle your problem. In case you have severe malocclusions in your mouth, there are chances that your Colleyville Orthodontist will suggest these. 

2. When you want your orthodontic treatment to be less conspicuous, you can have lingual braces, which are attached from the back side and hardly anything is visible in the front. 

3. We have ceramic braces, clear aligners to deal with your orthodontic issues. 

Jhon Wills is author of this article. For further details about Colleyville Braces please visit to website: drtamaramiller.com