Are You Too Old For Braces?

When most people think of braces, they think of children or teenagers. They don’t think of adults. However, times have changed and it is no uncommon to see an adult wearing braces. 

Adults get braces for many reasons.

• Perhaps their parents couldn’t afford orthodontic treatment when they were children.
• Perhaps their teeth were mostly straight and their parents didn’t feel that braces were needed.
•  Perhaps they had orthodontic treatment but failed to wear their retainer afterward and their teeth settled back in their original locations and positions.
• Perhaps the early orthodontic treatment failed to fully correct the problem.
• Perhaps their teeth have changed as they have aged and braces are now needed for a beautiful smile.

With today’s modern techniques and materials, treatments that were difficult thirty years ago are now fairly easy and routine. If you have thought about braces before but failed to act, there is never a better time than the present to fix your teeth and get that beautiful smile you have always wanted.

When you undergo orthodontic treatment, braces are encouraging ligaments to stretch and contract by moving the teeth. This movement of the ligaments applies force on the bone, which causes an increase in the blood supply. These leads to a biological response termed bone remodeling, where bone is reabsorbed in the area being compressed and new bone is formed in the area that is opened. Nearly 100 percent of our skeleton is replaced in the first year of our lives, but this bone remodeling continues at about 10 percent during adulthood.

As dental health has increased over the years, bone loss has decreased in adults and seniors. Add to this the availability and acceptability of orthodontic treatment for adults, and you have plenty of people twenty years and far beyond who are improving their smile and dental health through the use of braces. The American Association of Orthodontists estimates that more than 1 million adults have braces. Even people in their 60s or 70s are getting braces to improve their smile and their confidence. Even people who though braces were only for kids are considering orthodontic treatment.

Everyone should see their dentist on a regular basis for cleaning and exams. Anyone seeking to improve their smile should seek out the professional opinion and services of a qualified orthodontist. It’s never too late to get the smile you always wanted. You are never too old for braces!