Braces frequently help teenagers fix their smiles and enjoy excellent oral health for years to come. But what about those of us who are past the age to be middle school baseball studs or high school homecoming queens? It’s never too late to get the beautiful smile you deserve, and there are many reasons for adults to get braces.
Our team at Maldonado Orthodontics in Hammond, LA, explains some of the facts about adult braces, as well as the reasons you might want them.
How Do Braces on Adults Work?
In addition to creating dental and bite problems, misaligned, crowded, or crooked teeth make many people self-conscious and create low self-esteem. However, braces can help you feel great and look your best. You can restore your healthy smile with braces and other treatments from our experienced Hammond orthodontist.
Braces will straighten your teeth by applying gentle pressure. After the completion of treatment, retainers will hold the teeth in place, preventing them from shifting back and giving you a beautiful smile that lasts.
What Are the Different Types of Braces?
Most people picture metal bars and brackets when they think of traditional braces. However, orthodontists offer multiple types of braces, depending on their adult patients’ preferences and needs.
Metal Braces
Traditional metal braces have been around for decades—you may remember them from your early high school days. Although the overall design has stayed pretty much the same, these braces are more discreet and efficient these days. As the name suggests, metal braces use metal components to fix misaligned, crowded, or crooked teeth.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces blend in with your teeth using clear, ceramic components instead of metal. This design enables you to get the same orthodontic treatment without always being self-conscious about your braces. While metal braces offer more customizable options to fit your unique style, ceramic braces only come in semi-transparent colors.
3M Clarity Aligners
One of the newest approaches to tooth-alignment, 3M Clarity Aligners is a series of removable aligner trays that fit over the teeth and use precision programming to carefully move your teeth into their desired position. You can even take the aligners off to eat and to brush your teeth, but they must be worn a minimum of 21-22 hours per day.
Why Should You Get Braces As an Adult?
Today’s braces aren’t only for teenagers—they work for adults, too. Your teeth will continue to shift for the rest of your life, creating oral health concerns. You can maintain healthy, beautiful teeth with braces.
Why should you get braces as an adult? Here are several reasons:
- Improving your smile: Braces can correct overbites, underbites, and unwanted gaps between teeth. They can also change the angulation of teeth.
- Improving your oral health: Braces can help improve your mouth’s overall health by reducing your chance of tooth decay and gum disease. Crooked, crowded teeth can be hard to clean.
- Improving self-confidence: Adults struggle with self-confidence and low self-esteem just like teenagers. Braces help many adults feel confident about their smile.
- Improving oral functionality: Some people have difficulty talking, breathing, and chewing because of orthodontic issues. With braces, you can improve your oral functionality and get back to enjoying life.
Is It Ever Too Late for Braces?
Just because you’re no longer a teenager doesn’t mean you can’t have the smile you’ve always wanted. It’s never too late for braces but straightening teeth can sometimes become more challenging the older you get. You’ll want to discuss your options with a trusted orthodontist to determine which type of braces and treatment plans will work best for you.
Contact Maldonado Orthodontics for Dependable Orthodontic Services in Louisiana
Do you look in the mirror and wish you had a better smile? At Maldonado Orthodontics, we can turn that dream into a reality. Our highly trained orthodontists have experience putting braces on adults to achieve happier, healthier teeth. Call our Hammond, LA, office at (985) 542-8719 or go online to learn more about our adult orthodontic treatments and schedule a free consultation.
