It's never to late to look good
In recent years the awareness of orthodontic treatment and its benefits have become more strongly embedded in our culture. We now have frequent conversations with Adult patients who comment that they have always disliked their teeth, but were unable to undertake orthodontic treatment in their teenage years for a variety of reasons. Orthodontic treatment for Adults has become more widely accepted and Adult’s wishing to undertake treatment are a rapidly expanding group.
Orthodontic treatment for Adults while achievable can carry greater complexity which can relate to:
Complicated dental histories which involve presence of fillings, crowns bridgework and dental implants which can weaken teeth, limit our ability to execute certain tooth movements or limit the adhesion of the braces to tooth surfaces.
Age related changes to the health status of the gums and other oral tissues which can impact on our ability to provide treatment or can increase the risks associated with undertaking orthodontic treatment.
The absence of growth which is known to make a favourable contribution to the speed of treatment in our adolescent patients.
The presence of age associated changes in medical status which can impact upon orthodontic treatment directly due to the presence of a particular medical condition, or indirectly as a result of the medications used in its treatment.
Despite the success of marketing campaigns employed by large companies wishing to impose their products upon the orthodontic market. Braces still provide the most precise and versatile method of providing orthodontic treatment to adults in the majority of cases. The design of modern braces has improved significantly and cosmetic bracket options are available.