Adult Orthodontics

What Is Adult Orthodontics?

Nowadays, correction of malocclusion is not oriented only towards children, and in fact, adult orthodontics are in more demand as there are various options for adults to choose their braces. Range varies from traditional metal braces to more advanced clear invisible plastic trays.

Adult orthodontics is an orthodontic treatment for the age group over 18. Orthodontic treatment is no longer restricted to adolescents. People in their 3rd, 4th, or even higher decades can go for orthodontic treatment. There is no such age bar to opt for orthodontic treatment, provided the bone and periodontal ligament condition is healthy. The correction of malocclusion is more for psychological and sociological reasons rather than therapeutic. So adults are also coming on the front foot to treat malocclusion. Malocclusion gives serious psychological damage as it hampers self-confidence, and the person may feel inattentive and feel ashamed of smiling broadly or taking photos in public.

Orthodontic treatment differs in children and in adults, as in adults, the cortical bone will be denser as compared to children. When we look at a patient's behavior during treatment, the cooperation from adults will be more than children, so that compensates for the rest of the issues during adult orthodontic treatment.

What Is Accelerated Orthodontics?

Accelerated orthodontics speeds up the process and lessens the duration required for orthodontic treatment. One of the major factors that prevent people from getting treated is the longer time span that it takes. But due to recent advances and techniques, the treatment is accelerated in most cases with good results.

Why Is Adult Orthodontics in High Demand?

There are various options for adults to choose their braces, such as,

• White braces are called ceramic braces.

• Braces behind teeth are called lingual braces.

• Transparent plastic trays are called clear aligners; they are difficult to detect when worn.

So all these options make older individuals come out from stigma and stereotypes associated with traditional braces.

In older days, it was more uncomfortable due to the metal wire braces visibility and sometimes the use of headgears or big appliances for alignment of teeth, but now there are various options available that are comfortable and comparatively invisible.

Apart from cosmetic purposes, adult orthodontics also solves overall oral health problems such as irregular teeth or crowding that might be the reason for caries as there will be limited access for cleaning, ultimately leading to accumulation of plaque and then caries. When teeth are aligned in the proper position, there will be more hygiene maintenance with healthier dentition and reduction of gum diseases. When teeth are aligned in an ideal position, the pressure exerted by them will be uniform on bones and joints, and bones and joints are meant to function in that environment. When mal alignment is there, unequal pressure will be exerted by teeth on bones and joints, and so there will be a pain in bones and joints.

Facts About Adult Orthodontics:

There are few facts related to adult orthodontics, such as,

1. There will be cosmetic improvement despite the age bar.

2. Teeth and smile look beautiful and confident in the long term with natural teeth.

3. As it corrects the natural dentition of an individual, it solves many of the existing problems in dentition, such as it improves the gingival and periodontal condition of teeth as it improves the alignment of teeth and so the hygiene of that area.

4. It makes the caries-prone area more accessible to cleaning because of improvement in alignment.

5. Disturbed occlusion may lead to pain in the TMJ area, headache, etc., so treating malocclusion helps in relieving such kind of pain and actually is one of the reasons for discomfort and pain in adults.

6. In a few of the situations during checkups before starting braces treatment, if an orthodontist diagnoses some issues regarding bone loss or generalized periodontitis, it is difficult to start the treatment immediately. For all the patients to start orthodontic treatment, their bones, gums, and teeth should be in healthy condition.

7. One more point of adult orthodontics is that the duration required for adult orthodontic treatment is more when compared with young patients. The reason behind this is a thick or dense cortical bone in adults when compared to young patients. Moreover, bones in adults have stopped growing and are less pliable, and so bones cannot be molded in an efficient manner, so the time required for completion of treatment may be more or sometimes double than that of orthodontic treatment for young patients.

8. When talking about cooperation, then the cooperative patient will lessen the duration of chairside work or appointment. Cooperative adult patients keep the hygiene in the oral cavity to the utmost level, so it helps in achieving desired results fast. Adult patients follow the instructions strictly about food or about taking care of the appliance or about wearing of elastics when compared to young patients that make the work of orthodontist easy, and it ultimately helps in obtaining faster and better results.

9. When we compare adult orthodontics with young patients, an adult will be having a more extensive dental history than children. Adults may be having more restorations, prostheses, or missing teeth in the oral cavity than younger patients. So an orthodontist has to consider all these past dental issues while planning treatment strategies for the adult patient.

10. If there is an old extraction site, that site is difficult for space closure or moving teeth in that site, so there may be a need for prosthetic bone graft placement in that area, and it will be a little challenging work in the case of adult orthodontics.

11. When dealing with adult patients, there will be wear of the teeth or attrition-like process, which will hamper the vertical dimension of the bite, so it will be a major concern when dealing with the adult patient having a deep bite case.

12. Another main issue is if the patient has a tendency for root resorption, it will be a difficult case for the orthodontic treatment. There are many causes of root resorption, such as family history, types of the root, or any oral habits. The orthodontist needs a close observation to keep a watch on root resorption and accordingly plan a treatment.

Conclusion:

There are merits and demerits about getting braces when you come under adult orthodontics, but if you are ready to face a few minor adjustments to your routine, then why not give a chance to correct your smile. It is never too late for a smile that you wanted for.