Adult Braces: Types, Treatments, and Options

Nowadays, adults are embracing braces more than ever before. After all, a nice smile is more important than people think, and not having straight teeth can greatly affect one’s confidence regardless of their age. With that in mind, here’s everything you should know about adult braces.

Types of Braces

There are more than a few types of braces, each with its own benefits and downfalls. The best choice for you depends on your lifestyle and personal priorities, but if you’d like to know which are the best braces for adults, here are a few you should know about.

Conventional Braces

Of course, there are the conventional braces that include wires and brackets. The brackets are usually metallic, but they can be ceramic and clear as well, which offers a bit more natural look. Moreover, the wires are secured with elastic bands, which come in many different colors. For kids, choosing colorful bands can be a part of the fun, but for adults, it may actually draw more attention than wished for. Then again, you can always match the color of your bands to the color of some other accessory you like wearing and turn your braces into a fashionable detail. One important benefit is that the treatment is usually the shortest with these braces. However, they are still the most noticeable and sometimes a bit uncomfortable.

Aligners

Aligners are rising in popularity, and for a good reason. They are transparent, which makes them the least noticeable option. Plus, you can take them out when eating, so you can eat whatever you want without worrying about anything getting stuck between your brackets and wires. You can also brush your teeth and floss them properly, so you wouldn’t be stuck with any yellow spots after the treatment, which is often the case with the traditional braces. That being said, the aligners have to be changed every two to three weeks, and you need to have the discipline to actually wear them for 20-22 hours every day. This is why the treatment with aligners often takes a bit longer than expected. However, another great thing about them is that due to the fact that they are clear, you can see the progress more easily.

Lingual Braces

Another option is lingual braces. They are the same as the conventional braces, except that the wire and the brackets are on the inside. This makes this type virtually invisible, and the treatment is equally quick. However, there are some downfalls. You might feel some discomfort in your tongue, as it would always be hitting the brackets. Also, they usually cost a bit more, as they are custom made. Moreover, since they are taking room inside your oral cavity, they can affect both your speech and your oral hygiene. Fortunately, these downfalls are manageable. You’d have to clean your teeth more thoroughly as you wouldn’t be able to see where the food might be stuck, and as you get used to them, your speech would get back to normal in a few weeks.

Damon Braces

This type of braces gained popularity because it requires fewer trips to the dentist, which means that the process is a bit cheaper in general. This is because they are self-aligning, meaning that the teeth can move on their own without needing to be adjusted manually. This causes much less friction on the teeth and makes the braces a bit more comfortable.

The Treatment

When it comes to the treatment, you would typically need to wear your braces for about 18 to 22 months. However, this also depends on the severity of your problem and your discipline in case you’re wearing removable aligners. It’s also possible to use more than one type of braces. For example, people usually continue with aligners after wearing one of the “wired” braces.

Moreover, you will also be asked about your medical history. Since the movement of teeth is not a small deal, your doctor needs to know if your teeth are maybe too sensitive or if you have low bone density.

The popularity of braces among adults is growing thanks to the variety of choices and the importance of having a good smile regardless of your age. So, if you’ve been thinking about getting braces, consider the listed options, do your research, and you’ll be wearing a beautiful smile in no time.