Everyone wants to have a beautiful smile. Unfortunately, several people must deal with crooked and poorly aligned teeth as they grow. This can affect someone’s confidence when projecting themselves to the world.
Although these problems are often cosmetic issues, overlapping teeth can also affect a person’s oral health. That’s because a crowded set of teeth can be challenging to clean, making it more susceptible to bacterial growth that often leads to gum disease.
Misaligned teeth can also cause a lot of swallowing and chewing problems, not to mention its effect on the way you speak and pronounce certain sounds.
Childhood would have been an excellent time to make the necessary changes concerning one’s teeth. But age shouldn’t stop anyone from doing the required treatments to deal with their poor tooth alignment.
What happens when you choose to wear braces as an adult?
No one’s too old to wear a clear aligner. Experts say that one in every five orthodontic patients are over the age of 18. It can actually be fashionable, too.
So, if you plan on undergoing a dental treatment to fix your long-standing cosmetic issue, there are a few things that you need to remember.
First is once you reach adulthood, your bones would have stopped growing. Surgery will be the only way your dentist can do some structural changes.
Second, the entire procedure might be longer with full-grown adults. While the time required for one’s teeth to strengthen can vary from one person to another, the treatment often lasts for at least two years on average.
Lastly, if you choose to have orthodontic treatment, consult with a trusted orthodontist or general dentist with a proven track record. Meeting with them ensures that the procedure won’t have any complications. It can be a lifesaver, especially if you have gum disease.
How dental braces work
The science behind orthodontics is placing the right amount of pressure onto the patient’s teeth to correct their position. The orthodontist performs this procedure by attaching dental appliances to the teeth. Doing so gives it a gentle push in the right direction. Once the tooth receives enough force from one side, its dental root slightly drives against the patient’s underlying alveolar bone. Sooner or later, the pressure will cause a part of the bone located next to the dental root to dissolve. Thus, letting the tooth move in the direction it needs to go.
The most used dental appliance for fixing teeth misalignment is braces. They’re very versatile and can move the teeth in various directions all at the same time. It usually takes at least two hours or less to install it on a patient’s teeth. He or she might feel discomfort for the next few days, but using over-the-counter pain relievers can help.
CONCLUSION:
So if you’re having problems with how your pearly whites are aligned, reach out to your dentist and schedule an appointment. He or she can recommend you with the most effective ways to have your teeth straightened. And don’t be shy if you feel you are already too old, everyone deserves to have nice looking teeth.
