Braces and Adults: Is It Too Late to Straighten My Smile?

Braces and Adults: Is It Too Late to Straighten My Smile? 

In the age of selfies and digital photography, many people are increasingly aware of their smile. Sometimes missing, crooked, or stained teeth keeps us from smiling as much as we deserve to. 

Smylique Dentistry sees many people who didn’t have the opportunity to repair their teeth as children. Now that they’re adults, we find that lack of repair is affecting their appearance or their mouth’s function. 

For example, it’s not uncommon for an untreated childhood cross bite to lead to later TMJ issues. In these cases, straightening teeth is a great way to solve the issues causing jaw muscle pain and stiffness.

Despite the many functional and cosmetic benefits of orthodontic repair, many adults considering this step will ask us, “Is it too late for me to straighten my smile?” 

It’s Never Too Late! 

There’s no age limit to dental braces. If you opt to straighten your teeth as an adult, you’ll be in good company. Adults now comprise over a quarter of all orthodontic patients. 

And there’s more good news: There are more options than ever for straightening teeth, and the options are less invasive than what we had available when we were kids. 

That means now is a great time to start. Let’s look at one of the best options available to adults who are ready to start their smile-straightening journey. 

Aligners: A Clear Advantage

Traditional braces involve cementing metal brackets to teeth with metal wires threaded through and held in place with tiny rubber bands. This was the option most of us grew up familiar with. But clear aligners have many advantages over traditional metal braces:

• Nearly Invisible. Clear aligners are subtle and discreet. This benefit makes many people feel better about starting their adult teeth-straightening journey, because it’s visually less obtrusive, and has little to no impact on family photos and professional engagements.
• Comfortable. Clear aligners have smooth, low-profile edges. This is much less invasive than traditional metal brackets that can painfully rub against cheeks and lips. You won’t need wax for clear aligners.
• Easy Maintenance. Brushing is difficult with braces, but you can remove your aligners to brush and floss like usual. This means proper dental hygiene is easy to maintain. Those opting for clear aligners can save time and experience less gingivitis and inflammation, improving overall oral health.
• No Food Constraints. Patients with aligners can eat and drink what they want because aligners are removed for eating. With braces, patients should not eat anything that easily can break a bracket, such as chips, popcorn, or chewy or hard candy — or biting into an apple, for example. And sodas are a no-no, too, for those wearing traditional braces, due to the effects of carbonation. There are no limitations with aligners–you can still have popcorn at the movies and fun holiday treats with your friends.
• Flexible use. Braces are affixed permanently to your teeth until removed. Aligners do need to be worn 22 hours a day, but they have the option of removal. That means for those rare key moments–a job interview, a first date, a wedding–you can make an exception.
• Fewer Office Visits. Traditional braces require an office visit every 4-6 weeks. Over the course of a year or two, that adds up to a lot of appointments. Clear aligners have your progression pre-planned, so you may have only a fraction as many office visits as traditional braces.

With all these advantages, you may expect that clear aligners are far more expensive than traditional braces. But, happily, the cost tends to be nearly the same in most cases. 

Now is the right time to take the next step in your dental health! Smylique Dentistry has helped many patients just like you in the Rochester area achieve the smile they’ve always wanted. 

When you come into Smylique Dentistry, Dr. Indra Quagliata will perform an oral exam, take X-rays, and help you explore your options. We’ll help you select the best plan for you. 

Schedule your aligner assessment now, and you’ll be straightening your smile in no time!