If the word “braces” conjures up an image of a teenager with a mouth full of metal, it's time to rethink that picture. Today, people of all ages want to straighten their teeth and that includes adults. So what are your options when it comes to braces for adults in Summerlin?
Today's teeth are staying stronger longer – in fact, a generation ago, adults didn't always keep their teeth, much less straighten them, but we've progressed beyond tooth survival. People now want their teeth to be healthier and they want their bite to be better, while looking great.
Braces can straighten teeth, line up your jaws to provide a better bite, space out crowded teeth and close gaps in your smile. But before you commit to tooth correction, it's good to know exactly what you're getting into.
When you have them, you'll need to:
Make time for checkups, which are usually required every 4 to 6 weeks;Watch what you eat;Brush and floss longer than before.
Lining Up Your Options for Braces for Adults in Summerlin
There's more than one path to straight teeth. The type of treatment you choose depends on how your teeth need to move to restructure your smile.
Regular braces: These use light pressure to move your teeth into place over time. Your Summerlin orthodontist will glue brackets to the front of your teeth and connect them with a wire, which he’ll tighten every 4 to 6 weeks.
Other braces: If having a metal smile bothers you, ceramic braces might be a better option. The brackets used on ceramic braces are the color of your teeth, which makes them blend in better and they typically cost more than their metal counterparts. You can ask your Summerlin orthodontist about getting braces on the back of your teeth instead of the front to hide the metal brackets.
Clear aligners: There are no wires and brackets involved with these see-through plastic trays that fit over your teeth. You can remove them to eat, brush, and floss.
They're really meant to shift teeth around, but if you need to close a big gap between teeth, metal braces are the better choice.
Veneers: These thin, tooth-colored layers of porcelain are placed over your existing teeth. They're a great way to fix small, chipped, dull, or stained teeth quickly without moving your teeth.
What to Expect Following Treatment for Braces for Adults in Summerlin
Cleaning your teeth may get easier once your teeth are straighter, but that's not an indication to slack off. Many people think that their crowded teeth are the reason they have periodontal disease and that once they have straight teeth, they won't have those problems any more, but evidence doesn't support that.
The bottom line is that if you don't do a good job cleaning your teeth now, braces won't fix that. So brush up – the more you work at it, the easier it becomes to get them clean.
When to Straighten and When to Wait
Poor gum health can put the brakes on braces. If you have active gum disease, now isn't the time to take on orthodontics. It doesn't mean you can never have braces, but you need to treat the gum disease first.
As far as age goes, however, it's never too late to create a perfect smile. As long as your bones and gums are healthy enough to withstand the forces, you should be fine to get them.
If you’d like more information, or want to know if braces for adults in Summerlin are an option for you, call our office today to schedule a consultation and let’s get you the smile of your dreams...at any age!
