When you picture somebody wearing braces, the immediate image in your head is probably a pre-teen or teenager. While the majority of people who get orthodontic treatment fall into this age group, braces aren’t just reserved for the younger years. There are plenty of great reasons to consider getting braces or clear aligners as an adult.
Orthodontic Treatment Isn’t Just for Looks
Yes, getting braces will result in your smile looking straighter than ever, but that is far from being the only reason you should get treatment. In fact, your smile can look basically perfect and you could still benefit from having braces.
Many issues of crookedness are often found in the rear teeth, causing a wide array of possible problems. Crowding, which occurs when your teeth are too close in proximity, can make it easier for food to get stuck in between your teeth and cause decay. Crowding can also cause height differences in your teeth, leading to a disproportionate amount of pressure being applied on the taller teeth. Over time, this pressure can erode the enamel or even cause cracks in your teeth, leaving them more susceptible to infection or chipping.
Even problems with excess spacing can lead to long-term oral health concerns, along with overbites or underbites. Overall, choosing to get orthodontic treatment is well worth the investment for more than just for looks.
Gain Confidence for All Aspects of Adult Life
Lets face it, navigating your career and social life can be intimidating enough as it is. If you’re not confident with your smile, you’d be surprised how much it may be affecting your confidence in yourself overall. Your smile is a huge part of your first impression, and having a bright, straight smile you are proud of can go a long way in boosting your confidence when you meet potential new bosses, new friends, or people at networking events. Many people getting married also find it worth it to straighten their teeth by getting braces before the big day.
If you’re worried about the appearance of braces during the course of the treatment, keep in mind that braces don’t look like they did when you were a kid. Plus, you can get invisible treatment options, like ceramic braces and Invisalign, which will help you maintain your confidence during treatment.
Fix Issues if Your Teeth Shifted
In a perfect world, every patient would wear their retainer exactly the way they are supposed to. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for many people. Retainers either get damaged or lost and patients fail to follow up to get a new one. Or, patients simply give up on wearing their retainer. In any case, your teeth very could have shifted if you stopped wearing your retainer, causing noticeable crookedness and creating potential oral health problems. Luckily, these issues are very easy to fix and can require short treatments with partial braces or accelerated versions of Invisalign like Invisalign Lite or Invisalign Express.
It’s never too late to get the smile you’ve always wanted. To see if adult braces could be right for you, schedule your free consultation at Austin Orthodontics today!