Finding A Great Dentist

Tackling Frequent Misconceptions About Wearing Braces As An Adult

30 July 2015

Kenzi Thompson

Most people who visit an orthodontist for braces may be adolescents, but about one out of every five patients with braces just happens to be an adult. If you are an adult considering getting braces to straighten your smile, you may find this a little surprising, as you likely expected that a lot fewer adults actually wore braces at all. This is only one of the misconceptions adults usually have about braces. There are a few more misconceptions about getting braces as an adult that you should know about if you are considering this form of treatment for your own teeth. 

Misconception: If you already had braces once, you cannot get them again. 

Fact:  It is actually quite common for someone who has already had braces once to get them later on in life because their smile has changed shape. Therefore, you can easily get braces for a second time if you choose to and see results. In a lot of cases, the lack of retainer use after braces for younger adolescents will lead to the teeth moving out of alignment. In these cases, braces are a logical choice as an adult. 

Misconception: You will have to wear the braces for a lot longer as an adult. 

Fact: The total lengths of time that you will have to keep braces is all reliant on how much movement needs to take place with your smile and has little to do with your age. The same basic process is the same. Invisible braces, which is what most adults opt for, may have to be worn only a few months or a year and a half, depending on the necessary treatment. This is comparable to the amount of time someone of a younger age group would have to wear braces. 

Misconception: Braces will interfere with your personal life much more when you are a grown up. 

Fact: Braces do not have to be an interference in your life much at all. Modern braces are small, lightweight, and can even be invisible if you prefer. You may think that your personal life would be a bigger concern now than it would have been when you were a teen, and that may be true, but braces will have little effect. 

The facts show that braces as an adult are a logical solution if you are not happy with the shape of your smile. If you think braces are the right choice for you, talk to an orthodontist for more information. 

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