Whiter Teeth Treatments - Cosmetic Orthodontics

It’s never too late to improve your smile. That's why adult orthodontics offer a full range of options in adult orthodontics, including clear braces. Your age is not a factor as long as the bone and gum tissue surrounding your teeth are healthy. Many adult patients obtain orthodontics treatment and are delighted with the results, not only to straighten their teeth, but also to help improve their bite, align their upper and lower jaws, and create an overall younger looking appearance.

Because an adult person's bones are no longer growing, certain extreme corrections involving the facial bones cannot be accomplished with braces alone. Occasionally, adult orthodontic treatment may have to be combined with the efforts of an oral & maxillofacial surgeon to achieve the optimal result.

Other than lack of jaw growth, there are other factors that sometimes complicate adult orthodontic treatment. These may be clinical aspects such as existing gum problems, loss of or damage to teeth, numerous fillings, crowns and bridges.

Good adult orthodontists treat the overall face and assesses not only how level your teeth are and how well aligned, but also how the upper lips are supported by the teeth, the smile line, fullness of smile and bite etc. In many cases where a patient's anatomy of their teeth does not allow for the best aesthetic result, they may consider composite or porcelain veneers to improve shape, colour and that perfect smile. In many cases, simple post-orthodontic tooth-whitening when everything is in the right place achieves the best result.

Smiles last a lifetime, but only with the proper care that they deserve. Adult orthodontic practices are here to make sure your smiles stay beautiful and healthy throughout your life. Please take the time to look through the sites of adult orthodontics services providers and learn all about their practice scope. If you would like to set up an appointment with any of them in your area, simply fill out the necessary information in their appointment request forms.

While the thought of braces often conjures images of adolescents with metal brackets and wires in their mouths, the fact is that 20 percent of patients who seek some type of orthodontic treatment are those over the age of 21. Many adults who seek orthodontic treatment to fix long-standing problems and straighten crooked teeth often do so with extreme reluctance, or end up not getting treatment at all for fear of embarrassment or discomfort. But orthodontics has come a very long way since the days of “brace face” and “metal mouth”, and there are a variety of options for adults who would like to improve their smiles.

Since an adult’s jaw bones are significantly more mature than an adolescent’s, you may require a longer orthodontic treatment plan than in your youth. However, most patients who would like to straighten their teeth can take their pick of options that can provide effective results, many of which are much more discreet than traditional braces. Treatments such as Invisalign® are exceptional alternatives to metal braces. Adults can also take advantage of lingual braces (braces that are placed on the backside of the teeth instead of the front), and clear or plastic braces.

Sometimes called ‘invisible braces’, Invisalign has become a very popular product innovation in straightening teeth. This technique uses a series of thin plastic trays to move the teeth gradually from their initial undesirable position to the final finished straightened position. Clear braces are similar to traditional metal braces in that they use a thin metal wire as a track on which the brackets move, as the teeth shift into their proper alignment. However, the brackets in clear braces are made from pure monocrystalline sapphire and are almost invisible.

Instead of using wires and brackets, Invisalign® uses a series of clear, removable aligners to straighten teeth. An Adult orthodontist can examine your teeth to determine if clear braces or Invisalign® may be right for your treatment plan. Jaw surgery may be required for some patients. In other cases, periodontal treatment in addition to orthodontic treatment may be necessary. Finally, if there is tooth or bone loss, the amount of tooth movement that is possible may be limited.

The main difference between child and adult orthodontics is that it is somewhat different to children’s orthodontics. This is because with adults, unlike children, the bone is not always as flexible, and it takes longer to move the teeth. But when they do move, they leave patients with healthy, straight smiles.

In many cases, orthodontic treatments are something associated with children and teens. But what if you didn't get the orthodontic treatments you required when you were a child? Perhaps your parents simply didn't have the money, or maybe it was something that wasn't really considered all that important in your family or community. So, things have changed. Does that mean you should give up on the idea of ever having a flawless smile? No! The great news is that it's never too late to improve your smile. Many orthodontic treatments can be used just as successfully on adults as children, and after years of living with less-than-perfect teeth, the results can be even more pleasing and life changing.

Wisdom teeth are often a problem but do not always require extraction especially if previous extractions have been carried out. Sometimes even the most hopeless looking teeth are amenable to orthodontic alignment and this can be a cheaper alternative to implant replacement to consolidate the dental arch. In this case the tipped wisdom teeth in the lower jaw were uprighted and the space completely closed improving the dental function, protecting the bone support and bringing the impacted lower right third molar into a useful position avoiding the need for a dental implant at the same time.

Orthodontic problems involving severe jaw growth discrepancies can only be corrected once growth has been completed. Sometimes the size of the upper and lower jaws do not match closely enough to allow a good meeting of the front or back teeth. This is a potentially serious handicap to the functional chewing ability of the teeth as well as being unsightly. The only way to get an ideal dental relationship is to straighten the teeth and then perform surgery on the jaws to correct the growth problem. The particular surgical procedure depends on what the growth problem is and this will be discussed between the orthodontist and the surgeon. Jaw surgery may be required for some patients. In other cases, periodontal treatment in addition to orthodontic treatment may be necessary. Finally, if there is tooth or bone loss, the amount of tooth movement that is possible may be limited.

It is a fact that an increasing number of adults are getting orthodontic treatments - currently, approximately, as we have noted earlier, 1 in 5 orthodontic patients is over 21. If you've made the decision to improve your smile, congratulations! We think you have done a very positive thing for your future your happiness.