Orthodontic Treatment for Adults

Have you ever noticed that the number of adults undergoing orthodontic treatment with clear aligners or braces is increasing? You are not wrong. Today, one out of every three orthodontic patients is an adult. Today, more adults are receiving orthodontic treatment than ever before. A study by the American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) found that the number of orthodontic patients over the age of 18 has increased by 14% in the last five years. This shows that adults are paying more attention to their appearance.

Orthodontic treatment is not just about aesthetics. Crooked teeth can lead to many dental problems, from tooth wear to gum disease and even difficulties with daily functions such as chewing. If left untreated, crowded teeth can lead to other dental problems such as tooth decay, gum disease, abnormal wear of tooth enamel and difficulty chewing. Today, when people are living longer than ever before, it is more important than ever to have healthy teeth.

It’s never too late to have a healthy and beautiful smile. Whether you want to boost your self-confidence with straighter teeth or solve a specific dental problem, orthodontic treatments for adults may be right for you. These treatments offer both aesthetic and functional benefits, providing lifelong self-confidence.

Orthodontic Treatment for Adults is Highly Effective

Orthodontic treatment is as effective in adults as in children. Healthy teeth can be moved by the same biological process, regardless of age.

Depending on the complexity of your case and your goals, a short-term correction may take a few months, while a comprehensive treatment may take longer. Orthodontic specialists can personalize your treatment according to your specific needs.

Treatment can be carried out unnoticed

Advances in orthodontics have made orthodontic treatments for adults more comfortable and less noticeable. Many of today’s treatment options are designed to suit your lifestyle.

These options include clear aligners, tooth-colored braces, traditional metal braces and braces placed behind the teeth.

Since not every treatment method is suitable for every orthodontic problem, an orthodontist can determine the option that will provide the best result.

Causes of Orthodontic Problems in Adults

There are many reasons why adults may have orthodontic problems. Genetics is one of the main causes. Other reasons include finger sucking during childhood, long-term use of pacifiers, tooth loss, gum diseases, etc. You can have information about the most common orthodontic problems in our society by taking a look at my orthodontic treatment article.

As we age, our teeth wear down, we lose teeth and their positions change due to gum problems. Sometimes, even in patients who have undergone orthodontic treatment as children, crowding can occur again at a later age. This is a natural process, but it can also occur when the retainers given by the doctor after the treatment are not worn correctly.

Orthodontic treatment can be performed for all adults with crowded teeth or a malocclusion. Orthodontic treatment for adults is no different from treatment for children, with some exceptions. It is never too late to get braces, as many people think.

The most commonly treated orthodontic disorders in adult patients:

• Dental crowding
• Protruding forward teeth
• Teeth not in their ideal position before prosthesis/veneers/laminates
• The lower or upper jaw is behind
• The lower or upper jaw is in front
• Forward/backward position of the upper or lower jaw skeleton.

Some skeletal problems are easier to solve in childhood. In the presence of serious skeletal problems, orthodontic treatment and orthognathic surgery, i.e. jaw surgery, are required in adults. You can get information from your doctor about whether your orthodontic problem will be solved only with orthodontics or with orthodontics and surgery.

Straight Teeth are Always Healthier

Having properly aligned teeth is not only an aesthetic plus for you, but also has other pros, which I will list below.

• Your digestive system works better: An important benefit of having straight teeth is improved chewing efficiency. Chewing is the essential first step in digestion, and properly chewed food breaks down into smaller pieces, allowing enzymes to more easily break down food before it reaches the stomach. If food is not chewed properly, the stomach and intestines have to work harder, leading to indigestion, cramping and even heartburn or acid reflux. Also, poorly chewed food can leave the body before all the nutrients are absorbed.
• Dişler size daha uzun bir süre hizmet eder: Düzgün sıralanmış dişler, çiğneme fonksiyonunu çok daha iyi yapar. Çiğneme dişleri doğal olarak yıpratsa da, düzgün hizalanmış dişler daha az strese maruz kaldığı için bu aşınma ve yıpranma daha yavaş ve kontrollü olur.
• Easier cleaning: Crowded teeth make cleaning difficult because of the small gaps and angles between them. Food debris can get stuck in these areas and can be difficult to remove. While regular brushing can help, even using the brush at different angles may not remove food completely. With properly aligned teeth, cleaning methods are much more effective and oral hygiene is easier to maintain.
• Reduces jaw problems: Crooked teeth can cause problems not only in the mouth but also in the jaw joint. This extra pressure to chew and speak can strain the jaw muscles, causing fatigue. This can manifest itself as headaches, dizziness or tinnitus.
• You speak better with properly aligned teeth: Teeth play a big role in speech. Crooked or protruding teeth can interfere with tongue and lip movements. If you have a lisp or have difficulty making certain sounds, you can consult a dentist.
• Unexpected accidents are reduced: Crooked or particularly protruding teeth are more likely to crack or break because they are more prone to trauma due to their position.
• Increased self-confidence: Crooked teeth can negatively affect many people’s self-confidence. Properly aligned teeth can restore your self-confidence. You can smile with confidence and show the beauty of your teeth. Patients often talk about the psychological benefits of orthodontic treatment, such as increased self-confidence. Having beautiful and properly aligned teeth will also have a very positive impact on your professional life and your relationships with the opposite sex.
• Maintaining general health: Bacteria that accumulate in the mouth can cause infections in the body and jeopardize your overall health. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream and increase the risk of heart disease, vascular damage and stroke.
• Prevents bad breath: The accumulation of food and bacteria leads to gum disease and bad breath. Since properly aligned teeth are easier to clean, these problems can be avoided and the mouth remains healthy.

In addition to all these benefits, your orthodontist can diagnose and treat obstuctive sleep apnea and joint problems together with other medical and dental professionals.

How Treatment is Done

Treatment Options

Today, there are multiple treatment options for adults starting orthodontic treatment. These include:

• Orthodontic treatment with metal braces,
• Orthodontic treatment with clear brackets,
• Orthodontic treatment with clear aligners,
• Lingual orthodontic treatment.

After you have decided to start treatment, your doctor will take impressions from you if a special appliance is to be made. If no special appliance will be made, your brackets can be bonded directly to your teeth. After the bonding process is over, your doctor will tell you the things you need to pay attention to and the tooth brushing techniques. After the brackets are attached, you may experience mild aching pain that may last up to 1 week. Although it varies individually, you will get used to the braces within 1 week.

There are some foods and drinks that are forbidden during orthodontic treatment. Your doctor will inform you about this after the braces are fitted. Please listen to your doctor very well and follow what he/she says. Because breaking brackets and appliances will negatively affect your treatment process. To get information about the issues you should pay attention to after starting orthodontic treatment, you can read my article Advice for Beginners in Orthodontic Treatment.

Orthodontic Treatment with Metal Braces

Years ago, when orthodontic treatment was first performed, there was no material available to attach the brackets directly to the teeth. Therefore, orthodontic treatment was performed with a band made for each tooth at the beginning of the patient and a bracket soldered on it. Making bands for each tooth was very laborious for the physician and the biggest disadvantage for the patient was that it was far from aesthetic. Nowadays, thanks to the developing adhesive materials, brackets are bonded directly to the teeth with special adhesives called composites. Now, bands are only used on the back teeth and in special cases. In the photo you can see an example of treatment with metal brackets.

Orthodontic treatment with clear braces

Clear or tooth-colored brackets can be used as an alternative to traditional metal brackets. Even white colored wires with Teflon coating have been produced with these braces. However, the coating on these braces does not last more than 1-2 weeks. Clear braces are very commonly used in adult orthodontics.

Orthodontic treatment with clear aligners

Clear aligners are changed by the patient every two weeks. They must remain in the mouth for at least 20-22 hours for the treatment to progress normally. They should only be removed during meals and when brushing the teeth. The most preferred clear aligner brands are iLigner, Invisalign, ClearCorrect.

Clear aligners are very difficult to recognize in your mouth. Their biggest advantages are easy brushing and aesthetics. Because of these advantages, clear aligners are often preferred in patients who give great importance to their aesthetic appearance, especially in adults. When orthodontic treatment is performed with traditional braces, brushing becomes very difficult.

The main disadvantage of clear aligners is that the responsibility for treatment falls on the patient. The patient must wear the aligners regularly (at least 20 hours a day) and switch to the next aligner when the time comes as recommended by the doctor. In patients who fail to fulfill these responsibilities, treatment is prolonged or unsuccessful.

Lingual Orthodontics – Invisible Braces

Lingual braces (brackets) are similar to traditional braces, with the major difference that they are bonded to the invisible back surface of the teeth, not the front surface. Lingual braces are completely invisible. Because they are completely invisible, they are often preferred by adult patients. Treatment times are close to traditional metal braces. Since many lingual bracket systems are customized for the patient, their costs are high.

Orthognathic Surgery

Most of the time, bite problems and dental crowding can only be corrected with orthodontic treatment. In some cases, skeletal and dental disorders may be too severe to be corrected with braces alone. In these cases, it is necessary to support orthodontic treatment with orthognathic surgery, that is, jaw surgery. You can have more detailed information about jaw surgery by taking a look at our Orthognathic Surgery article.

Treatment Prices

Orthodontic treatment prices for adults vary widely. Factors such as the patient’s medical and dental condition, the extent of the existing orthodontic problem, gum condition, whether jaw surgery is required, the condition of the dentures or the prostheses to be made, etc. affect the cost.

Treatment Duration

The average treatment duration for adult orthodontic treatments ranges from 12-36 months. This duration can vary greatly and is influenced by the patient’s orthodontic condition and the type or types of orthodontic appliance chosen.

More than one orthodontic appliance can be used during the course of treatment. For example, traditional brackets may be used first and then clear appliances may be used. Or lingual invisible braces can be used for the upper jaw and traditional metal or clear braces for the lower jaw. These situations should be decided together with your orthodontist.