Welcome to Adult Braces London

Adults can have orthodontic treatment to correct the same dental problems that children have, such as crowding, an overbite or gaps between the teeth. Treatment is likely to involve wearing a brace for a few months to two-and-a-half years, depending on what needs to be done. Your dentist will go through your options with you.

Of course not! A good percentage of our patients are over the age of 21. Not only can braces align your bite and boost your confidence, straightening your teeth can greatly improve your oral health. Adults tend to be the best candidates for esthetic choices like ceramic braces and Invisalign so treatment can be discreet.

The biggest advantage of getting braces as an adult is that you are helping the long term health of your teeth. Straighter teeth are easier cleaned and maintained and will lead to less problems as you get older. Crooked teeth are more likely to build up plaque over time and this can lead to gum problems and even loss of teeth. This can lead to more expensive cosmetic dental procedures in the future such as veneers and cosmetic dentures.

For teenagers, orthodontics treatments are a way of preventing future dental problems. This is also the case for many adults who seek orthodontics treatments as a way of fixing teething problems they have had from childhood. It can also be a way of fixing teeth that have become crooked during your late teens or early 20s as wisdom teeth grow and change the position of some teeth. For many adults though, braces are a way of straightening teeth to help give you a better smile and increase your confidence. A healthy smile is a happy smile.

• Technically not. The types of braces available today can be worn by anyone. However, there are some age-related concerns about orthodontic treatment itself for adults. Adult patients often have conditions younger patients don’t suffer from, such as insufficient bone between the roots for adequate blood supply, mild gingivitis, and marginal bone loss. The bones are also harder and no longer growing, like those of children and teens. This can cause the teeth to take longer to adjust to their new positions.
  
• Sometimes, in an adult patient with a deep overbite, there may not be enough room in the mouth to create space for the teeth to move back without extracting one or more teeth. Also, by adulthood, a patient might also have worn down one or more teeth, which can worsen an overbite.
  
• Then there may be an issue with previous tooth extractions. Many adults have had one or more teeth removed in the past. This can present a problem because old extraction sites may not be suitable locations for teeth to move into, unless those sites are restored by adding sections of prosthetic bone to the area. Closing gaps between the teeth caused by extractions – and keeping them closed – is also difficult, because adult bone doesn’t respond to pressure in the same way as growing bone. However, orthodontic treatment is still a viable option even with these conditions. So optimum tooth alignment – and the beautiful smile that comes with it – is achievable for adults.

Adult braces tend to work by using a low, gentle force to move specific teeth into the right position. This gentle approach means that you shouldn’t experience too much pain. You may feel some slight discomfort immediately after I fit your brace or change an aligner but this can generally be controlled using over-the-counter pain medication.

I always recommend that you wear a retainer after any orthodontic treatment, as this will help keep your teeth in their new position (after all, they have probably been out of alignment for many years). I will explain more about how and when you need to wear your retainer when you come into the practice.