Am I Too Old for Braces?

Traditional orthodontic treatment begins once a child loses all (or at least most) of his/her baby teeth. For this reason, many people associate braces with adolescence, but the reality is that braces aren’t just for pre-teens and teens.

Our team of experienced dentists at Supertooth™ are happy to offer orthodontic services to our adult and adolescent patients in Bethesda, Germantown, and Gaithersburg, Maryland.

In this blog, we tackle a common question 一 “Am I too old for braces?” 一 and explore your options for straightening your teeth.

Are you too old for braces?

In a word: no. Even though most people associate braces with kids, you’re never too old to receive braces. Orthodontic treatment among adults has risen 40% in the last 10 years, according to the American Association of Orthodontics. That’s the equivalent of 1 in 3 orthodontic patients over the age of 18.

What can braces do for you?

Braces can improve the form and function of your mouth. This means that your braces can enhance the look of your smile, but braces can also help your mouth work better too. Braces can straighten out crooked teeth, close gaps, correct crowding, and correct bite issues. Common bite issues include overbite, underbite, crossbite, and open bite.

Orthodontic treatment can be discreet … and easy

When considering orthodontic treatment, one of the biggest concerns is how noticeable your treatment will be. Concerns about feeling self-conscious giving a presentation with metal braces can be off-putting, but your team of providers here at Supertooth understands these concerns. That’s why we offer a more discrete orthodontic option: Invisalign® clear aligners. In fact, most Invisalign users are adults. Of the 10 million individuals who wear Invisalign, only 1.4 million are teens.

Discrete treatments

The Invisalign clear aligner system gently shifts your teeth into the ideal position. Each new tray shifts your teeth closer and closer to the desired location. Because the trays are made of clear, soft BPA-free material, they are discrete. 

Treatment that works with your schedule

Even though you need to replace your Invisalign tray every 1-2 weeks, you don’t have to come into our office each time you need a new tray. This makes the treatment plan work with your busy schedule. Every 6-8 weeks, you’ll come into our office for monitoring and to check your progress.

Braces tackle orthodontic issues no matter how old you are

While Invisalign is a hit among adults, you don’t have to avoid metal braces. In fact, traditional metal braces might be the right solution for you. While Invisalign can correct mild bite issues, metal braces can tackle more severe bite issues. Correcting bite issues can:

• Improve your quality of life
• Improve your self-esteem
• Restore clearer speech
• Make eating more comfortable

Not sure if you need Invisalign or metal braces to address your orthodontic concerns? You’ll never have to make this decision alone. Our team reviews your digital scans, performs an oral exam, and discusses all of your orthodontic options with you.

Dreaming of a new smile? Turn your dreams into reality with orthodontic care in one of our four Maryland offices. Call the Supertooth location of your choice or book an appointment online.