The orthodontist’s office is a place that most homes have visited at a certain point. Traditionally, teenagers mainly visited the orthodontist’s office. But in recent times there has been a shift as more adults are visiting the orthodontist’s office to have braces. Research shows that adults make up to 20% of all the patients that get braces every year. This trend is attributed to the increasing education of the public and the breakage of the myth that braces don’t work for adults. Here are the five types of braces an adult can benefit from.
Metal Braces
Metal braces are the most common type of braces. Also referred to as the traditional braces, they have been in existence for many years. They are very visible as they are made of wire that connects the braces. Improvements have been made to modern braces to make them smaller, faster, more effective, and more comfortable for the wearer. The metal braces are very fast and effective compared to other braces. On the negative side, they are the most noticeable braces. Some people may find them unappealing aesthetically.
Ceramic Braces
The traditional ceramic braces are made to match the teeth’ color. This makes them hard to notice compared to the metallic braces. They are connected by wires that run through tiny slots on the braces. They are seen as an alternative and more discreet option compared to metal braces. The wearers of these pride themselves in the fact that they can straighten their teeth without having that unique look of the metal braces. The patients that mostly chose these braces are aesthetically driven. In adults, it is an awesome alternative for people that would fear having that teenage braced smile. Their main disadvantage is that they may stain depending on the diet and dental hygiene practices of an individual.
Self-Ligating Braces
Self-ligating braces work in a similar manner to both metal and ceramic braces. They come in both metallic and ceramic options. The ceramic option for those that mind the aesthetics. Their main departure from the traditional metallic and ceramic braces is that they use doors or clips to hold the wire instead of the elastic rubber ties used in both metal and ceramic braces. They are easy to adjust to and therefore take less time. They are most suited for patients that are comfort sensitive. Patients that cannot withstand staying long are best suited for this option as the adjustments can be made easily. With 50%-75% of the adult population being able to benefit from orthodontist interventions, this is a great option.
Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are the least common type of braces because of their complexity. It is, however, gaining acceptance among many people. This type of brace allows for the installation of braces on the backside of the teeth. This makes it completely invisible to people. They have great results for tooth alignment. They are easy to customize depending on the individual needs of each patient. They are the perfect choice for adults that want to keep their braces secret. One of the biggest disadvantages of these braces is that they may affect speech in some patients. Being at the back of the teeth, these braces may affect the pronunciation of some sounds.
Clear Aligners
Clear aligners have become very popular over the last decade. These are made for patients that have had braces in their younger years or have mild issues with their teeth alignment. They are clear and very difficult to notice. Therefore, adults that use them will hardly have any aesthetic issues. Their biggest weakness is that they cannot be used to dealing with major alignment issues. For such issues, one has to use the other types of braces.
It is never too late to get the perfect smile. Teeth alignment problems are not only aesthetically unappealing but also increase the chances of developing dental problems as one grows. You can even search on your phone for a solution, as 48% of consumers do with a search engine. It is therefore important to embrace braces for better dental and mental health in every home.
